In Memory of Michael
8 November 2002

Those of us who had the privilege of knowing Michael O'Sullivan, who died on 5th November, will never forget him and will vouch for the fact that, for once, the epithet 'larger than life' was a fitting description for a human being. Michael had just finished his second year of studies towards a PhD in the School of Applied Language and Intercultural Studies, having completed the BA in Applied Languages in 2000. He was out of the ordinary merely by virtue of being a mature student, already well into his thirties, when he started his undergraduate degree; he was also out of the ordinary in gaining such high marks, of course, getting an overall First Class Honours result. After graduating, he sped like a human whirlwind into his doctoral studies under the joint direction of Agnès Maillot of SALIS and Séamus O'Síocháin from Maynooth. He then made characteristically brilliant progress within a short space of time and looked set not only to complete his degree on time but, with the store of knowledge and ideas that he had built up, to become an outstanding scholar in Intercultural Studies, and, in particular, an expert on the intercultural issues thrown up by his study of the reports of Roger Casement from the Congo.

But, in a sense, these were among the least of his achievements. What those of us who knew him will remember him for is qualities such as boundless enthusiasm, razor-sharp wit, encyclopaedic general knowledge, unparalleled people management skills and a general zest for living which would leave you feeling refreshed and stimulated when you could spend even a small amount of time in his company.

Within academia and outside it, his interests were rich and varied: from language learning to opera, from travelling the world to devoted attention to his friends, from mountaineering to everything artistic, along with conscientious and determined dedication to his own researches on Casement and the Congo. The list was enormous, and Michael could produce profound insights and interesting anecdotes on all of it at a moment's notice. He put his general knowledge to great use in his first year at college when he captained the DCU team that won the 'Challenging Times' quiz show. The speed of his intellect and the range of his knowledge were the main ingredients responsible for the success of the team in the various rounds, although his witty sparring with the show's presenter, Kevin Myers, was memorable in itself. At one critical moment, Michael luckily chose the correct answer from an 'either-or' question. Myers suggested that Michael's luck was perhaps due to the fact that he had been 'burning virgins', to which Michael's instant riposte was: 'I don't know any!'

While an undergraduate, he also threw his energies into running the DCU Spanish Society, organising a series of 'Spanish Days' every year, with talks, films, concerts and other events taking place around the campus on the Day. I worked with him on one of those days, in March 1997, when we invited President Mary McAleese to attend a lunch and address the students on the subject of her enthusiasm for the Spanish language and all things Spanish. Michael's organisational skills were a joy to behold, as he seemed to be aware of exactly who was doing what around the campus and what needed to be thought about next, even as he smoothly chatted to our visiting dignitary. On such occasions, the biggest challenge can be making small talk in between the formal events. This was not a difficulty for Michael, however. I recall that, as we emerged from the Albert College to make our way to the Henry Grattan building, President McAleese donned her overcoat against the wind. I was attempting to fill the gap at that moment with the standard spiel about the number of students we had in DCU and what new buildings were going up at the time. Michael, on the other hand, chose that occasion to utter to the President of the Irish Republic the immortal words: 'Your coat's to die for!' The President, of course, beamed with delight and seemed genuinely charmed by him.

We were all charmed by Michael. We'll miss him greatly.

(by Dr Bill Richardson)