MARTIN DOODY, ARCHAEOLOGIST 1958-2015

Posted on August 5, 2015

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One of my best friends Martin Doody died aged 56 on July 8th this year 2015. 
Martin was Chairman of the Irish Kidney Association in 2012.
Martin, from Portlaoise. was in receipt of a kidney which made survival possible for an extra 18 years from 1997. By this year he had overcome many severe episodes of ill health. This year 2015 I also thought that he would rally round severe illness but sadly he lost his fight  for life. His friends and colleagues in the archaeological, IKA and medical communities were shocked. We cannot imagine life without him. 
Martin was my pal since 1977 when we started our studies in archaeology in University College Cork and several years later we finished our post graduate degrees about the same time. Our friendship continued while we both lectured in the Archaeology Department of  University College Cork, carried out research and interrmitenlty excavated sites together including Abbey Island, Darrynane, County Kerry,  Ballyveelish and Curraghatoor, County Tipperary. in the early 1980’s. We were in constant communication in recent years. I loved his humour and our phone calls always ended with us laughing almost in convulsions. He was always cheerful in spite of the most severe difficulties he endured due to his health. He was great to give advice. It was almost as if he had been here before!
He was a significant archaeologist of the Bronze Age in Ireland, with a number of books to his credit (2007 Excavations in Curraghatoor, County Tipperary and  1997, Bronze age settlement in County Tipperary, fifteen years of research, Tipperary Historical Journal, 94-106).  
 
Martin’s friends and colleagues are getting together to honour this amazing man. 
With the Irish Kidney Association, I have organised the Martin Doody Walk in the Regional Park, Ballincolliig at 11am Weds the 23rd Sept 2015.  The intention is to give awareness to kidney donation in Ireland. It was a topic which Martin championed for many years, and would approve.
Cork County Mayor Jean Paul O’Shea will walk with us.
To see Martin speaking on organ donation watch https://vimeo.com/64551543
For more on the Irish Kidney Association see www.ika.ie
 
Catryn Power
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THE MARTIN DOODY WALK

FOR ORGAN DONOR AWARENESS AT

THE REGIONAL PARK, BALLINCOLLIG, COUNTY CORK

ON WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 23rd 2015 11AM 

ACCOMPANIED BY CORK COUNTY MAYOR JOHN PAUL O’SHEA

DIRECTIONS:

FROM BALLINCOLLIG: TAKE THE INNISHCARRA ROAD/R618 AT THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS, OUTSIDE THE WHITE HORSE PUB/QUISH’S SUPERMARKET, AT THE MACROOM END OF BALLINCOLLIG; FROM THERE 600M TO THE BRIDGE IS THE ENTRANCE TO THE PARK, WHERE THERE IS A WHITE TOWER.

ENJOY A DRINK (COFFEE, TEA OR HOT CHOCOLATE) WITH A HOMEMADE COOKIE OR CAKE BEFORE OR AFTER THE WALK AT THE OUTDOOR CAFE CHICO’S.            DISABLED ACCESS    NO TOILETS        OUTDOOR GYM EQUIPMENT                         SURFACES SUITABLE FOR EASY WALKING

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT CATRYN 0353868202204.

FOR INFORMATION ON THE ROYAL GUNPOWDER MILLS IN THE REGIONAL PARK: http://www.corkcoco.ie/co/pdf/828779554.pdf

 

 

MARTIN DOODY

OBITUARY

Martin Doody of New Road, Port Laoise has died at the age of 56. Martin was an archaeologist by profession and graduated from University College Cork in 1980. He pursued postgraduate research in prehistoric burial practises and was awarded an MA degree from the college in1986. While attached to the department in UCC he was appointed excavations manager for the Cork-Dublin natural gas pipeline and excavated several sites of interest including a Bronze Age settlement and burial mound near Clonmel, Co. Tipperary and a Bronze Age settlement at Curraghatoor, Co. Tipperary. His first book, ‘Excavations at Curraghatoor’ was published in 2007.

He served as Head Tutor and Assistant Lecturer at the Department of Archaeology in UCC until 1992 when he moved to Dublin to take up the position as Project Director with the Discovery Programme, a body established to undertake research into various aspects of Irish archaeology. He was appointed Director of the Ballyhoura Hills Project and for 16 years he undertook research, fieldwork and excavation which culminated in the publication of his book ‘The Ballyhoura Hills Project’. Since 2003 Martin worked as a freelance Consultant Archaeologist.

Martin was diagnosed with diabetes in 1979. Unfortunately, his condition worsened over the years and this was to have a profound and long lasting effect on his life and subsequent career. By 1991 his renal condition became critical and required regular dialysis in Cork University Hospital.  Martin’s close association with the Irish Kidney Association developed when he moved to Dublin to take up the position of Project Director with the Discovery Programme in 1992. His health continued to deteriorate and in 1997 he received a kidney and pancreatic transplant. Mr David Hickey, formally of Beaumont Hospital carried out the surgery and there began a friendship that lasted until Martin’s death on 8 July 2015. Mr Hickey delivered a very moving and emotional tribute to Martin at the Requiem Mass in Port Laoise.

Martin was appointed National Honorary Chairman of the IKA in July 2011 and held the post for two years. He had been a member of the board since 2001 and had also held the posts of National Honorary Treasurer and Secretary. He was instrumental in the development of the temporary dialysis facility that the IKA provided to the Midland Regional Hospital in Tullamore and later in the development of the new Dialysis Unit in the same hospital. He was chairman of the Laois Branch for many years and gave help and encouragement to many kidney disease patients. Even when his own health deteriorated he attended national meetings and was a member of several committees furthering the work of the IKA. He leaves a legacy that will be valued for many years. Martin is greatly missed by the committee and members of the Laois Branch and also by the Head Office in Donor House in Dublin where his opinion was often sought and where his good and sound advice was sincerely appreciated. His courage in the face of adversity was an example to all and his humour, quick wit and honesty endeared him to many people.

Martin is survived by his brothers, Pat and Aidan and their families, his aunts, many close cousins, especially Kathleen Ryan, and a large group of friends.

May his gentle soul rest in peace.

MARGARET MCCARTHY (ARCHAEOLOGIST)& ROSE SHANAHAN (IRISH KIDNEY ASSOCIATION)

SEPTEMBER 2015

Posted in: PEOPLE