R.I.P. John O'Gorman 1945 - 2002

Zombrex

One of my favourite and most talented lectures at the University of Limerick, John O'Gorman died of a heart attack on Sunday 3rd November.

He was a wonderful, passionate lecture of Computer Science. He will be greatly missed.

May he rest in peace.

From the Irish Times, 11th November 2002 (scanned and OCR - Apologies for any mistakes)

JOHN James O’Gorman was born in Blamey Street, Cork in 1945 and attended the North Monastery Christian Brothers School. He was one of their brilliant young men, obtaining a scholarship to UCC. But instead of going on to univer-sity he joined the Dominican Order in September 1962. He was professed the following year and ordained a priest in 1969.
John O’Gorman stood out as a shining light. Most of all he was a man of absolute integrity, but he was also endowed with brilliant intelligence.

After priestly ordination ne studied postgraduate theology in Rome and remained at the Irish Dominican community in San Clemente as bursar. He spoke Italian like a Roman — or so said his neighbours on the Via Labi-cana. But he was not happy with Rome and the Roman scene. His first love was always science and mathematics.

He began postgraduate work in maths while still in Rome. Father J.M. Heuston, a brother of John Heuston of 1916 fame, himself a fine mathematician, admitted that he had never before met someone with such mathematical talent.

John came home to Ireland in 1976, moved to the Dominican Community at Newbridge and did his H.Dip at Maynooth. Without any formal degree in mathematics, he blazed a trail of brilliance through Newbridge College. Stu-dents seeming destined to produce average tumed in spectacular per-formances. By the time of his last year at the school, there were two streams in sixth year doing Higher Level Maths in the Leaving Cert.
But John was also there for the not-so-clever. Anyone who sat at his feet in Newbridge will remember him as a brilliant and fair teacher.

John was endowed with both a practical and speculative intelli-gence.
In the early 1980s he began to develop an interest in Computer Science and did a PhD, in com-puting at the University of Lim-erick. This led to a career in lec-turing at the college, a job he greatly loved. He is the author of two books on computing and was in the process of publishing a third.

He was meticulous in everything he did. While mathematics and teaching were his first love there were other sides to this faithful son of St Dominick. He walked every by-road of Ireland, climbed to the top of every mountain and had a knowledge of roads, rivers and mountains that was simply breathtaking. He John also took his theology seriously, had a profound knowledge of the Bible, and was familiar with modem theo-logical thinking.

But he was never at home with his priesthood. In the mid-1980s he requested permission to resign from priesthood while remaining a Dominican. The Order granted his request.

Most of all John was a dear Friend, someone who was always there to give the best of advice and help. He had absolutely no time for show or pretension and lived the simplest of lives. He never lost his Blamey Street accent. He carried his intelligence easily and never used it as a tool to lord it over anyone. Above all, any signs of obfuscation annoyed him intensely.
He had little time for people in iuthority who attempted to take short-cuts and he haa no mercy for Dominican superiors whom he felt were not living up to their responsibility. He was a member of the pro-vincial council of the Irish Domini-cans ‘and took his responsibility very seriously.

He was a true democrat, moulded by the constitutions of the Order, so when he felt superiors or communities were lack-lustre living out their calling to St Dominick, he had no hesitation in letting people know his views.

He was in some ways a private man but was always there for his friends and he would go to any distance to help and support.

John was a physically fit man who could walk up to 20 miles a day. He took good care of himself. Yet he died in his room in the Dominican Community in Limerick on the evening of Sunday, November 3rd of a massive heart attack.

He is survived by his brother Andrew sister-in-law Emer, niece Fiona nephews Rory and Mark, and his Dominican brothers.

I have lost a dear friend. May he rest in peace.

M.C.

Mr E

One of the nicest, most approachable lecturers I had during my time in UL. I was shocked when I heard the news last week.

RIP, John.

- Dave.

sceptre

Never had the guy lecturing me (due to my only moving to comp sys this October) but had some dealings with him during the Vision 2020 process five or six years ago. Seemed quite a nice chap. Obviously well-regarded in CSIS and beyond judging from people's reactions.

John2002

He was a lecturer who actually cared about the students. A very nice guy and he will be sadly missed. RIP