My colleague and buddy Seán Hutton, who has died aged 83, made a giant contribution to the lifetime of the Irish group in Britain, first as government director of the British Affiliation for Irish Research after which with the Federation of Irish Societies, latterly as its coverage officer.
At each organisations Seán gave nice help to Irish cultural actions within the UK, whereas additionally serving to to develop pioneering initiatives that had been of profit to the Irish diaspora. Amongst different issues, his work offered data to the Irish authorities on diaspora well being inequalities, leading to its growth of an emigrant help programme to assist enhance the well being of Irish individuals dwelling within the UK and past. He was additionally instrumental within the lobbying that led to the Irish origins of individuals dwelling within the UK being recorded in UK censuses from 2001 onwards.
As well as, Seán made his personal contribution to the Irish arts within the UK as a poet with a number of printed collections to his identify, together with Seachrán Ruairí agus Dánta Eile (Ruairi’s Detour and Different Poems, 1986), which was awarded the Sean O’Riordan prize for literature.
Seán was born in Dublin, to Stephen, a civil servant, and his spouse, Sarah (nee O’Donoghue). Educated at St Mary’s school within the Rathmines space of Dublin, in 1962 he gained a level in historical past from College Faculty Dublin, after which he went on a historical past analysis scholarship to Hull College.
From 1969 onwards he labored for nearly 20 years as a historical past trainer at Bridlington grammar faculty in East Yorkshire, throughout which era he had a number of of his poetry collections printed.
It was in 1988 that he was appointed government director of the British Affiliation for Irish Research, a submit he held till 1993, when he joined the Federation of Irish Societies (now often known as Irish in Britain), the place he and I labored collectively for a few years. He remained there till his retirement in 2018.
Seán’s involvement with Irish causes within the UK was not, nonetheless, confined to these two organisations. From 1992 onwards he was secretary of the council of the Irish Texts Society, which is devoted to selling the research of Irish literature, and from 1997 he was a member of the Irish Transfrontier Committee, a bunch serving to Irish individuals in Britain – and British individuals in Eire – to search out work.
He was additionally on the advisory group of the Irish Youth Basis, a charity that helps deprived younger Irish individuals within the UK, was a committee member of the London Irish LGBT Community from its formation in 2013 till 2021, and a valued member of the Irish Literary Society, serving as its chair.
Seán had that uncommon however welcome mixture of humility and fierce mind, underpinned by an open generosity to share his time and his studying. His heat and humour made him one of the best of firm.
Seán’s sister, Eilish, died in 2022. He’s survived by 4 nieces, Bess, Antoinette, Lorraine and Suzanne, and a nephew, Seán.
