Walsh, Thomas (1914-1988)--DB9698

Biographical Notes

Date of birth and date of death

18.07.1914-19.07.1988

Maiden name, place of origin

Pollsallagh, Piercestown, County Wexford

Marital status, religious denomination, children

Married to Mary (Mimi) Caffrey; Catholic; 3 Children (2 Daughters and 1 Son)

Social background, family connections

Son of a farmer

Education, occupation and public functions

Education

University College Dublin: Doctorate (in Agricultural Science) 1938-1941; Masters in Agricultural Science 1937-1938, Bachelor in Agricultural Science -1937; Wexford Christian Brothers' School

Occupation

An Chomhairle Oiliúna Talmhaíochta (Irish Agricultural Training Council): First director 1979-1983; An Foras Talúntais (Irish Agricultural Institute): First director 1958-1979; Department of Agriculture: Senior inspector 1952-1958, soils advisory officer 1945-1952; University College Dublin: Assistant lecturer in soil science 1938-1945; North Tipperary County Committee of Agriculture: Agricultural advisor 1938; Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd 1938

Functions in agricultural institutions

Agricultural Science Association: Founder member and president; Fertiliser Association of Ireland: Founder member and president

Functions in other institutions

Garda Training Review Body: Chairman 1987; National Council for Education Awards: Chairman 1970s; Nuclear Energy Board: Member 1973-1978; Commission for Higher Education: Member 1960-1966; Royal Dublin Society: Member of the Science Committee; Royal Irish Academy: Member 1956-1988 and secretary 1972-1978; St Martin's Gaelic Athletic Association Club, Piercestown: Founder member 1932

Political activities

Short Biography

Thomas Walsh, known variously as Dr Tom Walsh, Doc Walsh, Doc Tom or simply The Doc, was an agricultural scientist and agricultural administrator who was synonymous with agricultural development in Ireland from the 1930s to the 1980s. In the first phase of his professional life, Walsh was primarily a soil scientist, pioneering the study of Irish soils and mapping the soil profile of the country. Such was the significance of his work in this area that he was awarded a D.Sc. in 1947, which was only six years after he had earned his Ph.D. in agricultural science. Despite his research findings consistently undermining the basis for government agricultural policy, which tended to overestimate the potential of Irish soils, from the 1950s Walsh entered the second phase of his professional life as the government's chief administrator of applied agricultural science. He was appointed first director of both the Irish agricultural research institute, An Foras Talúntais, in 1957, and An Chomhairle Oiliúna Talmhaíochta (ACOT), the Irish agricultural training council, in 1979. The latter organisation integrated the state's agricultural advisory services and agricultural education infrastructure. Today, the Walsh Fellowships for postgraduate students studying agriculture and food production, which are administered by ACOT's successor Teagasc, are a conspicuous indication of his legacy.

Author: Mícheál O Fathartaigh

References

Own publications

Sources

Keywords

IrlandeCounty WexfordCounty DublinCounty Tipperary