Background
He was born in Dublin, son of artists Maurice MacGonigal and Aida Kelly. His father, a cousin of Harry Clarke, had been a republican activist during the Irish War of Independence before studying, and then teaching, at the RHA schools.
He was born in Dublin, son of artists Maurice MacGonigal and Aida Kelly. His father, a cousin of Harry Clarke, had been a republican activist during the Irish War of Independence before studying, and then teaching, at the RHA schools.
Mac Conghail was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, The Kings" Inns and the University of Edinburgh.
He joined Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ) in the 1960s, one of a group of young broadcasters which included Andreas Ó Gallchóir, Breandán Ó hEithir, James Plunkett Kelly, Donal Farmer and Seán Mac Réamoinn. He became producer and editor of the current affairs programme 7 Days, which started broadcasting in 1966. In May 1973, he was appointed Assistant Secretary at the Department of the Taoiseach and Head of the Government Information Bureau.
He was RTÉ Controller of Programmes, television, 1977–1980 and 1983–1986.
In 2001 he delivered the Thomas Davis Lecture to mark the 75th anniversary of Radio Éireann -"Politics by Wireless". They divorced in 2007.
Aghaidheanna Fidil Agus Puicini (Biography of George Thompson)
Island Funeral (1965)
The Blaskets: A Kerry Island Library (1987)
The Blaskets — People and Literature
Politics by Wireless: News and Current Affairs on Radio, 1926-2000 (2001)
Essay on David Thornley in Unquiet Spirit: Essays in memory of David Thornley. Edited by Yseult Thornley (Liberties Press).