Background
Páidí Ó Lionáird was born in Gort na Scairte, Baile Bhúirne in the Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking area of Company Cork) Cúil Aodha, part of the Muskerry Gaeltacht in County Cork.
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Paidi O Lionaird
Edit ProfileCareer
Since 1997, Ó Lionáird has presented current affairs and entertainment shows on the Irish language channel TG4. Other brothers include Seán, judge on TG4"s Feirm Factor and Peadar, co-owner of Folláin, jam and chutney manufacturer. The youngest of twelve, his father was principal of the local secondary school and owner of a small holding of land.
After leaving school, he initially studied Furniture Technology and Design at Dundalk Institute of Technology before using his carpentry skills in London.
He eventually ended up working as doorman at such establishments as the Kensington Park Hotel and then as Concierge at the Gloucester Hotel. On his return to Ireland, he was appointed as development officer for Munster with the Irish Language Youth Organisation Ógras.
They have one son named Naoise and are currently based in Galway. Having initially studied public relations at University College Cork, Ó Lionáird then qualified as a primary school teacher at Ministry of Information and Communication Limerick.
His studies have continued with a Masters Degree in Irish Media Studies from Ministry of Information and Communication and UL. He teaches communications at GMIT.
Ó Lionáird"s television career began with a successful screen test for TG4 in 1997.
He soon became involved with a number of different shows, from the light-hearted Ardán to the hard-headed political and current affairs show 7 Lá. Ó Lionáird chaired the Irish language debate held between the seven candidates in the 2011 Irish presidential election on 18 October 2011.
