Barbara Durack, RTÉ Film and Television Archivist of over thirty years, passed away last weekend at her home in Dún Laoghaire.
Barbara joined RTÉ in 1963 where she played a key role in the founding of the RTÉ Film Library in the late 1960s and in the development of the television archives of RTÉ. She was a significant contributor to the RTÉ/ BBC co-production, ‘Ireland: A Television History’ which was first broadcast in 1980.
Barbara worked tirelessly in the development and management of the catalogues and was meticulous in all her work with film and television content. She was also a passionate advocate of the RTÉ archives, promoting them as a precious resource for broadcasting and for our collective memory.
Barbara became a beneficiary of her earlier work when she carried out the research for major RTÉ Television documentary series, from ‘Seven Ages’ to ‘Reeling in the Years’.
Following her retirement in 2003, Barbara was valued as an archival resource herself with her encyclopaedic knowledge of both the archives of RTÉ and Irish history. She continued to work in the industry as a film researcher for independent producers, notably, Mint Production’s documentary series, ‘Haughey’, and Gaelmedia’s archive series for TG4, ‘Siar na Seachtóidí’ and its upcoming follow-on series, 'Siar na hOchtóidí' which will be broadcast in the autumn.
Barbara made a major contribution to RTÉ Television Libraries and Archives and to Irish broadcasting in general. All her former colleagues and friends will dearly miss her.
Our deepest sympathy to Barbara's brother, Eric, and her sister, Monica, and all the Durack family.
Funeral Arrangements
The requiem Mass and Funeral will be next Wednesday, 30 August at 11.00 a.m. in St. Michael's Church, Dún Laoghaire. The remains will be received at the Church at 11.00 and requiem Mass will follow. Fr. Dermod Mc Carthy will celebrate the Mass.
