Donal Farrell

An exceptional teacher. I will never forget the French-speaking Spanish matador who asked for ‘Café au lait au lit, olé’, and the quizzes on Friday afternoons. In later years, Donal was a wonderfully supportive colleague, who provided such sound advice and support. Merci beaucoup, Monsieur Farrell. R.I.P.

Sincere condolences to the family of Mr Farrell. Mr F. was my French teacher for the senior cycle at St. Gerard's and he was superb. Loved my time in French class with him. He made French fun and relevant to teenagers giving us all the lingo for meeting le mec and ordering la bière, as well as introducing more high brow subjects like Nouvelle Vague cinema and Jacques Cousteau. Loved my trip to Paris with himself and Ms Dobbyn in 1st year. RIP: a true legend with a gift for igniting curiosity in young people.

My sincerest sympathies on the sad passing of Donal. He was a wonderful colleague, and someone I really looked up to as a young teacher starting in St Gerard's many moons ago. He was so funny, incredibly witty and also very generous, kind and full of advice. It was always so clear how much the students loved and respected him. Rest in peace x

I wish to express sincere condolences to the late Donal’s family on his passing and this sad loss. I was fortunate to have been in his first class in 1980 as I recall. He prepared us well with his dedication and great love for the French language and literature (Maupasssant). More than that as others have alluded to, he had a great air of a bon vivant and regaled us with many stories (e.g being at the Beatles concert in Dublin etc). He left you with a deep love of all things French. A great man and a great teacher. May He Rest in Peace.

Greetings, please accept my sincere condolences on the death of Mr. Farrell. I remember his first day at St. Gerard’s School, his walk, natty style and of course his Alfa Romeo. As a teacher I recall that he was one of the few who could pronounce my Burgundian surname correctly…. With a silent ‘ N ‘. He put his heart into his subject and was highly regarded by the school community. His text books were well received both by his students at the school and wider a field. He was a true educator and his left field thinking appealed to many of us. His long career span at St.Gerard’s meant that he not only taught me , my nephew Freddie but also my daughter Natasha. He was a man whom made an impression on me and whose death will be a very sad loss to his family and friends. You are all in my thoughts and prayers at this time. Martin Bernon ( class of 1984 ).

Sincere condolences to Donal Farrell's family at this sad time. Like many others, I am still in his debt for opening up a world of French language and culture. He cared for his students and his subject, and was always generous with his time and considerable intellect. May he rest in peace.

Sincere Condolences to Jan and family during this hard time. Thinking of Donal, may he Rest in Peace.

Sincere condolences to all the Farrell family. I have fond memories of Donal’s kind words and helpful advice. An inspirational teacher and colleague. May Donal rest in peace.

Deepest sympathies to Finian and all the family. Rest in peace.

Heartfelt sympathy to Donal's dear wife and family. Also to Finian,Bernie, Ciara,Damien and all his relatives. May his gentle soul rest in peace.

Sincere sympathies to Finian, Berney and family on the sad passing of Donal. We extend our sympathy also to Donal's wife and family on his passing. May he rest in peace.

Sending our deepest sympathies to Kay, Jan, Dave and family. We were very sorry to hear of Donal’s passing. May his gentle soul rest in peace.
Alan, Rose Marie, Ellie, Heidi and Harry Cole

Sincere Sympathy to Finian, Bernie, Ciara & Damien and extended Farrell Family on the sad passing of Donal. May he Rest In Peace.

Sincere sympathy to you Finian, Bernie, Damien and Ciara and Donals wife and family and the extended Farrell family on his sad passing may he now rest in peace 🙏

Deepest sympathies to the Farrell family at this very sad time. Mr Farrell was a unique and highly talented teacher that brightened our time in St Gerard’s. I loved his stories of the origin of French words (some of which he later told us were fictional). His enthusiasm for linguistics was infectious and his classes inspirational, thought provoking and highly enjoyable. Rest in peace Mr Farrell.

Reading through the messages before mine has made me realise that it wasn’t just me who thought you were the coolest dude Mr Farrell. I was lucky enough to have you as an English teacher as well as a French teacher in my years in St Gerard’s. Thank you for many a fun Friday afternoon of lateral thinking lessons. Rest in peace and my condolences to your family and loved ones.

Heartfelt condolences to Kay and all the family. It has been a great pleasure to have known Donal. We have many fond memories of happy occasions together , always enjoying Donal's quick wit and charm.
Adieu notre ami.
Reposez en paix.

Our deepest sympathy to Finian, Bernie, Ciara, Damien and the extended Farrell family on the sad passing of Donal. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam

Deepest sympathy to Finian and all the family at this sad time.

Sincere Sympathy to Finian, Bernie, Ciara & Damien and extended Farrell Family on the sad passing of Donal. May he Rest In Peace.

My sincere condolences to all of Mr. Farrell's family and loved ones. I have the best memories of Mr. Farrell's French classes, he was truly one of a kind. Always such an encouraging and inspiring teacher and the reason that French was my favourite subject in school. His love of teaching and the French language was infectious. May he rest in peace

I am very sorry to hear of Mr Farrell's passing. My abiding memory is of a hilarious, enthusiastic, and dapper teacher. Although he only taught me in my first year, he made a lasting impression. Deepest condolences to his family and loved ones.

My deepest sympathies to Mr. Farrell's family and loved ones. Mr. Farrell was a fantastic teacher and so kind to all of his pupils. He captivated the classroom with his good humour, quick wit and love of the French language. It was a pleasure to learn from one of the best. May he rest in peace.

I was very saddened to hear of the loss of Donal Farrell, one of my French teachers at St. Gerard's School.

Mr. Farrell was a wonderfully inspiring teacher, and very kind and vibrant man who will remain fond in my memories.

I enjoyed his classes very much. He inspired passion and curiosity within us. I particularly appreciated his ability to get us to think about language as a system, make meaningful connections, and bring it to life for us. He made it fun!

He made many contributions to the French department at school and across the country from a place of passion. His work was and remains a huge contributing factor to my decision to study French at university, spend time in France, study linguistics, and my career today.

Thank you Mr. Farrell for all. You were a positive light in many lives and may you rest in peace.

Sending comfort and condolences to all family and friends during this time.

My sincere condolences to the entire Farrell family. I have many fond memories of Mr Farrell during my time at St. Gerards. His love of teaching and languages along with his extreme wit and impeccable dress sense made his class such an enjoyable one! He will be missed. Reposez en paix

At the door to Mr. Farrell's class, you would be well advised to take a deep breath to ready yourself for the following 40 minute whirlwind of challenges, charm, colour and perhaps an anecdote or two touching on French culture such as the correct pronunciation of Cointreau. Mr. Farrell really did bring a sense of passion and fun to his vocation. His passing will be mourned. My sincere condolences to the Farrell family.

My sincerest condolences to Mr. Farrell's family and loved ones. I had the pleasure of having Mr. Farrell as my french teacher for my entire six years of senior school. He was one of the teachers that you will never forget, and that I still think of when attempting quelques mots en français with my french in-laws. He was an inspirational teacher and a lovely person.

Sincere condolences on your loss. Mr Farrell was a fabulous teacher and his love of French language and culture was infectious. I have very fond memories of his class. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

My sincere condolences to the Farrell family. Mr. Farrell was a fantastic teacher and though I only had him in first and second year, he instilled an enthusiasm for language (and the culture that goes with it) that was stayed with me ever since. RIP.

I am very sorry to hear of the death of Mr Farrell. He was a brilliant French teacher, a very witty man and one of the best-dressed people I have ever met. RIP.

Most sincere condolences to the family on this very sad occasion, may he rest in peace.

My condolences on your loss. Mr Farrell was a fantastic teacher and I have great memories of French class in St Gerard's. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

auhourd’hui, le soleil brille dans une ciel claire et blue.. but the great man who taught us how to write such Bon mots has gone to the great Gauluise smokers’ lounge in le ciel. Fond memories of discussing the Rolling Stones with Monsieur F on the lawn at school and him encouraging me to pursue my dreams. Merci Monsieur for being such an inspiring teacher and such a lovable rogue who gave us so many laughs in class. Adieu ( and apologies for the mistakes in the bad Franglais).

Mr. Farrell was a one-of-a-kind teacher and his love of French language and culture was infectious. His enthusiasm and warmth radiated to every student that walked through his door and truly made you engaged with each and every lesson. I carry a lot of fond memories of my school days because of Mr. Farrell.

My sincere condolences to his family and loved ones.

Sincere condolences to Donal’s family and friends.
He was a very a talented teacher with true generosity of spirit. He also possessed a natural ability to connect with his pupils and colleagues in an authentic way that engendered mutual respect.
A man held in high esteem by those who were lucky enough to know him.

My sincere condolences to Mr Farrell’s family and many friends. He was a wonderful teacher who inspired everyone of us not only to share in his infectious love of all things French, but also to explore and view the world a little bit differently. Merci pour tout Monsieur Farrell.

My condolence to all the families. This message comes from France where I have been living for 30 years. Mr Farrel was my French teacher for the leaving cert. I remember him with fondness but also remember him saying I would never get a B in French. I will never know if this was what he thought or whether he was trying to push me! In any case I got it and went on to study it at UCD and eventually moved to France.
My prayers are with him and you

Sorry to hear of his passing . Taught me French in the late 80's. Lots of good memories of his class, boy did have his work cut out with us! Patience of a saint really. But he was one of the cool teachers and enjoyed a laugh with us too! My condolences to you all, Robert Trench, class of 89.

My deepest thoughts and sympathies to all Donal’s family. He was a special rare talent in teaching at St. Gerard’s. Our class was often tough for any teacher to handle but he held us all so well. He defined cool in a way that made us easily pay attention. I will never forget when he showed us the movie Diva. He created so many great moments for us to not only learn French but to explore and find out about life. Bon chance, Donal.

RIP Mr Farrell. I always enjoyed his classes- He was hands down the coolest teacher in St Gerards. He knew how to talk with teenagers and keep them engaged by being funny and smart. He was great on the exchange to Bordeaux too, trusting us to not go too far with our new found freedom. May he rest in peace.

We will remember Mr Farrell fondly as a remarkable teacher with a great sense of fun, matched by his infectious delight in the beauty of the French language. May he rest in peace.

My sincere condolences to the Farrell family for your loss. Mr Farrell was a truly committed Francophile who instilled his passion for the language and culture to anyone lucky enough to be taught by him. I have the fondest memories of Mr Farrell’s classes and I owe a lot to his deep support. May he rest in peace.

My sincere condolences to the Farrell family. I have many fond memories of Mr Farrell during my time in St Gerards.

So sorry to hear this very sad news. Witty, playful and inspiring as a teacher, my memories of Donal are of a kind, energetic and compassionate man with a lively intellect and a deep appreciation and contagious love of the French language. He was not only tolerant of my passion for Sarte and Camus but positively generous in encouraging my enthusiasm for such willful erudition. Sending heartfelt condolences, peace and courage to all the family.

Very saddened to hear of the passing of Mr Farrell. A staple of St Gerard's- I'll always remember his razor sharp wit, sense of humour and all of his fantastic quirks. I've fond memories of his daily French calendar in the classroom. He would tear off the page and give it to us on our birthdays.

He was always incredibly supportive of each of us.

My sincerest condolences to his family and loved ones.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hAnam.

Donal was a wonderful teacher. His teaching and coaching led me to into the wonderful world of a career working in French as a primary language and opened the door to the development of many personal and professional friendships in the world of French speaking people. Who could have asked for more. Thank you Donal.

My sincere condolences to the Farrell family. May he rest in peace

C'est avec une grande tristesse que j'ai appris le décès de M. Farrell. Il était un merveilleux professeur qui inspirait une admiration pour la langue et la culture françaises. Je vous envoie mes sincères condoléances.

Sincere condolences to the Farrell family. Donal was an amazing teacher who had time for everyone. He and his his classes will always be some of my best memories from St.Gerard's.

Mr Farrell was a truly wonderful teacher, funny, smart and fair - he was clearly an integral member of the teacher gang who purposefully strode up and down to the fountain at lunch time. I have extremely fond memories of him (and his gang)

Sincere condolences to his family.

Sincere condolences for your loss. Mr Farrell was a teacher I have many fond memories of and he instilled a life long love of learning and appreciation of etymology in myself. It's been 15-16 years since I was in his classroom and I still remember his wall of French words used in the English language as well as his fun energy he brought to class. I'm truly blessed to have been a pupil of his. Rest in peace Mr. Farrell (St Gerards Pupil 2003-2009)

It is with great sadness that I hear of Mr. Farrell’s passing. As his former pupil I knew him only as Monsieur Farrell, the chouette French teacher, who wore cool corduroy jackets and big framed glasses - when no-one else dared. He came with my year on a French exchange to Bordeaux, and he was just such great fun and he just loved being mistaken for a French native! He was a wonderful French teacher and I will always be so grateful to him for that. My sincere condolences to his family. Merci pour tout Monsieur Farrell. May you rest in peace.

I am so sorry to hear of the passing of Mr. Farrell. He was a brilliant French Teacher. RIP Mr. Farrell.

Sincerest sympathies to the Farrell family.
Mr Farrell was my beloved French teacher at St Gerard's in the late 80s/early 90s. He sauntered around St Gerard's in his brown leather jacket, smoking fags, and seemed a whole lot cooler than the rest of the teachers. Now that wasn't hard, but it earned him his nicknames 'Bergerac' and 'Disco Donal'. We absolutely loved his classes. On hearing how ill he was, I've had recent conversations with classmates who remember how he instilled such a love of language in us, built up our confidence to speak, and introduced us to French films. His favourite word was 'crepuscule' and we were sure to use that in our homework, no matter what the subject. A huge loss to the St. Gerard's community. Rest in peace, Donal.

My sincerest sympathies to the family of Donal, I had the pleasure of having Mr. Farrell as my French teacher and I remember his lessons, humour and personality with great fondness. Rest in peace

I offer my sincere condolences to the family of Donal Farrell. I consider myself fortunate to have had Mr Farrell as my French teacher at St. Gerard's. I always looked forward to his classes and learned a lot from his outstanding teaching, patience, and great sense of humour.

I am so sorry to hear of Mr. Farrell's passing. We were so lucky to have him as our teacher. My sincere condolences to all his family and friends. Reposez en paix, Monsieur Farrell.

Deepest condolences to all of Donal's immediate family and lifelong friends, at this difficult time. Donal was an inspirational teacher of the French language. Additionally, he enlightened me on the lesser known songs of John, Paul, George and Ringo. If my memory serves, he astonished me when he recalled his memories of attending the Beatles Concert in Dublin. In 1982, he was the Godspell acting director and he brought so much fun and humour to our rehearsals. Most of all I admired him because he was urbane and cool.

I have such fond memories of our inspirational French classes with Mr. Farrell at St. Gerard's and I will always be grateful for his positive and energetic encouragement of my interest in French. Thanks to his wonderful classes, I went on to develop a lifelong interest in French.
A wonderful, passionate, interesting, fun and kind teacher.

My heartfelt condolences to his family.

To those of us who had the privilege of being taught French by Donal Farrell he will always be a big part of our fond memories of St Gerard's. A brilliant teacher who always brought fun, wit and humour to his classes as well as an infectious love for all things francophile. He also had great style and elan that was all his own! We will also always remember his amazing impromptu quizzes and lateral thinking problems which we got at the end of the week if we got all our work done. Perhaps above all he had a wonderful rapport with teenagers which made his classes a joy. Deepest condolences to all who loved him at this time.

Sincere condolences to the Farrell family. Donal was one of the best teachers I ever had and know he will be missed greatly.