Naomi Hoare
(née Gilbert Scott)

I was very sad to learn of Naomi's passing. Fond memories of summers in Ballyalla

Sincerest condolences and I must say that I feel privileged that I got the chance to meet her a few times. Thank you for that. Bless her and may she rest in peace.

Deepest sympathy to Mark,Pauline,Beren and Sinead on Naomi's passing.May she rest in peace.

My condolences to the Hoare family on your loss.
May Naomi rest in peace.

Sincere Sympathys to Mark, Stephanie on the passing of Naomi.
She gave me my first job of mowing the grass in Ballyisland and have many happy memories of both your parents . They are together now again . May they rest in peace .

Sincerest Condolences to the Hoare Family on your sad loss. May Naomi Rest in Peace

Deepest sympathies to Sinead and family. Although we didn't know Naomi, we have been regaled with many a story of her exploits, accomplishments and her overall lust for life. She was an amazing woman who will be missed.

I would like to offer sincere condolences to Mark and Stephanie on the passing of their mother, and to all Naomi's family. During my time at AC, Naomi's unquenchable enthusiasm and positivity were hugely impressive and the flourishing of what she and Desmond began, all those years ago, is a lasting testament to their selfless idealism and commitment. She was an exceptional person and I found the tributes by her grandson and granddaughter at her service very vivid and moving.

Sincere sympathy to Hoare family on the sad passing of Naomi, many happy childhood memories of a dear neighbour and friend.

The passing of Naomi Hoare reminds me that she was a force of nature, physically living to over 100 but also character wise.
Desmond knew that he could not have gotten AC off the ground without her.

Naomi fully accepted Desmond selling his Navy pension to help start what became a wonderful and successful journey. No doubt early backers of the College were influenced by Naomi too. And once the College opened she showed women were at least men’s equal. Desmond told me when the College went co-Ed he only wanted one third girls so as to make both sides even. No doubt being married to Naomi influenced that opinion.

Naomi may be remembered for the wet suits. But really her courage and skill on the Bristol Channel demonstrated for all students what was possible. She exuded the Kurt Hahn spirit.
Naomi complemented Desmond in necessary ways. Every visitor to St Donat’s was received by Naomi too.

Naomi was in my memory always upbeat and positively engaged in all she undertook.

Naomi was a great role model for me.

As Commodore of Baltimore Sailing Club I would like to pay our respects to the family of Naomi at this sad time. What a life she lived and legacy she will be remembered for. I remember well beginning my sailing career in the 1970’s and being coached by Naomi, first up was the swimming test & holding your breath under water, you had to pass these before moving on. We would then see her in her black wetsuit getting into her Fireball and mixing it up with the younger sailors out in the harbour, she was not easily beaten….RIP Naomi & thank you from all the members of Baltimore Sailing Club

Naomi Hoare did many wonderful things in her life, but she will always be remembered by hundreds of students and colleagues who were fortunate enough to know her at Atlantic College, in South Wales, where her husband Desmond Hoare was the founding headmaster.
Naomi was an absolutely key figure in the creation of the College, supporting Desmond in everything he did, an adventurous sailor in tricky waters, a remarkable hostess entertaining visitors almost daily, equally at home with royalty, prospective donors – there was a desperate need for funds in those early years - journalists and educators from all over the world, and local people intrigued to know what was going on in the ancient castle.
She was an inspiration to everyone who worked or studied at the College.
Andrew Maclehose, AC teacher from 1966-82

my sincere condolences to the family. I was truly touched to hear of Naomi’s passing. Naomi and Desmond made a big impact on my life. I had never met people like this before. thank you Naomi, may you rest in peace.

Its with great sadness to here of the passing of Naomi.I have wonderful memories of her teaching sailing in sailing in Baltimore sailing club where she taught us kids skills that we still use today in our boating activities.
May she rest in peace 🙏

Sorry for your loss Mark. May she rest in peace

So many lovely memories coming back: being measured up for a skinsuit by this lovely lady (a girl I would have said today); Naomi launching a Fireball on the slipway, and boarding it; and Naomi gently correcting my not always idiomatic English. She was also a wonderful, congenial hostess: receiving my family on a visit to the college and at dinner in the Lady Anne Tower to which lucky students could be invited by handwritten sealed invitation cards.
I wish to offer my sincerest condolences to her family.
Fredrik Vinge
AC student 1967-69

She was graceful and had a sense of humour while I negotiated the ill fitting parts of the skin suit on my second week at AC circa September 1965. I remember her telling us playing `spot the skiver' with the Headmaster when the whole College assembled on the stage to sing spirituals by Michael Tippet (off key of course) conducted dramatically by Mr Lello. My condolences to Mark and the Hoares.

Naomi together with Desmond did a fantastic job in creating the Atlantic College that I remember.
I had the best 2 years of my youth there.
My thoughts go out to her family !

So sorry to hear of your Naomi’s passing. Thinking of you all at this time. Amazing lady.

Naomi stole of the hearts of all who had the good fortune to know her even for a short time. She taught me not only how to make my own skin suit but also to trampoline and sail a sunfish for which I will be eternally grateful. On land she was a a very proper and glamorous lady but on the water she every bit a sailor. We miss her so much.

Condolences to all the family. Naomi played a huge part in the early days of AC and was unfailingly fabulous. When we were neighbours, I remember decorating my childhood bedroom with her fashion sketches!

What a huge light has gone out in your lives! Of course we send sympathy & condolences for the loss of a very special lady. We have such happy memories of you all and especially of Naomi who became our daughter, Antonia's godmother with absolute glee!! Great days indeed!!
Love to you all,
Janie & George Zöhrer (65-67)

Thousands and thousands of students across the world owe more to Naomi than we can imagine. An extraordinary life.

For all the AC students to whom she means so much, here's the last paragraph of her article "The Skin Suit and I":

"Then there's the absurd, improbable fun the boys have leaping into the warm pool... unsinkable and unshakeable, they crash and splash about, more like porpoises in the springtime than schoolboys swimming out-of-doors in December. Steam curls from the blue water into the winter dusk. Spartan school, or dilettante character-building? Rubbish! We're enjoying ourselves!"

She was a force of nature at AC.My thoughts and prayers to the family.Called in to visit her in the Skibbereen home a coupleof times.She was great,sad to hear of her death.

my sincerest condolences to Mark, Stephanie and families, I shall always remember Naomi as a Classy and Kind lady, as well as her Rescue Boat gathering Pizzas, her skin-suit "factory" and her jointly ruling the college with Desmond

Naomi was a mother to every one of the 56 boys and one girl (dear Steph) who lived in St Donat's Castle for the first year of Atlantic College. She more than generously fulfilled that role as well as being chief wetsuit designer and production manager. With fond memories of Naomi's important part of our lives and our sympathies for family and friends.

Dear Stephanie and Mark, my sincere condolences. I am thinking of you.
Toon Verhoef AC 63 - 65

Naomi was an AC-legend. I am proud to have known her.
Teddy

‘Naomi brought kindness and warmth to our young lives at Atlantic College during the mid 1960s and beyond. Her generosity arose from her capacity to enrich our lives with personal values which were rooted in prior years of rich and diverse life experience. Given her formative years spent in a family of creative architects, Naomi’s enduring and honourable legacy is that she was and still is, an architect of our minds. This is the way we carry her forward with us into the future.’

Genius craftsperson, elegance personified, and really cared about students. I was there 66-68 and watched the design of the AC wetsuit evolve, an excellent example of how to make things work despite differences in body shape and a few unknown unknowns.

Condolences to the family. Make your lives a celebration of hers.

Heartfelt sympathy to the family and warmest gratitude to Naomi for helping to make the AC experience so wonderful for so many of us. With sadness, Michael

Desmond and Naomi - Together again. At 103 she made him wait. What a memorable figure in our AC years and vividly remember her showing us how to assemble our wet suits. Hopefully in a better place. We and her family will always cherish the memories - all the best - R

I want to offer my sincere condolences on the passing of Naomi Hoare.

Naomi Hoare impressed us all not only with her warm heart and beauty but also through her steadfast and enthusiastic support of students, not least first year students arriving at St Donats without much experience of boating or sailing. Her gentle and kind advice and support greatly helped many of us adapt to life in boarding school.

What a life! We battled for the Atlantic College sailing championship in the two years I was there, 1968 and '69. They were sailed in Fireball sailboats in the Bristol Channel in tough conditions. I won in '68, Naomi in '69. I'll never forget her spirit of adventure and daring. Condolences to all her family.

I was a pupil at Atlantic College from 1964 to 1966 and I remember Naomi well, and indeed the Admiral. I had no idea she lived such a long life despite the ingestion of all that glue in making the famous skin suit! I remember well making my own under her benign instruction, including boots and shoes. Kept me warm on many a cold afternoon activity in the channel. Happy days! I celebrate such a long life and thanks to her and Desmond for making the Atlantic College experience so memorable and life enhancing

I would like to present my condolences. I have very fond memories of Naomi as far as sea front activities in general and sailing in particular are concerned.
Kind regards Henriette Salvesen (AC 1970-72)

Sympathies to the Hoare and Gilbert Scott families on Naomi's sad passing. From a past Ballyalla neighbour - May she Rest In Peace.

On behalf of Margo and myself I would like to offer our sincere sympathy to Mark, Stephanie, Pauline, Christopher, Beren and Sinead, on the sad occasion of dear Naomi's death.
May she rest in peace!
We have known Naomi since the early seventies, when she and her late husband, Desmond helped greatly with the setting up of the sailing courses and the general development of Baltimore Sailing Club, especially regarding all safety matters of all participants. Thankfully she remained a great friend to the very end of her long and eventful life.

Deepest sympathy on the sad passing of Naomi. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam.

Deepest sympathy to Mark and family

Sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Naomi. May she rest in peace.

Mark,Pauline Sinead ,Beren and all Naoimi's family ,we are sorry to hear of Naomi,s passing,and sorry we can't make it to her funeral.RIP Naoimi

My deepest condolences to Naomi Family and extended families on her passing ,
She was a beautiful Adventurous lovely Lady who’s life was amazing as she told
Brilliant stories as I attended to her silvery Locks, unfortunately I’m away sailing which she loved this weekend
May she Rest in Peace

Sincere sympathy to Mark and Stephanie and all the family on your sad loss of your mother. May Naomi rest in peace.

My sincere sympathy to Naomi’s family on her passing.I was one of her homehelps when she was in the retirement village,she was a beautiful lady,she gave me a lovely painting.May Naomi rest in peace

My sincere condolences to all Naomi’s family.

Condolences to the family of Naomi on her passing.a lovely lady .such a kind person .enjoyed visiting her in the retirement village and in the home.may she rest in peace.

Our sincere condolences to Mark, Pauline, Stephanie and all the Hoare family and extended families on the sad passing of Naomi. She was a lovely lady. May her gentle soul Rest in Peace.

Mark, sorry to hear about your Mother,condolences to you, Pauline, Beren, Sinéad,and all who mourn her.

My sincere sympathy May she rest in peace.

We send our sincere sympathy to all who mourn Naomi, especially to Mark, Pauline, Sinead & Beren. Suaimhneas síoraí dá hanam.

Dear Mark and Stephanie. We were very sad to learn that you have lost your dear Mum. Karen got to know her through her work in the nursing home where your Mum spent many a happy hour doing word searches with her friend, Ruby, as well as reading (nearly) every book in the mobile library. She was an amazing lady and she will be missed.