Sinéad McGrath

I was shocked to see a notice for Sinéad's death whilst browsing UCD's website in mid-March; I was unaware until then. She was an excellent lecturer and I was always very impressed with her vast practical experience in the field of International Development, as well as her ability to speak multiple languages. My condolences to her family and friends.

Sinéad was an amazing person and one of the most voracious and determined students I've ever had. I am so, so, so glad and lucky I got to know her. She has inspired me in many ways and I will cherish her memory forever.

I am very sorry to hear of Sinéad's death. Sinéad and I became friends through the swing dancing community. I will miss her. My sincere sympathy to Sinéads family. May she rest in peace.

My heartfelt sympathies to Sinéad's family and friends. I will always remember her for her big heart and keen interest in the welfare of displaced Colombians and victims of armed conflict in other parts of Latin America.

Deepest sympathies to dear Sinead's Mom and family. Sinead was such a generous, creative and committed activist. We worked together at VAA/PMIA where she was greatly admired and deeply liked by colleagues.

Our sincere condolences to the McGrath family on the sudden and untimely passing of Sinead. May she rest in peace.

My deepest sympathies to the McGrath family. Sinead was quiet simply a wonderful friend who gave so much yet asked so little in return. We had such great times together in Bologna, Barcelona and Dublin. She will be greatly missed.

We, the students of the BA International Development class of 2016-2019 at Maynooth University would like to extend our condolences and thanks to her loved ones.

We are deeply saddened by the news of Dr Sinéad McGrath’s passing.

Sinéad's broad knowledge about migration, diversity, conflict, languages and her deep passion for human rights made her an outstanding teacher. She taught us to see the world differently, beyond ourselves and our own‘borders’. We remember her fondly, especially when she took us out of our comfort zone and challenged us to explore our views at debates, in conversations and exercises in class.

Many of us have continued to explore those themes beyond Maynooth University, into our places of work and even furthering our studies. Sinéad ’s teachings will stay with us, forever.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam/Rest in peace/Descanda en paz/Repose in paix

Signed: Aíne Holland, Anna Guildea, Aoibbheann Murphy, Cian O’Rourke, Dara Rohan, Dee Poole, Eleanor O’Dwyer, Emma Burke, Frances Green, Grace Lun, Jessica Ferris, Laura Mockler, Mark O’Brien, Michael McKiernan, Mireia Guardino-Ferran, Natasha Ní Cheallaigh, Niamh Larmon, Peter Bruno, & Sarah West.

My deepest condolences Úna, Ruairí, Mairéad and the rest of the McGrath family. I got to know Sinéad through LASC and have fond memories of working the beer tent together amid the rain, mud and rowdiness of Slane. Much more civilised were the times we hung out at conferences in Barcelona and Boston as we struggled through our PhDs. I am so glad that she completed her thesis: it will stand as a(nother) testament to her unique combination of sharp intellect, compassion, and commitment to justice. I am proud to have known her.

Very sorry to hear of Sinéad's passing. She had a huge impact on me as my lecturer in Maynooth and what she taught us shaped everything I've done since. Her passion for human rights was infectious. My condolences to her family. May she rest in peace.

Deeply saddened to hear of Sinead's passing. She was a brilliant lecturer and had a huge impact on my experience in Maynooth University. May she rest in peace.

Una, so sad to hear of the passing of your sister Sinead. Even though I did not know her, I can see from the lovely messages of condolence that she was an extraordinary person taken too soon.
We are thinking of you at this time.

I am very sorry to hear of Sinead's passing. She was a beautiful, warm, friendly, welcoming, and giving person. I feel privileged to have known her.

My sincere condolences to her family and friends.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam

I was utterly shocked and saddened to hear of Sinead’s premature passing. I met Sinead during my undergraduate years in Trinity. We also lived together on campus during our final year. I remember that final year together with great fondness. Sinead was a wonderful friend and a perfect housemate. We met on many’s an occasion after that year but regrettably less so with the arrival of Covid. I have so many treasured memories of Sinead from attending various Trinity balls together, to Sinead taking the time and expense to visit me during my year out in Italy to attending my daughter’s Christening some years ago to name but a few. Even though years might have passed since we last met up, we always took off where we left off. That was what was so lovely. I always knew that Sinead would make a Dr one day. It was her calling and what a calling it was! I am so happy for you Sinead that you achieved your dream. It’s just so sad that it was so short lived… You had so so much more to give.

Sleep tight buddy x.

Very saddened to hear of Dr. McGrath's passing. She was an excellent lecturer and I still often recollect on the discussions we had. May she rest in peace.

Dear Ruairi,

I was so saddened to hear about the loss of your dear sister. I can’t even imagine how you feel. The passing of a loved one is never easy and I pray that God gives you and your entire family peace and strength during this very difficult time in your lives. Please know that my thoughts, prayers, and sympathies are with you all.

Someone shared this sentiment with me and I’d like to share it with you. “Grief is a dark place, but every good wish from a friend or neighbor is like a candle of comfort and strength that helps us remember and re-emerge into the light”. I pray that my words of comfort brings you and your family just what you need to begin your journey of healing and that as time passes your pain becomes less and the treasured and happy memories you have of your sister brings you comfort and peace because it’s the memories that we carry in our minds and hearts that keeps them alive.

May your dear sister Rest in Peace.

Kindest regards,

Sondra

I was devastated to hear the news of Sinéad’s passing. I was a student of hers, and greatly respected and admired how passionate she was in her teaching. Her enthusiasm in class was infectious and she really inspired so many people in Maynooth, including myself.
My sincere condolences to her family and friends during this painful time. May she rest in peace.

I was so shocked and deeply saddened to hear of Sinead’s passing. I had her as a lecturer for two years in NUIM. She was by far my favourite lecturer, she ran the best most interesting modules and was so charismatic. Her passion for what she taught was infectious. I would like to extend my sincere condolences to Sinead’s family and friends during this painful time. May Sinead Rest In Peace. Que descanses en paz, Sinead. Gracias por ser la mejor profesora.

I knew Sinéad through her love of dancing. She was a funny, kind and caring person. Her enthusiasm always shone through. My sincere condolence to Sinéad's family and friends.

I have known Sinead since meeting her in Barcelona in the early 2000s. She was always so full of energy and up for any adventure going! Generally the last to leave a party, These were times of freedom and joy. It is amazing to see how much she has achieved in her life which makes it all more painful - she still had so much to give. My deepest sympathies to all her family and closest friends.

Sinéad was a beautiful human being and such a great teacher. She will be missed by all of us. We will keep the good memories of our classes with our classmates. My condolences to her family. Rest in peace.

My deepest condolences to Sinéads family and friends.
I had the immense gift of having her as my tutor and lecturer throughout my undergraduate years. It was Sinéad who inspired me to pursue my graduate studies in UCD. I had never come across a lecturer so passionate and encouraging as her and it was an honour to be taught by Dr. McGrath. May she rest in peace.

My deepest condolences to Una and family on Sinead’s passing. Thinking of you at this sad time.

I had the pleasure of working with Sinead as a Tour Guide over many years. She had an incredible skillset and you would always come across Guests who commented about how much they loved and enjoyed her Tours. More importantly she was a great friend to all the Tour Guides and never missed a social event!

Sinead was an amazing person who did so much for others in her life. It could be argued her greatest legacy will be she left the world in a better place and is an inspiration to me and many others for that!

My deepest sympathy to all her Family. She will never be forgotton and will dearly miss her.

Dear Ruairí, and all the McGrath family,
My deepest condolences on the passing of Sinéad, what devastating news. All my thoughts are with you.

Ruairí and family, sincere condolences on the loss of your sister. At dheis Dé go raibh a hanam dílis

Dear Ruairí and family - sending my most sincere condolences to you at this awful time. I can't imagine what you are going through, but my thoughts and prayers are with you.

Aideen

Dear Mairead, Una and Ruairi,

We remember Sinead from the time when we all lived in Geneva in the eighties and our family has very happy memories of meeting up with the McGraths for what were always very enjoyable afternoons. Our daughter Annie later worked with Sinead for a while in IBAT. We are all so very sorry for your sorrow.

With love and affection,

Mary Whelan and Kevin O Malley

My deepest condolences on the passing of Sinéad who I remember as a wonderful sparkling presence. My thoughts are with all her loved ones in this difficult time.

My deepest sympathy to Sinéad's family and friends.
Sinéad was an amazing person. I met her as deeply committed activist in LASC and was later supervising her in the first phase of her wonderful PhD project in UCD. I learned so much from her, from her excellent, inspiring and insightful contributions to academic research, her deeply committed solidarity and social activism, her support and loving care for others. The way Sinéad stood with deeply rooted integrity for her values, constantly promoting social justice and human, in particular women's rights was truly impressive. I will miss her positivity, her laughter and her love for everything she did.

I’m so heartbroken to learn of Sinead’s passing. I saw her in Dublin Castle just months ago with a tour group, in full flow, everyone hanging on her words. What an indescribable loss. 💔

Deepest Sympathies to Una and all of the McGrath family. So very sad to hear of Sinead’s untimely passing. May her soul rest in peace.

Sincere condolences to Sinéad’s family and huge circle of friends. I was lucky to work with her as a tour guide and later on we tutored in Maynooth at the same time too. She was a constant source of friendship and good company. I miss our weekly coffee in the Hume building. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam.

When I think of Sinéad I think of sunshine. I knew her in Trinity days and it was always the biggest pleasure catching up with her between our various adventures in the years that followed. She had such a pure zest for life, and commitment to making the world a better place. For sure she is gone too soon, but reading this incredible array of messages shows her impact on people all around the world was immense. Today I planted out some kōwhai tree seedlings thinking of her - their bright yellow flowers in the springtime will remind me to keep living like Sinéad lived - with joy, generosity and colour. Sending my warmest condolences on the loss of a bright light x

So shocked to hear this very sad news. My sincere condolences to Sinead's family and many friends.

Sinead was a kind and caring flatmate during our third year at Trinity. She brought a great sense of fun to our flat as well as being so good to chat with. I am so sad about this great loss and my thoughts are with her family especially xx

My deepest condolences to Sinead's family and friends. I am so sad to hear this news. I only had a few encounters with Sinead over the years but she truly left such a positive impact on me. I always admired her charm, sense of humour, and intelligence so much. RIP Sinead, you beautiful soul

I was so shocked and saddened to hear of Sinead's passing. My deepest condolences to her family, friends and all who love her. I'm one of those who was lucky enough to meet Sinead in the Barcelona days, and beyond. Over the years, we've both studied, worked and lived in various countries. Sinead was someone I was so looking forward to seeing again not just for a drink and a long-overdue catch-up, but also because the adult she grew into, with such a passion for social justice, was so very inspiring; I'm so sad that she has passed too soon. Today's beautiful service was testament to her wonderful character and the incredible impression she has made on so many. It was amazing to hear so much more about her warm, loving, adventure-filled, impact bursting journey through life. Rest in power, Sinead. X

Una my deepest sympathy to you and your family on the untimely passing of your wonderful sister. May she rest in peace.

My sincere sympathy to Sinéad's family and to her very many friends. I know her from her time as a PhD student and tutor in UCD. She was incredibly hard-working and knowledgeable, with such a fund of creative and insightful ideas, and with such a warm and vibrant presence, it was always a joy to talk with her. A heartbreaking loss to all who knew her.

I would like to offer my deepest condolences to Sinead's family. I got to know her when she worked with me for a short time in the International Office in UCD. Afterwards, she would drop in occasionally to say hello when she was studying on campus and it was always good to see her and hear what she was doing. She is gone far too soon, but I will remember her with fondness.

May she rest in peace.

My deepest condolences to the family. Congrat to her lovely family to be the family of such a beutiful human being, kindhearted, funny, generous person. Sinead was one of the first people I met in Dublin, in 2011 and I'm so gratefull to have kown her. We enjoyed the guide job together, she was always very generous helping me. We enjoyed some of our birthdays celebrations together and many many days after work. I will miss you, Sinead. Te quiero, amiga.

I remember many wonderful adventures in Trinity and the Mod Lang Sinéad. You achieved so much in your life and I am sorry your journey was so short. My deepest condolences to Mairead, Una and Ruairi, and to your extended family.

Sinéad's life was full to the brim with many wonderful things, and I am so grateful to her that she made space in it for our friendship. I've rarely met someone so determined to do things her own way, no matter what challenges she encountered – that was the integrity Sinéad had.

Ruairí said in today's beautiful ceremony that you could always trust Sinéad to give you a good argument when she disagreed with you, and even when she did agree. We had plenty of both types of debate, and yet as it turns out, not nearly enough of either. I wish we had time for one more go at putting the world to rights, or at least properly investigating all its wrongs, over a pint.

To Sinéad's her family and many friends, I am so sorry for your loss.

My deepest condolences to Sinead's family and friends. I knew Sinead only for a few years but she had a great impact on me. Her life, her laughter, her kindness, and her compassion will stay with us forever. My students and I will always remember Sinead for her kindness and patience with which she taught a new generation of humanitarian practitioners how to incorporate compassion, ethics, and uncompromising quality even under the most difficult of circumstances. May her legacy carry on forever.

Sinead McGrath, I´ll never forget your generosity, your affectionate way of being with everyone around you and especially your sweet voice. Thank you for the last happy birthday audio wishes my friend. You´ll always be in my heart. Our love and prayers are with your family and friends. R.I.P. linda.

My condolences to Mairead, Una and Ruairi on the untimely passing of Sinead. Ar dheis De go raibh a Anam

My deepest sympathies and sincere condolences to Sinéad's family. I had the pleasure of getting to know Sinéad through LASC in Dublin and deeply admired her humanitarian spirit and commitment to tackling injustice. We attend many protests, vigils, and social events together, and she will be sorely missed among many communities in Dublin and around the world. Thank you for all your selfless work Sinéad. I feel lucky to have known you

I’m so saddened and shocked to hear of Sinéad’s passing. She was so warm and kind on each occasion that I met her.
I would like to extend my deep condolences to her family.
Rest in peace Sinéad x

Back in September 2002, I have been lucky to meet a wonderful person in Barcelona, a friendship that lasted for 20 years. I remember our first conversation about where we were coming from and it appeared she grew up in the same province as myself in France. She was so natural and introduced me to all her group of friends back then, it was like a perfect match. She was always caring, engaged and had so much impact on people! You could meet her once and would remember her forever! I have been lucky enough to meet her and spend a little bit of time with this wonderful lady. Unfortunately our last meeting was before going to Asia in 2013 but I do remember her unique smile. I am so sad just thinking that we could not see each other again. Life is quite unfair sometimes but I do believe that god recall the best person earlier for good reasons. She was a sunshine and no doubt she will still have impact on this planet even not being physically here. Lots of love to you Sinead and my deepest condolences to all her family.

I'm incredibly shocked and saddened to hear of Sinead's passing. Her passion for music, language, dancing, study and teaching were unrivalled. She had an awful lot more to give. My sincere condolences to her family at this dark time. "We get to carry each other." Rest In Peace.

Dear Ruairi and family, my family Ghislain, Guillaume & Solene and I wish to convey our sincere condolence on the death of Sinead. We imagine your pain and grief on the loss of such a young beautiful girl. Sinead and you all will be in our prayers & thoughts.
Kind regards,

Patsy Mignot Embassy of Ireland Paris

My deepest sympathy to the family and the large number of friends who have known, loved, and admired Sinead. It's a gift to have known someone so kindhearted, passionate, intelligent, and dedicated, somewhone who never stopped fighting for making the world a better place. Sinead, you have definitely made it a better place for me. I love you and miss you terribly.

Sincerest condolences to all the McGrath family on the passing of Sinead. Sinead was an amazing person with a strong sense of justice and equality for everyone, we knew each other through our work but I also had the pleasure of Sinead being my Spanish grammar teacher....she will be sadly missed by everyone, gone too soon.

My deepest condolences and love to Mairead and family on the loss of Sinead.

My deepest condolences to Sinéad’s family. I am grateful to have been able to be taught by Sinéad in Maynooth. She was a positive and passionate person, bringing experience, knowledge, understanding and enjoyment to her lectures. She will be deeply missed by the abundance of students who had the pleasure to learn from her. I hope her family can find comfort in their fond memories of Sinéad and the stories from those whom she had a positive impact on.

Very sorry to hear of Sinead's passing. I had the pleasure of meeting and getting to know Sinead over the last few months, speaking lots about her passion for dancing, music and her studies. I was always happy to hear of her stories about her travels around the world and places she had been and people she had met. Sinead was a very kind, generous person who will be sorely missed. My condolences go out to her family and friends who we are all thinking of during this time. Thank you Sinead for giving so much.

Our deepest condolences and sympathy to Sinéad’s family.
Sinead was an excellent teacher and a fantastic colleague for all of us in IBAT College. She was full of passion, enthusiasm and will be sorely missed.
May her soul rest in peace.

Sincere sympathy and condolences to Una on the loss of your sister, Sinead. Thinking of you and your family at this sad and difficult time.

My condolences and love to Mairead, Una, Ruairi and extended family on the loss of Sinead xxx