UCD’s well known former professor of crop science, Eamonn Gallagher, passed to his eternal reward in August. Well known to agriculture students in UCD and to tillage farmers, Eamonn was an integral part of the modernising of the tillage sector between the 1970s and the end of the 1990s.

He joined the staff of UCD in 1959 and retired in 1998, having served in many distinctive positions, including deputy president of the university, dean of the faculty and professor of crop science.

He was president of the Agricultural Science Association and the Irish Tillage and Land Use Society and fulfilled many other important roles at home and abroad.

In 1967 he was awarded a Kellogg Foundation Fellowship to Washington State in the US.

He was well known for his research on wheat milling quality in association with the then Irish Flour Millers Association.

He mentored many Masters and PhD students who went on to be influential in the sector.

He lived and worked in exciting times for agriculture.

His crops research programme at Lyons paralleled both the great advances in crop husbandry in the 1970s and 1980s, and the opportunities that opened up for farmers following our entry into the EEC in 1973.

The crops open days at Lyons were an important vehicle for research communication at the time, as they enabled growers to see research in action.

Eamonn passed away in mid-August following a few years of ill health. Our sincere sympathies go to his wife Evelyn, children Shane, Djinn and Ruth and all his family.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam usal.