Dáithí Ó Sé reveals he's never read his father's famous Leaving Cert-studied book

Extra.ie​

20-07-2025

Dáithí Ó Sé has never read his late father's Leaving Cert-studied autobiography.
Musician and author Maidhc Dainín Ó Sé is known to generations of school leavers for his humorous memoir, A Thig Ná Tit Orm, which became part of the curriculum 'about a year after' Ó Sé Junior finished school. Dáithí Ó Sé. Pic: Cathal Burke / VIPIRELAND.COM
'There was an extract all right that we had to do, but it came in as a kind of replacement for Peig the year after I did my Leaving Cert, so thankfully I didn't have to sit through it,' Ó Sé told Extra.ie.
The light-hearted tone of Maidhc Dainín's recollections – in contrast to Peig – was 'the way my father lived his life', the presenter continued.
'He always enjoyed himself, and I think that came across in the book. But it was kind of important that it was seen as a fella writing in Irish having a bit of craic as well, as opposed to other serious stuff that's there. Dáithí Ó Sé. Pic: Brian McEvoy
'So that's why a lot of people remember it fondly, thankfully.'
Asked if he'd read it by now, the Today host laughed: 'Not at all. Not at all.
'Sure, we'd have to listen to the stories at home, so Jesus Christ almighty, the last thing I'd have wanted to do was read it.'