Tributes paid as the man who showed the Obamas around Glendalough dies

Originally from Bray, George lived in Killoughter, Ashford, where he sadly died at home on Saturday, November 2.

George studied Archaeology and Irish Folklore at University College Dublin and Anthropology at the University of Santiago de Compostela, in Spain. A highly-regarded author, he was the first manager of the Glendalough Visitor Centre when it opened in 1987, until his retirement just a few years ago.

Eugene Finnegan from Bray Tourism paid tribute to George as the leading authority on Glendalough and someone "who knew everything about the place".

"He ran it," Eugene said. "He ran a very tight ship there and he ran it very, very well. The most famous visitor that he showed around was Michelle Obama and her two daughters and that was one of George's proudest moments. He wrote a very interesting guide book on the monastic area of Glendalough and for many years he was the face of the visitor centre".

George's proud moment came in June 2013, when the former US first lady Michelle Obama and her daughters were given a private guided tour in the Wicklow Mountains National Park as their whistlestop tour of Ireland came to a close.

Mrs Obama and her daughters, Malia and Sasha, were escorted through the famous monastic site and given a talk on the ancient ruins by George, who took a seat on the famous deer stone as he shared some of the folklore.

"That gives great power," Mrs Obama is said to have told him, as Sasha was given the honour of closing up the door to the ruins of St Kevin's Church.

George's book 'Glendalough: History, Monuments and Legends', published in 2012, has been highly praised by readers as the definitive guide, and a "must-have companion" for tourists.

More personally, George has been remembered as "a character larger than life" and a great friend by those who knew him closely.

George was the son of the late Gertie (née White) and Joe McClafferty and is survived by husband Michael, sisters Moya McClafferty and Doreen Mahoney, brother-in-law Mick, niece Lynn, nephew Robert, Lynn's husband Jimmy, Robert's wife Kelly, grand nieces and grand nephews Ian, Katie, Mia and Liam, his dear friends Pat, Maureen and Philomena, his cousins, Michael's family circle and all of his extended family and friends.

A celebration of George's life will take place in The Victorian Chapel, Mount Jerome Crematorium on Thursday, November 7 at 3.15pm.