Ó Buachalla, Liam (1899–1970), professor of economics and Irish-language enthusiast, was born 10 April 1899 at 40 Clanbrassil Street, Dublin, son of Thomas Buckley, cooper, and Sarah Buckley (née Treacy). His family moved to Drogheda when he was very young and he received his education at Drogheda Christian Brothers' School (CBS). He joined the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and fought in the war of independence. He worked as a cooper, first at the Irish packing company and then at Guinness's brewery in Dublin, but meanwhile studied in the evenings, taking first a Bachelor of Commerce (B.Comm.) and a higher diploma in education from University College Dublin (UCD), and then a master's degree in economics from University College Galway (UCG). In 1927 he secured a position as lecturer in economics in UCG, and was professor of economics there from 1953 to 1969. He lectured in Irish and wrote a range of textbooks in the language, including Bunadhas na tráchtála (1944), Cuntais agus cuntasaíocht (1954), Bunadhas an gheilleagair (1956), Ard-Chuntasaíocht (1959), and Foras teoiricí an gheilleagair (1968).
From his arrival in Galway he was at the fore of the Irish-language movement in the city. He was involved in founding the Ar Aghaid magazine in 1931, and with another publication, An Stoc. He was a central figure in raising money for the erection (June 1935) of the statue of Pádraic Ó Conaire (qv) in Eyre Square, Galway. His account of that initiative and of his relationship with Ó Conaire was published in Pádraic Ó Conaire: clocha ar a charn (1982) by Tomás de Bhaldraithe (qv). He was involved, initially, in an attempt to establish an Irish-language theatre in Galway, but a dispute with Liam Ó Briain (qv) led him to leave that enterprise. He translated J. H. Pollock's The fourth wise man as An ceathramhadh eagnaidhe (1940). He served as president of Conradh na Gaeilge in 1940–41. A member of Fianna Fáil, he was first appointed to the seanad by Éamon de Valera (qv) in 1939 and was its chairman 1951–4; 1957 – 69.
He married (9 September 1931) Máire Ní Scolaí (qv) from Dublin. They had no children; he predeceased her at Drogheda on 16 September 1970 . They were both buried in Galway.
More information on this entry is available at the National Database of Irish-language biographies (Ainm.ie).