Cormac Gordon (1921-2009) was born in Kilgarriff, Fairymount, Co. Roscommon to Cormac Gordon (see earlier photo) and Mary Morahan. He received his secondary school education at Blackrock College in Dublin, where he was a boarder. After leaving school, he joined the army and was stationed in Athlone, Co. Westmeath during 'The Emergency' (as the situation in Ireland was known during World War II).

After the war, Cormac joined the civil service and was posted to the Passport Office at the Irish embassy in London. While in London he met his future wife, Maureen Hussey. Around 1948 he returned to Dublin to work in the Department of Foreign Affairs, later moving to the Department of Labour where he spent the rest of his career, mainly as a negotiator in industrial disputes. Cormac and Maureen, who married in 1951, had seven children and lived in Mount Merrion, Co. Dublin.

Cormac was a first cousin of Rita Clarke (see previous photo).