British and Irish TV talent
RTÉ Presenters
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Sharon's TV career began with RTÉ in 1994 when she became a regular presenter of Nuacht. When the RTÉ Network 2 news programme was relaunched in late-1997, Sharon became one of the programme's main presenters.
In Autumn 2005, Sharon became a regular co-anchor on RTÉ's flagship 'Six-One' news programme.
Ursula joined RTÉ in 2007, working initially as a continuity announcer on RTÉ One. She later took on weather presenting duties.
Ursula worked as a secondary teacher for nine years before leaving the classroom to pursue a career in TV. She graduated from UCG Galway with a BA in French and English, an H Dip in Education and a Masters Degree in French. She returned to college ten years later to study Communications in NUI Maynooth.
Karina joined the RTÉ TV announcing team in the late-1990s, working mainly on RTÉ One. She also presents weather forecasts on both RTÉ TV channels.
Susan is a relief TV news reader at RTÉ. Her main role is a news reporter.
Jean applied for a job at the Irish Met Office, having concluded that studying medicine wasn't for her. Having been employed as a Met Officer, she later studied mathematical sciences at Trinity College, Dublin. She subsequently graduated with honours.
She then took on a course in meteorology and underwent further training at the aviation office at Shannon airport.
Since 1996, Jean has been a weather presenter on RTÉ TV and radio.
Mary is an RTÉ TV news reporter and occasional news presenter.
Ian has been a news presenter on RTÉ's Irish language news programmes since the early-2000s.
Nuala joined RTÉ in 1999 as a full-time RTÉ weather presenter. She also regularly presents the National Lottery's 'Telly Bingo' and 'Lotto' draws. Nuala also acts as a relief continuity announcer on RTÉ One.
Niall started off in radio and has worked for a number of stations in Tipperary, Waterford and Dublin. He joined RTÉ as an announcer on RTÉ Radio One.
He has presented a number of programmes on RTÉ Radio One and FM 3 (RTÉ Lyric FM's predecessor). He joined RTÉ Lyric FM at its launch in May 1999 and is still with the station.
Niall provides relief cover for RTÉ News, presenting programmes on radio and television.
Anne's broadcasting career began in 1982 as a researcher and reporter, and later news presenter, on pirate station Radio Nova. She joined RTÉ as a continuity announcer in 1987 and became a newsreader and reporter in 1990. She has been the presenter of 'Capital D', an RTÉ magazine series for Dublin residents, since 2005. She also presents the monthly 'Crimecall' programme.Pádhraic was a 'Nuacht' newsreader from the late-1970s until the late-1990s. He's now deputy chief executive of TG 4.Don began as a Radio Éireann announcer in 1958. He became a TV news presenter in 1972 and retired in 1992.Colm was an RTÉ TV and radio news reader during the 1970s and 1980s. He later went on to become the station's arts and media correspondent.
Colm retired from RTÉ in 2004.
In the late-1960s/early-1970s, and prior to joining RTÉ, Colm worked at BBC Plymouth, where he presented the 'Midday Parade' radio programme.
Barry Cowan was one of the leading faces of BBC NI news and current affairs during the worst of the 'Troubles' in the 1970s and 1980s. In 1974, he became the main anchor on the regional news programme, 'Scene Around Six'.
Barry was the original presenter of BBC Radio Ulster's 'TalkBack' programme when it launched on September 08 1986. A few months after the programme went on air, Barry wrote about his experiences on the programme in BBC NI's 'In Focus' magazine:
"Until then journalism had always been about serious things - the Anglo-Irish Agreement, strikes and civil disorder, politics and parsons. All that was to change as 'Talkback' launched me into the alternative world of loopies, loonies and lost causes more at home in the 'Sun', the 'Mirror' or the 'Star' than the 'Times', the 'Telegraph' and the 'Guardian'. The serious stuff is still there but it's the tabloid tattle that sticks in the mind."
Among other BBC Radio Ulster programmes that Barry presented are 'Good Morning Ulster', 'Evening Extra' and 'Seven Days'.
In the early-1980s, Barry went down south briefly and joined RTÉ as a presenter on the station's TV current affairs flagship, 'Today Tonight'. He later returned to BBC Northern Ireland where he continued to play a major part in current affairs output.
Barry died in hospital on June 17 2004 after a long illness. He was 56.
Speaking after the announcement of Barry's death, BBC NI controller, Anna Carragher, said: "I am deeply saddened to hear of Barry's death. He was one of the great broadcasters in Northern Ireland over the last three decades and combined huge knowledge of Irish and Northern Irish life in politics with a penetrating intellect and a quick wit. I have known Barry since we were both students at Queen's in the late 60s where he was one of a generation of wonderful broadcasters including Nick Ross, Seamus McKee and Sean Rafferty. He will be much missed."
Former head of news and current affairs at BBC Northern Ireland, Keith Baker, said: "When I joined the BBC in the 1980s Barry Cowan was already a legend. He lived for live broadcasting, that arena of the unpredictable. He was a superb interviewer always dogged and determined and always with the interest of the viewers and listeners at heart. We are all better informed about Northern Ireland through Barry's work over the years."
Richard started out as an RTÉ Radio 2 newsreader in the early-1980s and went on to present 'Morning Ireland' on RTÉ Radio 1. In the mid-1980s, Richard was a news presenter on RTÉ TV. By the late-1980s he had moved to RTÉ Radio, presenting on news and current affairs programmes.
For a period in the mid-2000s, Richard returned to RTÉ TV screens as a foreign correspondent, reporting on events such as the Lebanon/Israel crisis.
Brian presented weather forecasts on RTÉ Network 2 from c. mid-1999, from which time Met Eireann staff were restricted to presenting forecasts on RTÉ One only. In January 2002, he transferred to the BBC Weather Centre. He presented forecasts on many of the BBC TV channels, although mainly on BBC World. He left the BBC in March 2003 to return to Ireland.
(Formerly Helen Leonard; married in July 2005). Helen has a BA in Irish and Information Technology from UCD. During her university studies she also worked behind-the-scenes on various RTÉ shows including 'Don't Feed The Gondolas', 'The Den' and 'Podge And Rodge'.
In 1997, she became a continuity announcer on RTÉ Network 2, presenting many of her links in-vision. Her continuity links are now largely confined to RTÉ One.
In June 2003, Helen joined the station's team of weather presenters.
Bryan Dobson was born in Clontarf, County Dublin in 1960. Bryan's broadcasting career began in the pirate radio stations of Dublin before moving to Belfast to work with BBC Northern Ireland, where he presented 'Good Morning Ulster' on BBC Radio Ulster.
On his return to Dublin (c. 1987), Bryan took up a reporting job with RTÉ. He later became business correspondent and by Autumn 1990, he was fronting the station's 'One O'Clock News' programme. By 1992 he was anchoring the 'Nine O’Clock News'. He is currently the presenter of RTÉ's 'Six-One News' - a position he has held since the late-1990s.
Bryan is also usally heavily involved in special event broadcasts such as RTÉ's coverage of General Elections.
Anne joined RTÉ in 1979. Over the years, Anne has anchored at some point on the lunchtime, evening and late-evening RTÉ One news programmes. She is currently one of the main presenters of the 'RTÉ News: Nine o'Clock'.
Sean Duignan became one of the regular co-anchors of the relaunched RTÉ TV 'Six-One' news programme in autumn 1990. From 1992 to 1995, he worked as a press secretary to the Fianna Fáil/Labour 'Rainbow Coalition' government. He subsequently returned to RTÉ and resumed a news presenting role for a period. He later became the regular presenter of 'The Week in Politics' (c. late-1990s - 2003).
Eileen joined RTÉ as a continuity announcer and newsreader for RTÉ Radio 1 in 1980. She moved to television as a newsreader in 1983. Eileen is currently one of the main anchors of the 9pm news programme on RTÉ One.Áine presented Irish language news programmes on RTÉ TV and radio from the late-1980s. Since the late-1990s, she appeared on screen less often, becoming more involved in the production of the Irish language bulletins behind-the-scenes.
John was an announcer on both RTÉ TV channels in the 1980s. In the early-1990s, he moved across to the newsroom to present TV and radio news bulletins. John has been one of the main presenters of the RTÉ One 'One o'Clock News' since 2005.
Gerald achieved a BSc Honours in experimental physics from University College Dublin in the mid-1970s. He then spent two years as a researcher in the Atmospherics Group of the UCD physics department and was awarded an MSc in 1980. He then joined the Irish Met Service working at Dublin Airport initially as an aviation forecaster before moving two years later to the central analysis and forecast office in Glasnevin, Dublin, which remains his base today.
Gerald has been a weather presenter with RTÉ TV and radio since 1985 and is renowned for winking at the close of his TV forecasts.
In 1990, he was appointed co-ordinator of the RTÉ TV weather team.
Siun presents the Irish language news programmes on RTÉ television.Jimmy Greeley was one of the original lineup of RTÉ Radio 2 DJs. In the early-1990s, Jimmy was a relief television news presenter at RTÉ; he also covered news reading shifts on RTÉ Radio 1. By the mid-1990s Jimmy had moved to Dublin based radio station 98FM where he was a news reader. Since 2006, Jimmy has been presenting a restaurant review programme on local TV station, City Channel.
RTÉ news presenter.
Dylan joined RTÉ in September 2009 as a music contributor on 'Two Tube' and has presented the show since January 2010. He also runs an independent record label called Hide Away Records and is the founder of Exchange Dublin, the first entirely volunteer-run collective arts centre in Ireland. Haskins has been involved in the arts in Ireland since the age of 15 and is a board member of Project Arts Centre.
When Dylan last spoke to us (March 2010), he was studying History of Art and Architecture and Classical Civilisation at Trinity College Dublin.
Eamonn has been a sports news presenter with RTÉ since the early-2000s.Mary was born in 1956 in Clondalkin, Dublin. She was an announcer on RTÉ TV from 1978 until 1992, having worked on both of the station's TV channels. She moved to the news division, fronting news bulletins on TV and radio from 1992. In 1995 Mary presented the Eurovision Song Contest from Dublin. She went on to become involved in a number of TV productions, including her own Saturday night chat show, 'Kennedy' in 1997. From the late-1990s until 2004, Mary had been co-hosting the daytime TV programme, 'Open House'. She is now a presenter on the regional news programme, 'Nationwide'.Eamonn was born in Delvin, Co Westmeath and was educated at Rockwell College, Cashel and University College Dublin. He was European correspondent with RTÉ News from the late-1970s until the late-1980s. In 1989 he became the main anchor on RTÉ TV's new weekday 'One O'Clock News' programme.
In Autumn 1990 he moved to anchor the 'Nine O'Clock News'. He later became one of the co-anchors on the main evening news programme, 'Six-One' and also presented the current affairs programme 'Prime Time'.
In 1999, Eamonn left the newsroom to take up a presenting job on RTÉ''s new classical music radio station Lyric FM.
Mark Little joined RTÉ in 1991 as a reporter. In 1995, he was appointed as RTÉ's first Washington correspondent. Whilst in that role he covered two presidential elections, the Monica Lewinsky scandal, President Clinton's involvement in the Irish Peace Process and his state visits to Ireland.
In 2001, Mark returned to Ireland to become RTE's foreign affairs correspondent. He reported on the impact of September 11th attacks from the United States, Israel, Egypt, and Iran. In 2003 he spent seven weeks in Northern Iraq reporting on the war.
In Autumn 2003, Mark became one of the regular anchors on the 'Prime Time' current affairs programme.
Aengus has been a relief news presenter on RTÉ television since c. 1994; he also covers bulletins on RTÉ Radio 1. He originally presented the Irish language news programmes on RTÉ in the early-1990s.Joined the RTÉ Network 2 announcing team in late-1997. Moved on to front Children's TV junctions - on 'Den 2' - in 1998.Flor presented RTÉ TV and radio bulletins in the early-2000s having come from a reporting background. She later reverted back to her reporting role.Old hand at the Granada TV newsdesk in the 1970s and 1980s. Tom has been a sports presenter and commentator with RTÉ since the 1990s.Geraldine was an RTÉ continuity announcer in the early-1970s. She went on to became the first woman to read the news on RTÉ Television in October 1975.Pádraig was a 'Nuacht' newsreader from the early-1960s to the late-1980s.Angie was an announcer on RTÉ Network 2 from the early-1990s until c. mid-1997. She then moved on to newsroom and became a news presenter, fronting programmes on RTÉ One. Angie now runs Ocarina - a digital media company specialising in the production of high quality DVD, CD and print media content.Website
Charles was born in Dublin in 1920. He read the first news bulletin on RTÉ TV on January 1 1962. During his career with RTÉ, Charles presented on all of the main RTÉ news programmes and was one of its most respected presenters. He retired from RTÉ in November 1984.
Charles died on August 18 1996.
Anthony Murnane is currently deputy foreign editor and a news anchor on RTÉ TV.
Anthony has worked at RTÉ in radio and television journalism since 1991. He moved from sub-editing and reporting on RTÉ Radio One News to 2FM where he was the morning news presenter on the 'Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show' and the 'Gerry Ryan Show' in the mid-1990s. Anthony also produced and presented year-end reviews on 2FM before moving to the RTÉ 'News 2' programme as a presenter/reporter of the innovatively styled programme designed to appeal to a late-night younger news audience in 1997.
He has covered many live breaking news events - among them the attack on Iraq in 1998 and he was the RTÉ News anchor presenting coverage of the 9/11 attacks as they happened just after 2pm local time in 2001.
Anthony took on an editorial/presentation role on the 'News on 2' programme in the early- to mid-2000s. He then moved to the RTÉ News Foreign Desk as deputy foreign editor in 2006, coordinating RTÉ News foreign coverage. Murnane produced and reported from Washington for RTÉ's coverage of the US elections on the night Barack Obama became the first black President of the US. He reported and presented UK election coverage from Bristol and London in May 2010. He also travelled to report on President McAleese's state visit to New Zealand in 2007.
Murnane continues to appear as an occasional presenter on all the main RTÉ news bulletins.
Michael joined RTÉ in 1971. His first role was as a continuity announcer on RTÉ Radio 1. He soon progressed to the newsroom, where he presented TV and radio bulletins in English and Irish. During the 1980s, he produced and directed a number of RTÉ programmes within the Light Entertainment division. In 1990, he returned to the newsroom as a senior newscaster. Michael left the newsroom in the late-1990s.
In summer 2006, Michael returned RTÉ screens again, presenting short bulletins.
Colm joined RTÉ in the late-1970s, working initially as a radio continuity announcer, newsreader and presenter.
Colm has been a regular face on RTÉ TV news programmes since the 1980s. Although he mainly fronted the shorter news bulletins, he regularly covered main news programmes at weekends. He presented major weekday programmes in a holiday cover/relief capacity.
Since the mid-1990s, Colm has presented the sports segment on the 'Six-One' programme. He also regularly files reports from various sport events, specialising in horse racing.
Colm was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2010 and spent a spell away from work. In December 2010 he appeared on 'The Late Late Show' to talk about his illness.
Miriam's first broadcasting job was as a researcher on 'This Is Your Life' in the days when Eamon Andrews was still at the helm. She later moved to the BBC, initially as a producer and then as a reporter on 'Newsnight'.
In 1993, Miriam returned to Ireland. She became one of the main presenters on RTÉ's business affairs programme 'Marketplace'.
In 1996, Miriam was appointed as one of the regular anchors on a new current affairs programme, 'Prime Time'.
Gareth presented the sports segments on RTÉ news programmes in the early-2000s. He is currently a sport reporter at the station.Maurice joined Radio Éireann in the early-1960s. He became a newsreader in 1964. He remained with the organisation until 1983. Maurice died in 1998.
Tony presented the sports segments on RTÉ TV news programmes since the late-1990s. He is currently sports editor and regularly files reports from major sports events.
Una joined RTÉ as a reporter in the early-1980s and has been presenting RTÉ News programmes since c. 1994 on both television and radio. In the late-1990s, she became the regular co-anchor of the weekday 'Six-One' news programme, working alongside Bryan Dobson.
In 2005, Una switched to late-night television and radio bulletins only. By 2010, she had returned to an occasional presenting role on all the main RTÉ One news programmes.
Emer O'Kelly joined RTÉ in the late-1970s. She was a newsreader with RTÉ from 1980 until December 1998. Although her newsreading role covered television and radio initially, from 1990, Emer worked on radio only.
She has worked extensively for newspapers, including the Sunday Press, The Farmers' Journal and the Sunday Independent. Emer has produced a weekly column for the Sunday Independent since 1992 and also writes literary reviews for the paper.
Emer is a member of the Board of the Irish Museum of Modern Art and is also a member of the Board of the newly formed Ireland Romania Cultural Foundation. She served as a member of the Arts Council from 1998 until 2003.
Andy O'Mahony was one of RTÉ TV's early news readers. He continues to work at the station, presenting on RTÉ Radio 1.Brendan joined RTÉ as a continuity announcer in 1961. Previously the Irish high jump champion, he went on to present 'Sports Stadium', RTÉ's Saturday afternoon sports magazine, from the 1970s to the 1990s.Seamus is a presenter on RTÉ's Irish language news programmes.Deirdre was a newsreader and reporter in the late-1970s and early-1980s.Dara presents 'Two Tube' on RTÉ Two. When he's not on TV he sings with Dublin rock-pop trio Fox Avenue. In 2009, the band toured with UK pop rock group Elliot Minor and US acoustic rock band Carolina Liar. Dara also presents the 'Lock In' on SPIN 1038.Pádraig was a 'Nuacht' newsreader in the 1970s. He also wrote Irish language plays. Pádraig died in 2007.Cyril was an RTÉ newsreader in the 1970s and early-1980s.
Joe is an RTÉ News sports reporter/presenter.
Fionnuala has a higher diploma in education and a bachelor degree in English and history from the University College, Dublin
Belfast born Fionnuala was a regular RTÉ TV news presenter from the early-1990s until 1993. In 1993, she was the presenter of the Eurovision Song Contest, hosted by RTÉ from Millstreet, Cork.
After five years with RTÉ, Fionnuala moved to CNN in London in 1993, where she works as a programme anchor and reporter.
David was an RTÉ newsreader and announcer from the early-1960s to the mid-1970s.
Justin is a sports reporter and presenter with RTÉ News.Finian was a 'Nuacht' newsreader and reporter in the 1970s.
Eileen is a relief RTÉ news presenter, covering weekday daytime and weekend bulletins mostly. Eileen works primarily as a news reporter.Terry joined Radio Éireann as an announcer in 1961. He was a presenter and newsreader on RTÉ television until joining the BBC in 1969.Laura joined RTÉ in March 2000, working as an announcer on both RTÉ TV channels, although primarily on RTÉ Network 2. In Autumn 2002, she started into a new presenting role on the newly launched youth strand 'ID Two' on RTÉ Two. Since January 2006, Laura has also been presenting RTÉ One's popular lottery game show, 'Winning Streak'.
Vere Wynne-Jones started out as a teacher. In 1978, he shocked colleagues at Newpark Comprehensive School in Blackrock, Co Dublin, when he announced that he was resigning from his teaching role to move to a job at RTÉ.
His first job at the station was an office secretary - he learned typing and shorthand to get a start in the national broadcaster. However, it wasn't long before Vere got behind a microphone and established himself as one of RTÉ Radio's best known voices of sport.
He later founded the RTÉ Radio 2 sports department. By around the mid-1980s, Vere had moved into television news presenting. He was one of the early anchors on the new 'Six-One' news programme, launched in 1988.
In 1990, Vere left RTÉ and moved into public relations. He became director of the consumer division at Slattery Public Relations in Dublin.
Vere died on July 23 2006, following a long battle with bowel and liver cancer. He was 56.
