Gay Byrne
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- This article is about the Irish television presenter. See Gabriel Byrne for the Irish actor.
| Gay Byrne | |
| Born | August 5, 1934 Ireland |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Television personality, Chairman of the Road Safety Authority |
| Spouse | Kathleen Watkins |
| Children | Suzy, Crona |
Gabriel Mary Byrne, known as Gay Byrne and nicknamed Gaybo (born 5 August 1934) is an Irish broadcaster. He was the presenter of the Late Late Show, from 1962 to 1999 except for one year.[1] He also presented a regular morning radio show on RTE. He is credited with being a catalyst in the transformation of Irish Society since the 1960s.[2] He broke many Irish social taboos by discussing many topics like contraception, homosexuality, and abortion. Byrne undoubtedly had more influence in determining the current social landscape of Irish society, than any other member of his generation (per Gay Byrne), though he always adopted a more reticent view of his own role. His viewpoint was that societal change was taking place, and he was merely highlighting this change.
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[edit] Background and early life
Gay Byrne is the son of Edward Byrne, who died in 1953. Edward Byrne joined the Irish Guards (British Army) in 1912, but was transferred to the 19th Hussars, Infantry Division, when World War 1 (1914-1918) broke out. He fought throughout most of the War, including at the Battle of the Somme and at Ypres. [3] Shortly after the War, Edward Byrne was employed by Guinness' St. James's Gate Brewery where he worked for most of the rest of his life. He worked on the barges that operated on the river Liffey, transporting wooden casks from St. James's Gate Brewery to ships at the North Wall, Dublin. [4] Edward Byrne was the son of Alexander Byrne, a coachman to the Earl of Meath, who lived at a lodge on the Earl's estate near Kilruddery, Co. Wicklow. [5]
Gay Byrne's father, Edward, married his mother, Annie Carroll (from Bray), at Belfast, in 1917, when briefly home on leave from the War. The two had met near Bray just before the War began. Gay Byrne is the youngest of six children from that marriage. However, one child, his brother Joseph, died as a one-week old infant. Listed in descending order (according to age), the other children are Edward, Al, Ernest, and Mary.
Gay Byrne was born and grew up in Dublin. He was born 5 August, 1934. [6] [7] He first lived with his family at 17 Rialto Street, Rialto, Dublin, before his parent's moved to 124 (later renumbered 512) South Circular Road, Dublin, in 1944.
Byrne attended Rialto National School (since closed) and a number of other schools for short periods. Subsequently, he was educated by the Irish Christian Brothers at Synge Street CBS. After this he worked at the North Strand cinema. He subsequently became a clerk in an insurance company. He then worked as a sales representative. He also met foreign dignitaries at Dublin Airport, and welcomed them to Ireland.
Gay Byrne's mother, Annie, died in late 1964. [8]
[edit] Early career
In 1958 he moved over to broadcasting when he became a presenter on Radio Éireann. He also worked with Granada Television and the BBC in England.
In 1961 Telefís Éireann (later RTÉ) was set up. He finally worked exclusively for the new Irish service after 1969. He introduced many popular programmes with his most popular and successful programme being The Late Late Show.
[edit] Late Late Show
On 6 July 1962, the first episode of the Late Late Show was aired. Originally the show was scheduled as an eight-week summer filler. The programme, which is still broadcast, has become the world's longest running chat show. The show became a forum where controversial topics such as the influence of the Roman Catholic Church, contraception, AIDS, unemployment, homosexuality, clerical sexual abuse, divorce, and other hitherto taboo subjects were discussed openly in Ireland, alongside book reviews, celebrity visits, and music acts like the Boomtown Rats, U2, Sinéad O'Connor, Boyzone, and Noel Gallagher. Other guests included Presidents of Ireland, successive Archbishops of Armagh, minor members of the British Royal Family, politicians, actors, authors and countless others.
On 21 May 1999, he presented his last Late Late Show. From September 1999 the show has been presented by Pat Kenny. The show had much to do in shaping the new Ireland that was emerging from the 1960s. Indeed it was famously said by politician and Papal Knight Oliver J. Flanagan that, "there was no sex[9] in Ireland before television." However, Byrne saw himself as a presenter, not a radical social reformer, and his style was less challenging than the style of the current Late Late Show presenter Pat Kenny[10].
During the early years of Byrne's time hosting The Late Late Show, prior to about 1978 when the second national Irish TV channel was launched, he was employed by RTÉ on a continuously renewing 3-month contract, lest his employer might want to fire him any time they choose. [11]
[edit] Radio broadcaster
Byrne was also a radio broadcaster. He is best remembered for his two hour morning show, The Gay Byrne Hour, later renamed The Gay Byrne Show (1972 - 1999). Joe Duffy was a reporter on The Gay Byrne Show and subsequently succeeded him as presenter. Byrne presented the annual Rose of Tralee festival for 17 years until 1994.
[edit] Retirement
Byrne has not completely retired and continues to feature occasionally on radio and television. He has hosted for one season, the Irish version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. He also hosted The Gay Byrne Music Show and Make 'Em Laugh, a series about comedy in Ireland, Gaybo's Grumpy Men and a series Class Reunion. He has featured on radio occasionally, in 2006 presented a weekly Sunday afternoon show entitled Sunday Serenade on Lyric FM. In March 2006 Byrne was appointed as the Chairman of the Irish Road Safety Authority [1], a public body given the task of improving road safety in the Republic of Ireland.
Byrne published his autobiography co-written with Deirdre Purcell.[12]
[edit] Personal life
Byrne is married to Kathleen Watkins, formerly a well-known harpist and they have two daughters (both adopted).[13] They live in Howth, County Dublin. Byrne first met Kathleen Watkins in 1957 and married her in 1964. [14]
Byrne relied on an accountant friend, Russell Murphy, to manage his finances, and was personally distraught when upon the accountant's death in 1986, it was found that most of his savings had been squandered, and this had been hidden from him. [15]
[edit] Other work
Byrne hosted The RTÉ People in Need Telethon several times from 1988 to 2001.
[edit] Honours and awards
- In 1988, Byrne was awarded an honorary Doctorate in Literature from Trinity College, Dublin.[16]
- In 1999 he was granted the Freedom of Dublin City.[17]
- He received a Lifetime Achievement Award in February 2007.[2]
- He holds the record for the greatest number of Jacob's Awards received, winning a total of six for his radio and television work.
- He was appointed chairman of the road safety authority in Ireland in 2006.[3]
[edit] References
- ^ RTÉ Television - The Late Late Show
- ^ The Impact of RTÉ 1962-1972 (HTML). ScoilNet. Retrieved on 2006-12-17.
- ^ Byrne, The Time of My Life, p. 5.
- ^ Byrne, The Time of My Life, pp 6 - 7, & pp 11 - 12.
- ^ Byrne, The Time of My Life, p. 5.
- ^ Byrne, The Time of My Life, p. 18.
- ^ Irish Examiner, Thursday, August 05, 2004 (The Irish Examiner is an Irish newspaper).
- ^ Byrne, The Time of My Life, p. 89.
- ^ Public discussion of.
- ^ RTÉ Television - The Late Late Show
- ^ RTÉ television documentary aired in March 2007
- ^ The Time of My Life: An Autobiography Author: Byrne, Gay & Deirdre Purcell. Published by Gill & Macmillan Dublin 1989. ISBN 0-7171-1615-8.
- ^ CU Educational Trust - board of trustees
- ^ Byrne, The Time of My Life, p. 99.
- ^ ( This is referenced on the Irish Independant website at http://www.independent.ie/national-news/the-day-a-cheque-for-pound1m--was-left-on-gays-table-372932.html , search google for more references - http://www.google.ie/search?hl=en&q=%22Russell+Murphy%22+%2B+%22gay+byrne%22&btnG=Google+Search&meta= ) ,
- ^ The Irish Times, "TCD to honour leading Dubliners for millennium", October 30, 1987
- ^ The Irish Times, "Dublin honours one of its favourite sons with freedom of the city", May 12, 1999
[edit] See also
| Preceded by ----- |
Host of the Late Late Show 6 July 1962 – 21 May 1968 |
Succeeded by Frank Hall |
| Preceded by Frank Hall |
Host of the Late Late Show September, 1969 – 21 May 1999 |
Succeeded by Pat Kenny |
| Preceded by N/A |
Host of The Rose of Tralee 1978 – 1994 |
Succeeded by Derek Davis |
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