Will Hanafin

Will Hanafin
Born William Hanafin
youghal, co cork
Nationality Irish
Occupation Sunday Independent journalist, radio producer
Known for The Ray D'Arcy Show; involvement in the Brian Cowen nude portraits controversy
Spouse Mary Kirwan
Children Ethan[1]

William 'Will' Hanafin is an Irish journalist, a researcher, television producer and radio presenter from Youghal, County Cork. He can currently be heard on The Ray D'Arcy Show on Today FM, largely in the background offering advice to listeners but he sometimes presents the show solo. He has been with Today FM for four years and has presented his own segment, "Where there's Will... There's a way!", on the difficulties listeners encounter in removing awkward stains.[2]

Hanafin began his career as a print journalist with the Irish Examiner before working as a researcher on The Late Late Show. He spent the final year of Gay Byrne's tenure and the first four years of Pat Kenny's tenure working on The Late Late Show.[3] He also trained as a television producer with Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ), possesses a degree in zoology and is a qualifed barrister. His writing can be read in the Sunday Independent.[4] He describes books about Gaelic games as "the dullest genre imaginable".[5]

Hanafin has on a number of occasions provoked talking points on The Ray D'Arcy Show, such as the time he failed his third driving test and the occasion he broke his knee and had to have surgery or his numerous un-balanced/biased articles designed purely to provoke response.[6] He was questioned by Garda Síochána over nude portraits of Taoiseach Brian Cowen in 2009, initially refusing to co-operate and later describing the entire incident as "crazy".[7]

He has written De Little Book of Bertie about former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.[8] It was the first book dedicated to Bertiespeak.[9]

References

  1. ^ Hanafin, Will; Kirwan, Mary (6 April 2008). "When their son had problems feeding, Will Hanafin and Mary Kirwan took him to see the bone doctor, with unexpected and miraculous results?". Sunday Independent. http://www.independent.ie/health/when-their-son-had-problems-feeding-will-hanafin-and-mary-kirwan-took-him-to-see-the-bone-doctor-with-unexpected-and-miraculous-resultscracking-it-1339674.html. Retrieved 6 April 2008. 
  2. ^ "Where there's Will... There's a way!!". Today FM. Retrieved 7 January 2009.
  3. ^ Hanafin, Will (4 April 2009). "Is it too late to save the Late Late?". Irish Independent. http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/is-it-too-late--to-save-the--late-late-1698141.html. Retrieved 5 April 2009. 
  4. ^ Hanafin, Will (6 December 2009). "Professor Bertie is just the business". Sunday Independent. http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/professor-bertie-is-just-the-business-1965686.html. Retrieved 11 December 2009. 
  5. ^ Hanafin, Will (25 October 2009). "Lost Cusack has found a winner". Sunday Independent. http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/news-gossip/lost-cusack-has-found-a-winner-1924055.html. Retrieved 11 December 2009. 
  6. ^ O'Mahony, Claire and Freyne, Patrick. (12 October 2008). "The Desk Job" - Tribune Magazine. p.22. Online link. Retrieved 24 January 2010.
  7. ^ O'Doherty, Caroline (18 June 2008). "Today FM producer brands reaction ‘crazy’". Irish Examiner. http://www.examiner.ie/ireland/idqlqleysn/. Retrieved 17 May 2010. 
  8. ^ "TDFM026 De Little Book of Bertie by Will Hanafin". Today FM. http://shopping.todayfm.com/comersus/store/comersus_viewItem.asp?idProduct=2069. Retrieved 11 December 2009. 
  9. ^ McCárthaigh, Seán (13 August 2001). "Unravelling the many mysteries of Bertiespeak". Irish Examiner. http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/2001/08/13/story10134.asp. Retrieved 11 December 2009. 

External links