Gerald Barry (Irish journalist)
Encyclopedia
Gerald Barry was an Irish
political journalist and broadcaster. He worked for public service broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann
(RTÉ) and the Sunday Tribune
newspaper, during which time he became known for his "highly probing", "highly intelligent", "quite rigorous", "clinical, even forensic but never discourteous" interviewing style.
Barry was born in Dublin and reared in Clontarf
. His parents were Brian and Stella (née O'Driscoll) Barry. His parents and sister died before him, but his brother survives him. He was educated at Scoil Lorcáin and Belvedere College
. At Belvedere he played cricket. He studied at University College Dublin
(UCD) in the mid-1960s, achieving honours in politics and economics, but being disrupted by illness before returning to rise as auditor of the university's Literary and Historical Society.
Barry started working for RTÉ News
during the 1970s, reporting on events such as the Falklands War
and the political careers of taoisigh
Garret FitzGerald
and Charles Haughey
. In 1978, he became News/Features deputy editor and, later, editor. He spent 11 years as deputy editor of and political correspondent for the Sunday Tribune
from 1983 onwards.
In 1995, he began to work for the radio programme This Week
. He edited and presented This Week on RTÉ Radio 1
until one year before his death from a series of brain haemorrhages resulting from an illness at the age of 63 in 2011. His death led to numerous political tributes, including from Garret FitzGerald and party leaders Eamon Gilmore
, Gerry Adams
and Micheál Martin
, as well as from broadcasters Vincent Browne
and Sam Smyth.
Barry organised the Tom Kettle seminar which, in 2006, turned out to be Conor Cruise O'Brien
's last public speaking appearance. (Kettle was O'Brien's uncle by marriage.)
for a time. His interests included Gaelic football
and association football, supporting Manchester United F.C.
, literature and music, in particular Bob Dylan
.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
political journalist and broadcaster. He worked for public service broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann is a semi-state company and the public service broadcaster of Ireland. It both produces programmes and broadcasts them on television, radio and the Internet. The radio service began on January 1, 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on December 31, 1961, making...
(RTÉ) and the Sunday Tribune
Sunday Tribune
The Sunday Tribune was an Irish Sunday broadsheet newspaper published by Tribune Newspapers plc. It was edited in its final years by Nóirín Hegarty, who changed both the tone and the physical format of the newspaper from broadsheet to tabloid. Former editors include Conor Brady, Vincent Browne,...
newspaper, during which time he became known for his "highly probing", "highly intelligent", "quite rigorous", "clinical, even forensic but never discourteous" interviewing style.
Barry was born in Dublin and reared in Clontarf
Clontarf, Dublin
Clontarf is a coastal suburb on the northside of Dublin, in Ireland. It is most famous for giving the name to the Battle of Clontarf in 1014, in which Brian Boru, High King of Ireland, defeated the Vikings of Dublin and their allies, the Irish of Leinster. This battle, which extended to districts...
. His parents were Brian and Stella (née O'Driscoll) Barry. His parents and sister died before him, but his brother survives him. He was educated at Scoil Lorcáin and Belvedere College
Belvedere College
Belvedere College SJ is a private secondary school for boys located on Great Denmark Street, Dublin, Ireland. It is also known as St. Francis Xavier's College....
. At Belvedere he played cricket. He studied at University College Dublin
University College Dublin
University College Dublin ) - formally known as University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's largest, and Ireland's second largest, university, with over 1,300 faculty and 17,000 students...
(UCD) in the mid-1960s, achieving honours in politics and economics, but being disrupted by illness before returning to rise as auditor of the university's Literary and Historical Society.
Barry started working for RTÉ News
RTÉ News
RTÉ News and Current Affairs , is a major division of Raidió Teilifís Éireann responsible for news programming on television, radio and online within the Republic of Ireland. It is, by far, the largest and most popular news source in Ireland - with 77% of the Irish public regarding it as their main...
during the 1970s, reporting on events such as the Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
and the political careers of taoisigh
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
Garret FitzGerald
Garret FitzGerald
Garret FitzGerald was an Irish politician who was twice Taoiseach of Ireland, serving in office from July 1981 to February 1982 and again from December 1982 to March 1987. FitzGerald was elected to Seanad Éireann in 1965 and was subsequently elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fine Gael TD in 1969. He...
and Charles Haughey
Charles Haughey
Charles James "Charlie" Haughey was Taoiseach of Ireland, serving three terms in office . He was also the fourth leader of Fianna Fáil...
. In 1978, he became News/Features deputy editor and, later, editor. He spent 11 years as deputy editor of and political correspondent for the Sunday Tribune
Sunday Tribune
The Sunday Tribune was an Irish Sunday broadsheet newspaper published by Tribune Newspapers plc. It was edited in its final years by Nóirín Hegarty, who changed both the tone and the physical format of the newspaper from broadsheet to tabloid. Former editors include Conor Brady, Vincent Browne,...
from 1983 onwards.
In 1995, he began to work for the radio programme This Week
This Week (RTÉ radio series)
This Week is a news and current affairs programme broadcast on RTÉ Radio 1. It airs Sundays at 13:00 and is presented by various RTÉ News and Current Affairs journalists....
. He edited and presented This Week on RTÉ Radio 1
RTÉ Radio 1
RTÉ Radio 1 is the principal radio channel of Irish public-service broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann and is the direct descendant of Dublin radio station 2RN, which began broadcasting on a regular basis on 1 January 1926...
until one year before his death from a series of brain haemorrhages resulting from an illness at the age of 63 in 2011. His death led to numerous political tributes, including from Garret FitzGerald and party leaders Eamon Gilmore
Eamon Gilmore
Eamon Gilmore is an Irish Labour Party politician and the current Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. He has been the Leader of the Labour Party since September 2007, and a Teachta Dála for the Dún Laoghaire constituency since 1989, first with the Workers' Party of Ireland, and...
, Gerry Adams
Gerry Adams
Gerry Adams is an Irish republican politician and Teachta Dála for the constituency of Louth. From 1983 to 1992 and from 1997 to 2011, he was an abstentionist Westminster Member of Parliament for Belfast West. He is the president of Sinn Féin, the second largest political party in Northern...
and Micheál Martin
Micheál Martin
Micheál Martin is an Irish politician who has been leader of Fianna Fáil since January 2011. He is a Teachta Dála for the Cork South Central constituency...
, as well as from broadcasters Vincent Browne
Vincent Browne
Vincent Browne is an Irish print and broadcast journalist. He is a columnist with The Irish Times and The Sunday Business Post and a part time barrister....
and Sam Smyth.
Barry organised the Tom Kettle seminar which, in 2006, turned out to be Conor Cruise O'Brien
Conor Cruise O'Brien
Conor Cruise O'Brien often nicknamed "The Cruiser", was an Irish politician, writer, historian and academic. Although his opinion on the role of Britain in Northern Ireland changed over the course of the 1970s and 1980s, he always acknowledge values of, as he saw, the two irreconcilable traditions...
's last public speaking appearance. (Kettle was O'Brien's uncle by marriage.)
Personal life
Barry dated Mary HarneyMary Harney
Mary Harney is a former Irish politician. She served as Tánaiste from 1997–2006, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment from 1997–2004, and as Minister for Health and Children from 2004 to 2011...
for a time. His interests included Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
and association football, supporting Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
, literature and music, in particular Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
.