Seamus Martin
Encyclopedia
Seamus Martin is the retired international editor of The Irish Times
and is the brother and only sibling of Diarmuid Martin
the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin
.
Born in Dublin in 1942, he was educated at Gormanston College in County Meath
and the College of Commerce Rathmines (now part of the Dublin Institute of Technology
). He also studied economics at L'Ecole de la Chambre de Commerce et d'Industrie de Paris.
Martin has been one of Ireland's most versatile journalists, having been a leading sports commentator in his younger days in The Irish Press
and the Irish Independent
, sports editor of the Sunday Tribune
and a columnist in the Evening Herald
. Later he became Features Editor of The Irish Times, a columnist in that newspaper and afterwards a foreign correspondent who covered the two most important stories of the late 20th century.
As Moscow
Correspondent of The Irish Times, he covered the collapse of communism
and the dissolution of the Soviet Union
. As South Africa
correspondent, he covered the rise of Nelson Mandela
from prison
er to president
, the dissolution of the apartheid regime
and the arrival of democracy
in South Africa. Later he became Editor of the electronic editions of The Irish Times, winning several awards, including the Swiss IP Top award as best international news site in 1998.
In the course of his career, his political views have moved from left wing to left of centre though he never supported ultra-left views. As an active Trades Unionist he has been a member of the London-based National Executive Council of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ), Cathaoirleach (Chairperson) of the Irish Council of the NUJ and "Father" of the Irish Times Chapel of the NUJ.
He remains vehemently opposed to those who try to tell the world that support for Nazism
or membership of the SS is excused by opposition to communism. On this issue he has clashed in print in The Irish Times with journalistic colleague and controversialist Kevin Myers
. Interested in modern languages he speaks Irish (Gaelic), French, Italian and Russian as well as English.
His novel Duggan's Destiny received favourable reviews in Ireland and the United States
, notably from Kirkus Reviews. His memoir Good Times and Bad published by Mercier Press in 2008 has been a bestseller in Ireland and his TV documentaries Martin's Moscow and Time on your hands in Latvia have been widely shown on RTÉ television.
In retirement, he lives in Ireland and spends some months of the year in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France
where he maintains a small house
and a smaller vineyard
. He continues to work occasionally as a freelance from Russia and elsewhere for The Sunday Business Post
and the Irish Examiner
as well as for The Irish Times, he has also contributed and has been interviewed on Russia Today
.
The Irish Times
The Irish Times is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Kevin O'Sullivan who succeeded Geraldine Kennedy in 2011; the deputy editor is Paul O'Neill. The Irish Times is considered to be Ireland's newspaper of record, and is published every day except Sundays...
and is the brother and only sibling of Diarmuid Martin
Diarmuid Martin
Diarmuid Martin is the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin and Primate of Ireland. He was born in Dublin.-Early life and education:...
the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin
Archbishop of Dublin (Roman Catholic)
The Archbishop of Dublin is the title of the senior cleric who presides over the Archdiocese of Dublin. The Church of Ireland has a similar role, heading the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough. In both cases, the Archbishop is also Primate of Ireland...
.
Born in Dublin in 1942, he was educated at Gormanston College in County Meath
County Meath
County Meath is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Mide . Meath County Council is the local authority for the county...
and the College of Commerce Rathmines (now part of the Dublin Institute of Technology
Dublin Institute of Technology
Dublin Institute of Technology was established officially in 1992 under the but had been previously set up in 1978 on an ad-hoc basis. The institution can trace its origins back to 1887 with the establishment of various technical institutions in Dublin, Ireland...
). He also studied economics at L'Ecole de la Chambre de Commerce et d'Industrie de Paris.
Martin has been one of Ireland's most versatile journalists, having been a leading sports commentator in his younger days in The Irish Press
The Irish Press
The Irish Press was an Irish national daily newspaper published by Irish Press plc between 5 September 1931 and 25 May 1995.-Foundation:...
and the Irish Independent
Irish Independent
The Irish Independent is Ireland's largest-selling daily newspaper that is published in both compact and broadsheet formats. It is the flagship publication of Independent News & Media.-History:...
, sports editor of 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,...
and a columnist in the Evening Herald
Evening Herald
The Evening Herald is a mid-market tabloid evening newspaper published in Dublin, Ireland by Independent News & Media. It is published Monday-Saturday, and has three editions — City Edition, City Final Edition and National Edition...
. Later he became Features Editor of The Irish Times, a columnist in that newspaper and afterwards a foreign correspondent who covered the two most important stories of the late 20th century.
As Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
Correspondent of The Irish Times, he covered the collapse of communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
and the dissolution of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. As South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
correspondent, he covered the rise of Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
from prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
er to president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
, the dissolution of the apartheid regime
Regime
The word regime refers to a set of conditions, most often of a political nature.-Politics:...
and the arrival of democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
in South Africa. Later he became Editor of the electronic editions of The Irish Times, winning several awards, including the Swiss IP Top award as best international news site in 1998.
In the course of his career, his political views have moved from left wing to left of centre though he never supported ultra-left views. As an active Trades Unionist he has been a member of the London-based National Executive Council of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ), Cathaoirleach (Chairperson) of the Irish Council of the NUJ and "Father" of the Irish Times Chapel of the NUJ.
He remains vehemently opposed to those who try to tell the world that support for Nazism
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
or membership of the SS is excused by opposition to communism. On this issue he has clashed in print in The Irish Times with journalistic colleague and controversialist Kevin Myers
Kevin Myers
Kevin Myers is an Irish journalist and writer. He writes for the Irish Independent and is a former contributor to The Irish Times, where he wrote the "An Irishman's Diary" opinion column several times weekly...
. Interested in modern languages he speaks Irish (Gaelic), French, Italian and Russian as well as English.
His novel Duggan's Destiny received favourable reviews in Ireland and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, notably from Kirkus Reviews. His memoir Good Times and Bad published by Mercier Press in 2008 has been a bestseller in Ireland and his TV documentaries Martin's Moscow and Time on your hands in Latvia have been widely shown on RTÉ television.
In retirement, he lives in Ireland and spends some months of the year in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
where he maintains a small house
House
A house is a building or structure that has the ability to be occupied for dwelling by human beings or other creatures. The term house includes many kinds of different dwellings ranging from rudimentary huts of nomadic tribes to free standing individual structures...
and a smaller vineyard
Vineyard
A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice...
. He continues to work occasionally as a freelance from Russia and elsewhere for The Sunday Business Post
The Sunday Business Post
The Sunday Business Post is an Irish national Sunday newspaper published by Post Publications Limited. Post Publications is owned by Thomas Crosbie Holdings. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, Ireland, the average weekly circulation was 57,783 for the period January to June 2009. The...
and the Irish Examiner
Irish Examiner
The Irish Examiner, formerly The Cork Examiner and then The Examiner, is an Irish national daily newspaper which primarily circulates in the Munster region surrounding its base in Cork, though it is available throughout the country...
as well as for The Irish Times, he has also contributed and has been interviewed on Russia Today
RT (TV network)
RT, previously known as Russia Today, is a global multilingual television news network based in the Russian Federation run by the state-owned state-run RIA Novosti....
.