Veteran Irish broadcaster Gay Byrne dies aged 85

Gay Byrne, the veteran Irish broadcaster who presented The Late Late Show on RTE, has died aged 85, his family says.

RTE said Byrne, who had been undergoing treatment for cancer, died after a long illness.

In a statement, his family said: “It is with sadness that Kathleen, Crona and Suzy wish to announce that their beloved Gay has died peacefully at home today, surrounded by his family.

“We wish to thank everybody for their love and support during Gay’s illness. Particularly the wonderful teams in the Mater Hospital, St Francis Hospice and the Irish Cancer Society”.

RTE Director-General, Dee Forbes, called him “a household name” and “an exceptional broadcaster whose unique and ground-breaking style contributed so much to the development of radio and television in this country.

“Gay’s journalistic legacy is as colossal as the man himself – he not only defined generations, but he deftly arbitrated the growth and development of a nation.

“Ireland grew up under Gay Byrne, and we will never see his like again. My deepest sympathies to Kathleen and his family.”

Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar tweeted that Byrne was “a much-loved figure who changed Ireland for the better in so many ways”.

Former Ireland international footballer Paul McGrath paid tribute to “a man who has always been so kind to me over my career”.

Ireland’s president, Michael D Higgins, described him on Twitter as a man “of great charisma” who “exuded warmth and presence, who was possessed of effortless wit, charm and who had a flair for broadcasting.

“This was combined with an innate gentleness as a person, professionalism and humour.

Very sad to hear of the death of Gay Byrne. Hard to explain how huge a presence he was in Ireland for 40+ years; a legendary, instinctual broadcaster; that rarest thing, a gifted listener; and an interviewer of huge emotional intelligence. An enormous life.

— Dara Ó Briain (@daraobriain) November 4, 2019

Modern-day presenter and comedian Dara O’Briain tweeted that it was “Hard to explain how huge a presence he was in Ireland for 40+ years”.

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