Anne Catherine Doyle (born 30 January 1952) is an Irish journalist, presenter and former
newsreader.
[ She is best known as a long-serving newsreader for RTÉ, who anchored the broadcaster's main evening television news programmes, during her 33 years of service.][
]
Early life
Born in Ferns, County Wexford
Ferns (, short for ) is a historic town in north County Wexford, Ireland. It is from Enniscorthy, where the Gorey to Enniscorthy R772 road joins the R745, both regional roads. The remains of Ferns Castle are in the centre of the town.
His ...
. Doyle was the youngest in a family of five boys and two girls. Her father, John Doyle (1903–1975), worked most of his life as a farm labourer, while her mother was the former Elizabeth Kavanagh (1916–1979). Doyle was educated at the Loreto Convent in nearby Gorey
Gorey () is a market town in north County Wexford, Ireland. It is beside the main M11 Dublin to Wexford road. The town is also connected to the railway network along the same route. Local newspapers include the ''Gorey Guardian''.
As a growi ...
and later at University College Dublin
University College Dublin (commonly referred to as UCD) ( ga, Coláiste na hOllscoile, Baile Átha Cliath) is a public research university in Dublin, Ireland, and a member institution of the National University of Ireland. With 33,284 student ...
, where she was conferred with a Bachelor of Arts in English and History before later completing a postgraduate diploma in education
The Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE), also known as a Graduate Diploma of Education (GradDipEd), is a one-year postgraduate course in several countries including Australia, Ghana, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, Scotland, Hong Kong, Sing ...
.
Career
Early career
Doyle spent a year as an English and History teacher but later pursued her interest in books and became a librarian. She later joined Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs as an executive officer in the consular service.
Broadcasting
Doyle joined the RTÉ newsroom in 1978 and read her first news bulletin on Christmas Day that year. She became a regular reader for bulletins on both radio and television news services. In 1983, she became one of four presenters for RTÉ One
RTÉ One ( ga, RTÉ a hAon) is an Irish free-to-air flagship television channel owned and operated by Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ). It is the most-popular and most-watched television channel in the country and was launched as ''Telefís ...
's early evening news, then known as ''Newstime''. The program was relaunched in 1988 as the '' Six One News'' with Doyle becoming co-anchor alongside Seán Duignan two years later. In 1992, Doyle was briefly suspended by RTÉ for refusing to cross picket lines during a technicians' strike.
Doyle became one of two sole anchors of RTÉ's flagship '' Nine O'Clock News'' in 1997, alternating with Eileen Dunne
Eileen Dunne (born 28 April 1958) is a retired Irish journalist, newsreader and presenter with Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ), Ireland's national radio and television station, where she presented the main television news programmes '' Six On ...
. In 2000, she was elected to represent RTÉ staff on the 14th RTÉ Authority. The following year, she took over from Marian Finucane
Marian Finucane ( ; 21 May 1950 – 2 January 2020) was an Irish broadcaster with Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ). She began working with the national broadcaster in 1974, starting as a continuity announcer. She was the first presenter of '' ...
as co-presenter of '' Crimeline''. In addition, she filled in for Finucane as presenter of RTÉ Radio 1
RTÉ Radio 1 ( ga, RTÉ Raidió 1) is an Irish national radio station owned and operated by RTÉ and is the direct descendant of Dublin radio station 2RN, which began broadcasting on a regular basis on 1 January 1926.
The total budget for th ...
's ''The Marian Finucane Show
''The Marian Finucane Show'' was an Irish radio programme, presented by Marian Finucane. It aired Saturday - Sunday at 11:00 to 13:00. According to statistics from 2009, it was then the highest-rating weekend radio show in Ireland.
When Finucane ...
''.
In November 2011, Doyle announced she was seeking early retirement from RTÉ and had applied for a redundancy package. She presented her last RTÉ News bulletin at 8:50pm on Sunday 25 December 2011, 33 years to the day since her first bulletin. The bulletin ended with a montage of Doyle's career with RTÉ featuring tributes from among others, Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government, or prime minister, of Ireland. The office is appointed by the president of Ireland upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann (the lower house of the Oireachtas, Ireland's national legislature) and the o ...
Enda Kenny
Enda Kenny (born 24 April 1951) is an Irish former Fine Gael politician who served as Taoiseach from 2011 to 2017, Leader of Fine Gael from 2002 to 2017, Minister for Defence from May to July 2014 and 2016 to 2017, Leader of the Opposition from ...
and broadcaster Gay Byrne. She has said that, following her broadcasting work, she wishes to study law and enter the legal profession.
In popular culture
Doyle has become part of Irish popular culture. Puppets Podge and Rodge
Pádraig Judas O'Leprosy and Rodraig Spartacus O'Leprosy (born 1941) are the central characters of Irish television series '' A Scare at Bedtime'', created and performed by Ciaran Morrison and Mick O'Hara. More recently, the brothers have presen ...
frequently reference Doyle in their jokes, and the satirical comedy ''Bull Island
Bull Island (Irish: ''Oileán an Tairbh''), more properly North Bull Island (Irish: ''Oileán an Tairbh Thuaidh''), is an island located in Dublin Bay in Ireland, about 5 km long and 800 m wide, lying roughly parallel to the shore off C ...
'' also featured impersonations of Anne Doyle, including parodied news bulletins in which she would state "I am Anne Doyle. I am the news". She also has a long-standing association with Dustin the Turkey
Dustin the Turkey, a character performed by John Morrison is a former star of RTÉ television's '' The Den'' between 1989 and 2010 and from 2020. He has been described as "the most subversive comedy force on Irish television".
A turkey-vulture ...
.
Stamp
Marking RTÉ's 50th anniversary in 2011, Doyle became the first Wexford person to appear on a postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper issued by a post office, postal administration, or other authorized vendors to customers who pay postage (the cost involved in moving, insuring, or registering mail), who then affix the stamp to the f ...
during her lifetime.
Personal life
Following a 17-year relationship with an electrician which ended in August 1996, Doyle had a much publicised relationship with Jim McDaid
James Joseph McDaid (born 3 October 1949) is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Donegal North-East constituency from June 1989 until he resigned in November 2010. He also served as Minister for Tou ...
(former Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation). She met McDaid at a function at New York in late 1997, and the relationship ended acrimoniously after about six months.
She has been in a relationship with restaurant owner, Dan McGrattan, since the beginning of the 2000s.
In February 2012, she came fifth in a poll to find Ireland's most desirable Valentines.
References
External links
Photo Gallery of Anne Doyle
{{DEFAULTSORT:Doyle, Anne
1952 births
Living people
Alumni of University College Dublin
Irish reporters and correspondents
Irish women radio presenters
Irish women journalists
People from Ferns, County Wexford
RTÉ newsreaders and journalists
RTÉ Radio 1 presenters
Broadcasters from County Wexford