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Gabriel Mary "Gay" Byrne (5 August 1934 – 4 November 2019) was an Irish presenter and host of radio and television. His most notable role was first host of '' The Late Late Show'' over a 37-year period spanning 1962 until 1999. ''The Late Late Show'' is the world's second longest-running chat show. He was affectionately known as "Uncle Gay", "Gaybo" or "Uncle Gaybo". His time working in
Britain Britain most often refers to: * The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands * Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...
with
Granada Television ITV Granada, formerly known as Granada Television, is the ITV franchisee for the North West of England and Isle of Man. From 1956 to 1968 it broadcast to both the north west and Yorkshire but only on weekdays as ABC Weekend Television was it ...
saw him become the first person to introduce
The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
on-screen, and Byrne was later the first to introduce
Boyzone Boyzone were an Irish boy band, created in 1993 by talent manager Louis Walsh. Before even recording any material, Boyzone made an appearance on RTÉ's '' The Late Late Show''. Their most successful line-up was composed of Keith Duffy, Steph ...
on screen in 1993. From 1973 until 1998, Byrne presented ''The Gay Byrne Hour'' – later ''
The Gay Byrne Show ''The Gay Byrne Show'' (previously ''The Gay Byrne Hour'' and also known as ''The GB Show'') was an Irish radio programme, which ran from 1973 until 1998. The programme was presented by Gay Byrne, and aired Monday to Friday for two hours each d ...
'' when it expanded to two hours – on
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 ...
each weekday morning. After retiring from his long-running radio and television shows, Byrne presented several other programmes, including ''
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? ''Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?'' (often informally called ''Millionaire'') is an international television game show franchise of British origin, created by David Briggs, Mike Whitehill and Steven Knight. In its format, currently owned and ...
'', '' The Meaning of Life'' and '' For One Night Only'' on RTÉ One and ''Sunday Serenade''/''Sunday with Gay Byrne'' on
RTÉ lyric fm RTÉ Lyric FM (stylised as RTÉ lyric fm) is an Irish classical-music and arts radio station, owned and operated by RTÉ. The station, which is based in Limerick, was launched in 1999 and is available on FM throughout Ireland (in some areas ...
. In 2006, he was elected Chairman of Ireland's
Road Safety Authority The Road Safety Authority (RSA; ga, Údarás Um Shábháilteacht Ar Bhóithre) is a state agency formed by the Irish Government to promote road safety within the Republic of Ireland. The agency has devolved control of much of the work of the D ...
. In his retirement he was described as the "Elder Lemon of Irish broadcasting". In 2010, ''
The Irish Times ''The Irish Times'' is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper and online digital publication. It launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Ruadhán Mac Cormaic. It is published every day except Sundays. ''The Irish Times'' is considered a newspaper ...
'' said Byrne was "unquestionably the most influential radio and television man in the history of the Irish State". He was approached to run in the
2011 Irish presidential election The 2011 Irish presidential election was the thirteenth presidential election to be held in Ireland, and was contested by a record seven candidates. It was held on Thursday, 27 October 2011. The election was held to elect a successor to Mary ...
but declined to run, despite topping early opinion polls.


Early life

Byrne was the son of Edward Byrne, who joined the
Irish Volunteers The Irish Volunteers ( ga, Óglaigh na hÉireann), sometimes called the Irish Volunteer Force or Irish Volunteer Army, was a military organisation established in 1913 by Irish nationalists and republicans. It was ostensibly formed in respons ...
in 1912. In 1913, Edward Byrne enlisted as a professional trooper with the
British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
's 19th (Queen Alexandra's Own Royal) Hussars
cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry ...
regiment, given a background as a horseman from his father's employment by the
Earl of Meath Earl of Meath is a title in the Peerage of Ireland created in 1627 and held by the head of the Brabazon family. This family descends from Sir Edward Brabazon, who represented County Wicklow in the Irish House of Commons and served as High Sher ...
as a coachman in
County Wicklow County Wicklow ( ; ga, Contae Chill Mhantáin ) is a county in Ireland. The last of the traditional 32 counties, having been formed as late as 1606, it is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the province of Leinster. It is bordered by t ...
. On the outbreak of
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
he was
mobilized Mobilization is the act of assembling and readying military troops and supplies for war. The word ''mobilization'' was first used in a military context in the 1850s to describe the preparation of the Prussian Army. Mobilization theories and ...
and went with his unit to the Western Front, where he took part in heavy fighting in the
Ypres Salient The Ypres Salient around Ypres in Belgium was the scene of several battles and an extremely important part of the Western front during the First World War. Ypres district Ypres lies at the junction of the Ypres–Comines Canal and the Ieperlee. ...
and at the
Battle of the Somme The Battle of the Somme ( French: Bataille de la Somme), also known as the Somme offensive, was a battle of the First World War fought by the armies of the British Empire and French Third Republic against the German Empire. It took place bet ...
. He was discharged from the British Army at the war's end in 1919. He later took part in the
Irish War of Independence The Irish War of Independence () or Anglo-Irish War was a guerrilla war fought in Ireland from 1919 to 1921 between the Irish Republican Army (IRA, the army of the Irish Republic) and British forces: the British Army, along with the quasi-mil ...
.Byrne, ''The Time of My Life'', p. 5 In the early 1920s, Edward Byrne was employed by Guinness'
St. James's Gate Brewery St. James's Gate Brewery is a brewery founded in 1759 in Dublin, Ireland, by Arthur Guinness. The company is now a part of Diageo, a company formed from the merger of Guinness and Grand Metropolitan in 1997. The main product of the brewery is ...
, where he worked for most of the rest of his life on the barges that operated on the
River Liffey The River Liffey (Irish: ''An Life'', historically ''An Ruirthe(a)ch'') is a river in eastern Ireland that ultimately flows through the centre of Dublin to its mouth within Dublin Bay. Its major tributaries include the River Dodder, the River ...
, transporting wooden casks from St. James's Gate Brewery to sea ships at the North Wall in Dublin. Byrne's father, Edward, married his mother, Annie, in 1917, when briefly home on leave from the war. The two had met near Bray just before the war began. Both of them were from County Wicklow. His siblings were Ray, Al, Ernest and Mary; all but Mary predeceased him. Byrne was born on 5 August 1934 and grew up in
The Liberties The Liberties (Irish: ''Na Saoirsí'' or occasionally ''Na Libirtí'') is an area in central Dublin, Ireland, located in the southwest of the inner city. Formed from various areas of special manorial jurisdiction, separate from the main city g ...
in Dublin. He first lived with his family at 17 Rialto Street,
Rialto The Rialto is a central area of Venice, Italy, in the ''sestiere'' of San Polo. It is, and has been for many centuries, the financial and commercial heart of the city. Rialto is known for its prominent markets as well as for the monumental Rialto ...
, Dublin, before his parents moved to 124 (later renumbered 512) South Circular Road, Dublin, in 1944. Byrne's mother, Annie, died in late 1964. Byrne attended Rialto National School (since closed) and a number of other schools for short periods. Subsequently, he was educated by the Irish Christian Brothers at
Synge Street CBS Synge Street CBS (colloquially Synger) is a boys' non-fee-paying state school, under the auspices of the Edmund Rice Schools Trust, located in the  Dublin 8 area of Dublin, Ireland. The school was founded in 1864 by Can ...
. He and two classmates bought a
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
record when Byrne was fourteen years old in January 1948, at a time when Radio Éireann refused to play it because of its "licentious" content. In December 2009, Byrne returned to his old primary school on Synge Street to launch an online children's book club, and read an extract from
Marita Conlon-McKenna Marita Conlon-McKenna (born 5 November 1956) is an Irish author of children's books and adult fiction. She is best known for her Famine-era historical children's book '' Under the Hawthorn Tree'', the first book of the ''Children of the Famine'' ...
's storybook '' In Deep Dark Wood''. In 2009, whilst celebrating the 250th anniversary of Guinness, he revealed that he had once tried unsuccessfully to earn a job in the brewery near his childhood home. When he was young, Byrne was inspired by the broadcaster
Eamonn Andrews Eamonn Andrews, (19 December 1922 – 5 November 1987) was an Irish radio and television presenter, employed primarily in the United Kingdom from the 1950s to the 1980s. From 1960 to 1964 he chaired the Radio Éireann Authority (now the RTÉ A ...
, who had a successful career on British television, and "wanted to be what he was". Andrews was friendly with Byrne's eldest brother. In 1958, he moved over to broadcasting when he became a presenter on
Radio Éireann Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmit ...
. He also worked with
Granada Television ITV Granada, formerly known as Granada Television, is the ITV franchisee for the North West of England and Isle of Man. From 1956 to 1968 it broadcast to both the north west and Yorkshire but only on weekdays as ABC Weekend Television was it ...
and the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
in
England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
. At Granada, Byrne became the first person to introduce
the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
on television when they made their small-screen debut on local news programme '' People and Places''. In 1961, Telefís Éireann (later Radio Telefís Éireann and now
Raidió Teilifís Éireann Raidi (; ; also written Ragdi; born August, 1938) is a Tibetan politician of the People's Republic of China. He served as a vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress from 2003 to 2008, and the highest ranking Tibeta ...
) was set up. Byrne finally worked exclusively for the new Irish service after 1969. He introduced many popular programmes, with his most popular and successful programme being ''The Late Late Show''.


Radio career

Byrne began his broadcasting career on radio. Radio Éireann gave him a 15-minute slot on Monday nights which he used to play
Jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
, his first broadcast for the station being in 1958. He is now best remembered for his two-hour morning show, ''The Gay Byrne Hour'', which was later renamed ''
The Gay Byrne Show ''The Gay Byrne Show'' (previously ''The Gay Byrne Hour'' and also known as ''The GB Show'') was an Irish radio programme, which ran from 1973 until 1998. The programme was presented by Gay Byrne, and aired Monday to Friday for two hours each d ...
'' (1972–1999). For many years the show was produced by John Caden.
Joe Duffy Joseph Duffy (born 27 January 1956) is an Irish broadcaster employed by Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ). One of RTÉ's highest-earning stars, he is the current presenter of ''Liveline'', an interview and phone-in chat show broadcast on R ...
was a reporter and occasional co-presenter on ''The Gay Byrne Show''. Byrne featured on radio occasionally since retiring from ''The Gay Byrne Show'' – in 2006, he began presenting a weekly Sunday afternoon show entitled ''Sunday Serenade'' on
RTÉ lyric fm RTÉ Lyric FM (stylised as RTÉ lyric fm) is an Irish classical-music and arts radio station, owned and operated by RTÉ. The station, which is based in Limerick, was launched in 1999 and is available on FM throughout Ireland (in some areas ...
. After 2010, he could be heard playing
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
on Sunday afternoons on lyric fm. This two-hour show began after an encounter with Head of Lyric FM Aodán Ó Dubhghaill at the
National Concert Hall The National Concert Hall (NCH) (An Ceoláras Náisiúnta) is a national cultural institution, sometimes described as "the home of music in Ireland". It comprises the actual concert hall operation, which in various chambers hosts over 1,000 ...
. ''Sunday with Gay Byrne'' attracted 55,000 listeners through "word of mouth": no advertising and no mention in the ''
RTÉ Guide The ''RTÉ Guide'' is a Television in the Republic of Ireland, television and Radio in the Republic of Ireland, radio listings magazine in Republic of Ireland, Ireland published by RTÉ Commercial Enterprises Ltd, a subsidiary of RTÉ, Raidió T ...
''. The show was broadcast weekly approximately from September to March, with a break during the intervening six months. Byrne once commented on the emptiness of RTÉ at this time of the week:


Television


''The Late Late Show''

On 5 July 1962, the first episode of ''The Late Late Show'' was aired on Irish television. Originally the show was scheduled as an eight-week summer filler. The programme, which is still broadcast, has become the world's second longest running chat show. The show became a forum where controversial topics such as the influence of the
Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
,
contraception Birth control, also known as contraception, anticonception, and fertility control, is the use of methods or devices to prevent unwanted pregnancy. Birth control has been used since ancient times, but effective and safe methods of birth contr ...
, AIDS, unemployment, homosexuality, abortion, divorce and other hitherto
taboo A taboo or tabu is a social group's ban, prohibition, or avoidance of something (usually an utterance or behavior) based on the group's sense that it is excessively repulsive, sacred, or allowed only for certain persons.''Encyclopædia Britannica ...
subjects were discussed openly in Ireland, alongside book reviews, celebrity visits, and music acts such as
the Boomtown Rats The Boomtown Rats are an Irish rock band originally formed in Dublin in 1975. Between 1977 and 1985, they had a series of Irish and UK hits including "Like Clockwork", "Rat Trap", "I Don't Like Mondays" and "Banana Republic". The original line ...
, U2,
Sinéad O'Connor Shuhada Sadaqat (born Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor on 8 December 1966; ) is an Irish singer-songwriter. Her debut album, ''The Lion and the Cobra'', was released in 1987 and charted internationally. Her second album, ''I Do Not Want What ...
,
Elkie Brooks Elkie Brooks (born Elaine Bookbinder; 25 February 1946) is an English rock, blues and jazz singer. She was a vocalist with the bands Dada and Vinegar Joe, and later became a solo artist. She gained her biggest success in the late 1970s and 1980 ...
,
Boyzone Boyzone were an Irish boy band, created in 1993 by talent manager Louis Walsh. Before even recording any material, Boyzone made an appearance on RTÉ's '' The Late Late Show''. Their most successful line-up was composed of Keith Duffy, Steph ...
and
Noel Gallagher Noel Thomas David Gallagher (born 29 May 1967) is an English singer, songwriter, and musician. He was the chief songwriter, lead guitarist, and co-lead vocalist of the rock band Oasis until their split in 2009. After leaving Oasis, he formed ...
. Other guests included
Presidents of Ireland The president of Ireland ( ga, Uachtarán na hÉireann) is the head of state of Ireland and the supreme commander of the Irish Defence Forces. The president holds office for seven years, and can be elected for a maximum of two terms.Constitut ...
, successive
Archbishops of Armagh In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdioc ...
, minor members of the British Royal Family, politicians, actors and authors. The show had much to do in shaping the new Ireland that was emerging from the 1960s. Indeed, it was famously said by politician and Papal Knight,
Oliver J. Flanagan Oliver James Flanagan (22 May 1920 – 26 April 1987) was an Irish Fine Gael politician who served as Minister for Defence from 1976 to 1977 and as a Parliamentary Secretary from 1954 to 1957 and from 1975 to 1976. He served as a Teachta Dála ...
that, "there was no sex in Ireland until Teilifís Éireann went on the air". Bishop of Galway Michael Browne called him "a purveyor of filth" after he asked a woman what colour nightie she wore on her wedding night and she had replied that she believed she'd worn nothing. More than a decade after departing his role as host of ''The Late Late Show'' Byrne is remembered for conducting memorable interviews with former politician
Pádraig Flynn Pádraig Flynn (born 9 May 1939) is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as European Commissioner for Social Affairs from 1993 to 1999, Minister for Industry and Commerce and Minister for Justice from 1992 to 1993, Minister for th ...
and then Bishop of Galway
Eamon Casey Eamonn Casey (24 April 1927 – 13 March 2017) was an Irish Catholic prelate who served as bishop of Galway and Kilmacduagh in Ireland from 1976 to 1992. His resignation in 1992, after it was revealed he had had an affair with an American woman, ...
s lover Annie Murphy, among others. Another memorable moment to occur on ''The Late Late Show'' was when he called the winner of a prize car live on air only to discover the woman's daughter had died since she had entered. During the early years of Byrne's time hosting ''The Late Late Show'', prior to about 1978 when the second national Irish TV channel was launched, he was employed by RTÉ on a continuously renewing 3-month contract, lest his employer might want to fire him any time they choose. Byrne and ''The Late Late Show'' were central to the development of the careers of figures such as Mary Coughlan. He was noted for wearing a "
Bing Crosby Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, musician and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwide. He was a ...
sweater" when presenting ''
The Late Late Toy Show ''The Late Late Toy Show'' is an annual, special edition of the Irish chat show '' The Late Late Show''. Airing annually on RTÉ One near the end of November or early December to coincide with the holiday shopping season, the ''Toy Show'' showc ...
''. On 21 May 1999, Byrne presented his last edition of ''The Late Late Show''. He was presented with a
Harley-Davidson Harley-Davidson, Inc. (H-D, or simply Harley) is an American motorcycle manufacturer headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1903, it is one of two major American motorcycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depressi ...
motorcycle by
Bono Paul David Hewson (born 10 May 1960), known by his stage name Bono (), is an Irish singer-songwriter, activist, and philanthropist. He is the lead vocalist and primary lyricist of the rock band U2. Born and raised in Dublin, he attended M ...
and
Larry Mullen, Jr. Laurence Joseph Mullen Jr. (; born 31 October 1961) is an Irish musician, best known as the drummer and co-founder of the rock band U2. Mullen was born in Dublin, where he attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School. In 1976, he co-founded U2 ...
Pat Kenny Patrick Kenny (born 29 January 1948) is an Irish broadcaster, who currently hosts the daily radio show ''The Pat Kenny Show'' on Newstalk and the current affairs show ''Pat Kenny Tonight'' on Virgin Media One. Prior to this, Kenny had a 41-yea ...
succeeded Byrne as presenter in September 1999, subsequently succeeded by
Ryan Tubridy Ryan Tubridy (born 28 May 1973), nicknamed 'Tubs ' is an Irish broadcaster. He presents ''The Ryan Tubridy Show'' and '' The Late Late Show''. Tubridy previously presented RTÉ 2fm breakfast radio show ''The Full Irish'', which at its end was ...
in September 2009. Byrne gave Tubridy his blessing upon taking over the role, saying: "He has all the qualities required, the light deft touch together with a serious mind. I think it's a great adventure that he's setting off on". Byrne returned to ''The Late Late Show'' as a guest twice during Tubridy's first season as presenter, the latter appearance on the day of Gerry Ryan's death.


''The Meaning of Life''

In April 2009, RTÉ One began broadcasting a series called '' The Meaning of Life'', during which Gay Byrne interviewed public figures about issues of meaning and life. He preferred not to discuss his own faith: The programme has contained a number of significant moments, including actor
Gabriel Byrne Gabriel James Byrne (born 12 May 1950) is an Irish actor, film director, film producer, screenwriter, audiobook narrator, and author. His acting career began in the Focus Theatre before he joined London's Royal Court Theatre in 1979. Byrne's s ...
's admission that he had been abused as a child at the start of the second series and
Stephen Fry Stephen John Fry (born 24 August 1957) is an English actor, broadcaster, comedian, director and writer. He first came to prominence in the 1980s as one half of the comic double act Fry and Laurie, alongside Hugh Laurie, with the two starring ...
's denunciation of God during the tenth series.


Other television work

In the 1960s, Byrne presented ''Let's Dance for Granada Television'' with popular singing star
Marion Ryan Marion Ryan (4 February 1931 – 15 January 1999) was a British singer in the 1950s in the early years of British Independent Television. She was once called "the Marilyn Monroe of popular song". Early life Born in Middlesbrough, North Ridi ...
. The programme was filmed in the Ballroom at
Belle Vue, Manchester Belle Vue is an area of Manchester, England, east of the city centre, bordered by the Hope Valley Line on the east and the Glossop Line on the west. Belle Vue is part of the electoral ward of Longsight. Belle Vue railway station lies on the ...
and also featured original ''
Come Dancing ''Come Dancing'' is a British ballroom dancing competition show that ran on and off on the BBC from 1949 to 1998. Unlike its follow-up show, ''Strictly Come Dancing'', contestants were not celebrities. The show was created by Eric Morley, the ...
'' stars Syd Perkin and Edna Duffield. Byrne compèred the finals of the Castlebar Song Contest in 1966 and 1967. He also presented the Rose of Tralee festival for 17 years until 1994. Between 1989 and 2001, Byrne hosted the
RTÉ (RTÉ) (; Irish language, Irish for "Radio & Television of Ireland") is the Public broadcaster, national broadcaster of Republic of Ireland, Ireland headquartered in Dublin. It both produces and broadcasts programmes on RTÉ Television, telev ...
People in Need Telethon The People in Need Trust was a charity in Ireland. It was deregistered in 2016. Its main fundraiser, the RTÉ People in Need Telethon, was broadcast by RTÉ from 1989 until 2007 and supported by Eircom (formerly Telecom Éireann), raising more ...
several times. After "retiring", Byrne hosted the Irish version of ''
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? ''Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?'' (often informally called ''Millionaire'') is an international television game show franchise of British origin, created by David Briggs, Mike Whitehill and Steven Knight. In its format, currently owned and ...
''. He also hosted ''The Gay Byrne Music Show'' and ''Make 'Em Laugh'', a series about comedy in Ireland, '' Gaybo's Grumpy Men'' and ''Class Reunion''. In the summer season of 2000, Byrne hosted ''The Gay Byrne Music Show'', which was a studio-based show aired on Saturday nights as a summer filler between 8 July and 19 August 2000 and showcased all genres of music in the company of the
RTÉ Concert Orchestra The RTÉ Concert Orchestra is one of the two full-time professional radio orchestras in Ireland that are part of RTÉ, the national broadcasting station. Since its formation as the Radio Éireann Light Orchestra in 1948, the RTÉ Concert Orchestr ...
. From 2011, he presented more summer filler light entertainment in the form of '' For One Night Only''.


Retirement

Byrne did not completely retire and continued to feature occasionally on radio and television after leaving ''The Late Late Show'' and ''The Gay Byrne Show''. He launched
Joe Duffy Joseph Duffy (born 27 January 1956) is an Irish broadcaster employed by Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ). One of RTÉ's highest-earning stars, he is the current presenter of ''Liveline'', an interview and phone-in chat show broadcast on R ...
's autobiography ''Just Joe'' in Harry's Bar in October 2011. In March 2006, Byrne was appointed as the chairman of the Irish Road Safety Authority, a public body given the task of improving road safety in the
Republic of Ireland Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern side of the island. A ...
. The role saw him visit hospitalised survivors alongside
President of Ireland The president of Ireland ( ga, Uachtarán na hÉireann) is the head of state of Republic of Ireland, Ireland and the supreme commander of the Defence Forces (Ireland), Irish Defence Forces. The president holds office for seven years, and can ...
Mary McAleese Mary Patricia McAleese ( ; ga, Máire Pádraigín Mhic Ghiolla Íosa; ; born 27 June 1951) is an Irish activist lawyer and former politician who served as the eighth president of Ireland from November 1997 to November 2011. She is an academic ...
.


Politics


Views

In "retirement", Byrne continued to make his political views known, including questioning then
Taoiseach The Taoiseach is the head of government, or prime minister, of Republic of Ireland, 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 legisl ...
Brian Cowen Brian Bernard Cowen (born 10 January 1960) is an Irish former politician who served as Taoiseach and Leader of Fianna Fáil from 2008 to 2011. Cowen was elected to Dáil Éireann in 1984, for the constituency of Laois–Offaly and served in a ...
and "whether you can be Taoiseach and still sit up and have a pint in the local pub. You have to dignify the office". In later years he became known for his anti-EU stance. Bookmakers suggested Byrne might become
Mayor of Dublin The Lord Mayor of Dublin ( ga, Ardmhéara Bhaile Átha Cliath) is the honorary title of the chairperson ( ga, Cathaoirleach, links=no ) of Dublin City Council which is the local government body for the city of Dublin, the capital of Ireland. The ...
.


Presidential prospects

In August 2011, Byrne was approached by the once dominant political party
Fianna Fáil Fianna Fáil (, ; meaning 'Soldiers of Destiny' or 'Warriors of Fál'), officially Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party ( ga, audio=ga-Fianna Fáil.ogg, Fianna Fáil – An Páirtí Poblachtánach), is a conservative and Christian- ...
as a possible independent nominee for that year's presidential election. The media advised Byrne, who had enjoyed an avuncular relationship with the public as a performer over many decades, against such a move. An editorial in the ''
Irish Independent The ''Irish Independent'' is an Irish daily newspaper and online publication which is owned by Independent News & Media (INM), a subsidiary of Mediahuis. The newspaper version often includes glossy magazines. Traditionally a broadsheet new ...
'' said: "This isn't some sort of a reality TV show but a contest for the highest office in the land." ''
The Irish Times ''The Irish Times'' is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper and online digital publication. It launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Ruadhán Mac Cormaic. It is published every day except Sundays. ''The Irish Times'' is considered a newspaper ...
'' queried the distinction between Byrne as a performer versus Byrne as an individual. "But who is it that the Irish people really love? Is it Gaybo or Gabriel Byrne? Given they don't really know the man himself – a man who has retained his privacy throughout a lifetime of fame – the love is surely for the persona rather than the person." Byrne topped polls as the candidate people were most likely to vote for. On 13 August 2011, Byrne announced that he would not be a candidate for the Presidency. Appearing later on TV3's ''Midweek'' programme he called
Martin McGuinness James Martin Pacelli McGuinness ( ga, Séamus Máirtín Pacelli Mag Aonghusa; 23 May 1950 – 21 March 2017) was an Irish republican politician and statesman from Sinn Féin and a leader within the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) during ...
, who was contesting the election as a representative of
Sinn Féin Sinn Féin ( , ; en, " eOurselves") is an Irish republican and democratic socialist political party active throughout both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The original Sinn Féin organisation was founded in 1905 by Arthur Gri ...
, a "liar".


One-man show

Byrne performed a one-man show in front of a sold-out audience at the
Gate Theatre The Gate Theatre is a Theater (structure), theatre on Cavendish Row in Dublin, Ireland. It was founded in 1928. History Beginnings The Gate Theatre was founded in 1928 by Hilton Edwards and Micheál MacLiammóir with Daisy Bannard Cogley and Ge ...
on 18 September 2011. The performance was part of a benefit night to raise funds for the
Irish Cancer Society The Irish Cancer Society (formerly known as the Conquer Cancer Campaign) is the national charity in the Republic of Ireland dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem, and improving the lives of those who have cancer. History Fo ...
. British Ambassador Julian King and Senator David Norris were among those in attendance.


Personal life

Byrne was married to
Kathleen Watkins Kathleen Watkins (born 17 October 1934) is an Irish broadcaster, harpist, actress, singer and author. She is the widow of Gay Byrne. She played Grace Gifford in the 1966 docudrama ''Insurrection Rebellion, uprising, or insurrection is a r ...
, formerly a well-known
harp The harp is a stringed musical instrument that has a number of individual strings running at an angle to its soundboard; the strings are plucked with the fingers. Harps can be made and played in various ways, standing or sitting, and in orche ...
ist. Watkins was also the first continuity announcer to appear on-screen on the opening night of Telefís Éireann on New Year's Eve in 1961. Byrne first met Watkins, a native of
Saggart Saggart ( ga, Teach Sagard) is a village in South Dublin, Ireland, south west of Dublin city. It lies between the N7 (Naas Road), Rathcoole, Citywest and Tallaght. It is one of the fastest-growing settlements in Ireland, showing a populat ...
, County Dublin, in 1957. They married in Saggart Catholic church in 1964. The couple had two daughters, Suzy and Crona. The Byrne family lived on
Howth Head Howth Head ( ; ''Ceann Bhinn Éadair'' in Irish) is a peninsula northeast of the city of Dublin in Ireland, within the governance of Fingal County Council. Entry to the headland is at Sutton while the village of Howth and the harbour are o ...
in Dublin and in later years in Sandymount in Dublin. Byrne became a grandfather on 15 September 2004. Byrne relied on an accountant friend, Russell Murphy, to manage his finances, and was personally distraught when upon the accountant's death in 1986, it was found that most of his savings had been squandered, and this had been hidden from him. His interests included
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
. He continued to play jazz on the radio during his "retirement". He was a qualified private pilot.


Health

In later years, Byrne revealed he had hearing loss in one ear. He thought originally that it was due to working in the television and radio industry for over 50 years that caused his hearing loss, but later found out it was genetic as his mother, his sister and three brothers all had hearing problems. In 2011, Byrne experienced a health scare at his home in Sandymount when he struggled to breathe. He was admitted to St Vincent's hospital complaining his lungs felt as if they were "made of concrete" and there was "nothing going in" and that he expected to die. In 2015, after spending Christmas at home with his family, he had a heart attack and was readmitted to hospital. On 20 November 2016, he revealed live on his Time Warp radio broadcast on RTÉ Lyric FM that he was to begin treatment for
prostate cancer Prostate cancer is cancer of the prostate. Prostate cancer is the second most common cancerous tumor worldwide and is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related mortality among men. The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system that sur ...
, and that the cancer might have also
spread Spread may refer to: Places * Spread, West Virginia Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Spread'' (film), a 2009 film. * ''$pread'', a quarterly magazine by and for sex workers * "Spread", a song by OutKast from their 2003 album ''Speakerboxxx/T ...
to his lower back. He told listeners he would be taking a one-week break before returning to work. However, he did not return to the air. Byrne had been quoted by the ''
Irish Mirror The ''Daily Mirror'' is a British national daily tabloid. Founded in 1903, it is owned by parent company Reach plc. From 1985 to 1987, and from 1997 to 2002, the title on its masthead was simply ''The Mirror''. It had an average daily print ...
'' saying that "Ideally, I would like to get back to doing my Sunday afternoon radio show on Lyric FM, but my wife and daughters tell me I'm not ready and won't let me do it."


Death

Byrne died on 4 November 2019 at his home in
Howth Howth ( ; ; non, Hǫfuð) is an affluent peninsular village and outer suburb of Dublin, Ireland. The district as a whole occupies the greater part of the peninsula of Howth Head, which forms the northern boundary of Dublin Bay, and includes ...
, aged 85, after a 3-year battle with prostate cancer. On 5 November 2019, a special live edition of the Late Late Show was broadcast on RTÉ One, with various tributes made to him. His funeral took place on 8 November 2019 at
St Mary's Pro-Cathedral St Mary's Church ( ga, Leas-Ardeaglais Naomh Muire), known also as St Mary's Pro-Cathedral or simply the Pro-Cathedral, the Chapel in Marlborough Street or the Pro, is a pro-cathedral and is the episcopal seat of the Roman Catholic Archbishop ...
in Dublin and was shown live on RTÉ; several thousand fans lined the route of his cortège from his home in Howth to the Church with thousands more gathering outside the church. The funeral mass was celebrated by Fr Leonard Moloney SJ. Gay's daughter Suzy welcomed mourners with a moving speech which thanked all who had helped her father through his illness, and she also thanked her father. Byrne's coffin was carried by family and friends, including his eldest grandson, Cian. After the mass, the hearse carrying Byrne's remains made its way back to Howth and was greeted by fans along the route. He was laid to rest, privately at Saint Fintans Cemetery,
Sutton Sutton (''south settlement'' or ''south town'' in Old English) may refer to: Places United Kingdom England In alphabetical order by county: * Sutton, Bedfordshire * Sutton, Berkshire, a List of United Kingdom locations: Stu-Sz#Su, location * S ...
. It has been said that he will always be remembered as the greatest broadcaster ever to grace the television screens of Ireland.


Honours and awards

* In 1988, Byrne was awarded an honorary doctorate in letters from
Trinity College Dublin , name_Latin = Collegium Sanctae et Individuae Trinitatis Reginae Elizabethae juxta Dublin , motto = ''Perpetuis futuris temporibus duraturam'' (Latin) , motto_lang = la , motto_English = It will last i ...
. * In 1999 he was granted the
Freedom of the City The Freedom of the City (or Borough in some parts of the UK) is an honour bestowed by a municipality upon a valued member of the community, or upon a visiting celebrity or dignitary. Arising from the medieval practice of granting respected ...
of
Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
. * He received a Lifetime Achievement Award in February 2007 from
Irish Film and Television Network The Irish Film and Television Network is a company that provides news and a directory service of information related to the Irish film industry. External links Official web site Mass media in the Republic of Ireland Film organisations in Irel ...
. * He holds the record for the greatest number of
Jacob's Awards The Jacob's Awards were instituted in December 1962 as the first Irish television awards. Later, they were expanded to include radio. The awards were named after their sponsor, W. & R. Jacob & Co. Ltd., a biscuit manufacturer, and recipients ...
received, winning a total of six for his radio and television work. * He was appointed chairman of the
Road Safety Authority The Road Safety Authority (RSA; ga, Údarás Um Shábháilteacht Ar Bhóithre) is a state agency formed by the Irish Government to promote road safety within the Republic of Ireland. The agency has devolved control of much of the work of the D ...
in Ireland in 2006. * Outstanding Achievement PPI Radio Award (2009) "The only surprise is that it has taken so long for Gaybo to get it". * Marking RTÉ's 50th anniversary in 2011, Byrne appeared on a postage stamp, part of a set of three that also featured Anne Doyle and
Emma O'Driscoll Emma Louise O'Driscoll (born 23 March 1982 in Limerick, Ireland) is a former Irish pop star, turned children's television presenter and reality television personality. O'Driscoll rose to fame in the 2001–2002 RTÉ One television series '' Po ...
. * A wax figure of Gay Byrne has been put on public display at Wax Museum Plus on Dublin's
College Green College Green or The College Green may refer to: * College Green, Adelaide outdoor venue at the University of Adelaide * College Green, Bristol, England * College Green (Dartmouth College), New Hampshire, primarily known as "the Green" * College ...
.


Legacy

Credited with being a
catalyst Catalysis () is the process of increasing the rate of a chemical reaction by adding a substance known as a catalyst (). Catalysts are not consumed in the reaction and remain unchanged after it. If the reaction is rapid and the catalyst recyc ...
in the transformation of Irish society since the 1960s, Byrne broke several societal
taboo A taboo or tabu is a social group's ban, prohibition, or avoidance of something (usually an utterance or behavior) based on the group's sense that it is excessively repulsive, sacred, or allowed only for certain persons.''Encyclopædia Britannica ...
s by engaging in discourse on subjects like
contraception Birth control, also known as contraception, anticonception, and fertility control, is the use of methods or devices to prevent unwanted pregnancy. Birth control has been used since ancient times, but effective and safe methods of birth contr ...
, homosexuality, and abortion. For example, when Barry Galvin—then Cork's state solicitor—guested with Byrne on ''The Late Late Show'' in 1992 to discuss Ireland's mounting problems with the illegal drug trade, he was subsequently given the post of first-ever head of the important
Criminal Assets Bureau The Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) ( ga, An Biúró um Shócmhainní Coiriúla) is a law enforcement agency in Ireland. The CAB was established with powers to focus on the illegally acquired assets of criminals involved in serious crime. The aims ...
. Alongside
Terry Wogan Sir Michael Terence Wogan (; 3 August 1938 – 31 January 2016) was an Irish radio and television broadcaster who worked for the BBC in the UK for most of his career. Between 1993 and his semi-retirement in December 2009, his BBC Radio 2 weekd ...
, Byrne was one of two Irish broadcast giants, but he was also described as solely "the most famous Irish broadcaster in history", and he was lauded by the media as "the man who changed Ireland". According to Ryle Dwyer, writing in the ''
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. ...
'', Byrne "had more influence on changing life in this country than any of the political leaders". A 1998 poll found Byrne level with notorious former Taoiseach
Charles Haughey Charles James Haughey (; 16 September 1925 – 13 June 2006) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as Taoiseach on three occasions – 1979 to 1981, March to December 1982 and 1987 to 1992. He was also Minister for the Gaeltacht from ...
as the most hated public figure in the country, but the same poll also found Byrne to be the most popular public figure.


Bibliography

* Byrne, Gay. ''To Whom It Concerns'' (1972) * Byrne, Gay; Purcell, Deirdre. ''The Time of My Life: An Autobiography'' (Gill & Macmillan, Dublin; 1989)


See also

*
List of people on stamps of Ireland This is a list of people on stamps of Ireland, including the years when they appeared on a stamp. Because no Irish stamps were designed prior to 1929, the first Irish stamps issued by the Provisional Government of Ireland were the then-current B ...


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Byrne, Gay 1934 births 2019 deaths Burials at St. Fintan's Cemetery, Sutton Irish game show hosts Irish performance artists Irish radio presenters Irish television presenters Irish television talk show hosts Jacob's Award winners People educated at Synge Street CBS People from Howth Rose of Tralee hosts RTÉ Radio 1 presenters RTÉ lyric fm presenters RTÉ television presenters Television personalities from Dublin (city) 20th-century Irish people 21st-century Irish people Deaths from cancer in the Republic of Ireland Deaths from prostate cancer