Aonghus McAnally facts for kids

Aonghus McAnally (born 20 June 1955) is a well-known Irish broadcaster, actor, musician, and magician. He worked for over 40 years at Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ), which is Ireland's public TV and radio station. He retired in June 2020.

Early Life and Family

Aonghus McAnally grew up in a family of performers. His mother, Ronnie Masterson, was an actress at the famous Abbey Theatre. His father, Ray McAnally, was also a screen actor. Aonghus has three sisters and one brother, Conor McAnally, who is a film and TV producer.

Music Career

Aonghus is a talented guitarist. He played in several bands, including Mushroom, Maxband, Starband, and Crackers/The Crack. In 1981, he released a fun song called I am Allergic to Christmas. This song was written by another broadcaster, Shay Healy.

Aonghus was good friends with the singer-songwriter Christie Hennessy. After Christie passed away, Aonghus gave a speech at his funeral. He also created a special touring show to honor Christie Hennessy's music.

Television Work

Aonghus McAnally started his TV career presenting shows for young people. These included Anything Goes, a show for young adults called Borderline, and a magazine-style show named Evening Extra.

Later, he moved into light entertainment. He presented The Big Top TV Show, which was a variety show set in a circus tent. Aonghus also hosted the first few seasons of The Lyrics Board, a popular game show on RTÉ One where contestants guess song lyrics.

He also acted on screen. He appeared in Wanderly Wagon in 1979 and had a regular role in the drama Fir Bolg on TG4.

Radio Work

On the radio, Aonghus presented Both Sides Now. This was an interview series that featured Irish people living in other countries. He was also a regular presenter of Late Date on RTÉ Radio 1.

Besides presenting, Aonghus was also a radio producer. He worked on a show called Spectrum with Melanie Verwoerd, a former South African Ambassador. He was also the main producer for the daily phone-in show Liveline until he retired in 2020.

Sports and Other Talents

Aonghus McAnally is skilled in cue sports, like billiards. He has played billiards at an international level. He also worked as an announcer and commentator for snooker games.

Beyond sports, Aonghus is a very good magician. In the early 2000s, he performed several stand-up comedy shows. In 2019, he created a special one-man show about his own life story.