Gay Byrne facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gay Byrne
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Byrne in 2007
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| Born |
Gabriel Mary Byrne
5 August 1934 Rialto, Dublin, Ireland
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| Died | 4 November 2019 (aged 85) Howth, Dublin, Ireland
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| Resting place | St. Fintan's Cemetery, Sutton, Dublin, Ireland |
| Other names |
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| Education | Scoil Treasa Naofa Synge Street CBS honorary doctorate in literature from Trinity College Dublin (1988) |
| Occupation | Broadcaster |
| Years active | 1958–2019 |
| Employer | Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ) |
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Notable work
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| Board member of | Chairman of the Road Safety Authority (2006–2014) |
| Spouse(s) |
Kathleen Watkins
(m. 1964–2019) |
| Children | 2 |
Gabriel Mary "Gay" Byrne (born 5 August 1934 – died 4 November 2019) was a famous Irish radio and television presenter. He was best known for hosting The Late Late Show for 37 years, from 1962 to 1999. This show is the world's second longest-running chat show.
People often called him "Uncle Gay", "Gaybo", or "Uncle Gaybo". While working in Britain, he was the first person to introduce The Beatles on TV. Later, in 1993, he was also the first to introduce the band Boyzone on screen.
From 1973 to 1998, Byrne hosted The Gay Byrne Hour (later The Gay Byrne Show) on RTÉ Radio 1 every weekday morning. After leaving his main shows, he presented other popular programmes. These included Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and The Meaning of Life. In 2006, he became the Chairman of Ireland's Road Safety Authority. Many people called him the "Elder Lemon of Irish broadcasting."
In 2010, The Irish Times newspaper said Gay Byrne was "unquestionably the most influential radio and television man in the history of the Irish State." He was even asked to run for president in 2011, and early polls showed he was very popular, but he decided not to run.
Contents
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Gay Byrne was born on 5 August 1934 in The Liberties area of Dublin. His family first lived in Rialto, Dublin, before moving to South Circular Road in 1944. His father, Edward, worked for Guinness' St. James's Gate Brewery.
Byrne went to Rialto National School and later to Synge Street CBS. When he was 14, he and his friends bought a jazz record, showing his early interest in music. In 2009, he visited his old primary school to launch an online children's book club. He also once tried to get a job at the Guinness brewery near his home, but it didn't work out.
When he was young, Gay Byrne looked up to the broadcaster Eamonn Andrews, who was successful on British television. Byrne wanted to be like him. In 1958, he started his own broadcasting career at Radio Éireann. He also worked for Granada Television and the BBC in England. At Granada, he made history by introducing the Beatles on TV for the first time on a local news show called People and Places.
In 1961, Telefís Éireann (which later became RTÉ) was created. After 1969, Byrne worked only for the new Irish service. He hosted many popular shows, with The Late Late Show becoming his most famous.
Radio Career Highlights
Gay Byrne started his broadcasting journey on radio. His first broadcast for Radio Éireann was in 1958, where he played Jazz music during a 15-minute slot on Monday nights.
He is most remembered for his two-hour morning show, The Gay Byrne Hour, which was later renamed The Gay Byrne Show (1972–1999). This show was very popular for many years. Joe Duffy, another well-known presenter, worked as a reporter and sometimes co-host on The Gay Byrne Show.
Even after retiring from his long-running shows, Byrne still appeared on radio. In 2006, he began hosting a weekly Sunday afternoon show called Sunday Serenade on RTÉ lyric fm. After 2010, he continued to play jazz on Sunday afternoons on lyric fm. This show, Sunday with Gay Byrne, became popular through "word of mouth" and attracted many listeners.
Television Successes
Hosting The Late Late Show
On 5 July 1962, the first episode of The Late Late Show aired on Irish television. It was originally planned as a short summer show. However, it became a huge success and is now the world's second longest-running chat show.
The show became a place where important and sometimes difficult topics were discussed openly in Ireland. These included social issues, alongside celebrity interviews and music performances. Many famous guests appeared, including Presidents of Ireland, politicians, actors, and musicians like U2 and Boyzone.
The Late Late Show played a big part in shaping modern Ireland from the 1960s onwards. It helped people talk about things that were not usually discussed in public.
Gay Byrne was known for memorable interviews. He also had a famous moment on the show when he called a prize winner live on air, only to find out the woman's daughter had sadly passed away.
He was also known for wearing a special "Bing Crosby sweater" when he presented The Late Late Toy Show, a very popular Christmas special.
On 21 May 1999, Gay Byrne hosted his final The Late Late Show. He received a Harley-Davidson motorcycle as a gift from Bono and Larry Mullen, Jr. Pat Kenny took over as host, followed by Ryan Tubridy in 2009. Byrne gave Tubridy his support, saying he had "all the qualities required."
Exploring The Meaning of Life
In April 2009, RTÉ One started a series called The Meaning of Life. In this show, Gay Byrne interviewed public figures about important questions related to life and its meaning.
Other Television Programmes
In the 1960s, Byrne presented Let's Dance for Granada Television. He also hosted the finals of the Castlebar Song Contest in 1966 and 1967. For 17 years, until 1994, he presented the popular Rose of Tralee festival.
Between 1989 and 2001, Byrne hosted the RTÉ People in Need Telethon several times. This event raised money for charity.
After "retiring" from his main shows, Byrne hosted the Irish version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?. He also presented The Gay Byrne Music Show, Make 'Em Laugh (about Irish comedy), Gaybo's Grumpy Men, and Class Reunion.
In the summer of 2000, he hosted The Gay Byrne Music Show, which featured different types of music with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra. From 2011, he presented another summer entertainment show called For One Night Only.
Life After Main Shows
Gay Byrne didn't fully retire and continued to appear on radio and television occasionally after leaving The Late Late Show and The Gay Byrne Show.
In March 2006, he was appointed as the chairman of the Irish Road Safety Authority. This public group works to make roads safer in the Republic of Ireland. In this role, he visited people who had been in road accidents, sometimes with President of Ireland Mary McAleese.
Considering Politics
Even after retiring, Byrne shared his thoughts on political matters. In August 2011, he was asked by the political party Fianna Fáil to consider running as an independent candidate for the presidential election that year.
The media discussed this possibility, and many advised him against it, saying that the presidency was a serious office, not a reality TV show. Despite this, early polls showed that Gay Byrne was the most popular choice among potential candidates.
However, on 13 August 2011, Gay Byrne announced that he would not be running for President.
One-Man Show for Charity
On 18 September 2011, Gay Byrne performed a special one-man show at the Gate Theatre in Dublin. The show was completely sold out. This performance was part of a charity event to raise money for the Irish Cancer Society. Many important people attended, including the British Ambassador and Senator David Norris.
Personal Life and Family
Gay Byrne was married to Kathleen Watkins, who was a well-known harpist. Kathleen was also the first person to appear on screen as a continuity announcer when Telefís Éireann first opened on New Year's Eve in 1961.
Gay and Kathleen first met in 1957 and got married in Saggart, County Dublin, in 1964. They had two daughters, Suzy and Crona. The Byrne family lived in Howth Head and later in Sandymount in Dublin. Gay Byrne became a grandfather on 15 September 2004.
One of his interests was jazz music, and he continued to play jazz recordings on the radio during his retirement. He was also a qualified private pilot.
Health and Later Years
In his later years, Gay Byrne shared that he had hearing loss in one ear. He learned that this was a genetic condition, as his mother and siblings also had hearing problems.
In 2015, after spending Christmas with his family, he had a heart attack and was admitted to hospital.
On 20 November 2016, he announced on his RTÉ Lyric FM radio show that he would be starting treatment for prostate cancer. He mentioned that the cancer might have spread to his lower back. He took a break from his show and did not return to broadcasting after that.
Passing Away
Gay Byrne passed away on 4 November 2019 at his home in Howth. He was 85 years old and had battled prostate cancer for three years.
On 5 November 2019, a special live edition of The Late Late Show was broadcast on RTÉ One, with many tributes paid to him.
His funeral took place on 8 November 2019 at St Mary's Pro-Cathedral in Dublin and was shown live on RTÉ. Thousands of fans lined the streets to pay their respects. His daughter Suzy gave a touching speech, thanking everyone who helped her father during his illness. Gay Byrne was laid to rest privately at Saint Fintans Cemetery, Sutton. Many remember him as one of Ireland's greatest broadcasters.
Awards and Recognition
- In 1988, Gay Byrne received an honorary doctorate degree from Trinity College Dublin.
- In 1999, he was given the Freedom of the City of Dublin.
- He received a Lifetime Achievement Award in February 2007 from the Irish Film and Television Network.
- He holds the record for winning the most Jacob's Awards, with a total of six for his radio and television work.
- He was appointed chairman of the Road Safety Authority in Ireland in 2006.
- In 2009, he received an Outstanding Achievement PPI Radio Award.
- To celebrate RTÉ's 50th anniversary in 2011, Byrne appeared on a postage stamp, part of a set that also featured Anne Doyle and Emma O'Driscoll.
- A wax figure of Gay Byrne is on display at Wax Museum Plus in Dublin.
Lasting Impact
Gay Byrne is widely seen as someone who helped change Irish society from the 1960s onwards. He helped break down several social taboos by discussing them openly on his shows.
He has been called "the most famous Irish broadcaster in history" and "the man who changed Ireland." Many believe he had a greater influence on changing life in Ireland than many political leaders.
See also
- List of people on stamps of Ireland
