Joe Duffy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joe Duffy
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Joe Duffy in September 2011
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| Born |
Joseph Duffy
27 January 1956 |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Alma mater | Trinity College Dublin |
| Occupation | Radio presenter |
| Employer | RTÉ |
| Agent | Noel Kelly |
| Known for | Presenting Liveline |
Joseph Duffy (born 27 January 1956) is an Irish radio and TV presenter. He works for RTÉ, Ireland's public broadcaster. Joe Duffy is well-known for hosting Liveline, a popular interview and phone-in show on RTÉ Radio 1. You can listen to it from Monday to Friday afternoons.
Before becoming a famous presenter, Duffy was a student activist. He even served as the president of the Union of Students in Ireland (USI). Joe is married and has triplets. He lives in Clontarf, Dublin. In 1992, he won a special honour called a Jacob's Award.
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Early Life
Joe Duffy was born on 27 January 1956 in Mountjoy Square, Dublin. He grew up in Ballyfermot with his four siblings. His parents were Jimmy and Mabel. Sadly, Joe's brother Aidan died in a road accident in 1991 when he was 25 years old. Joe heard the sad news on the radio.
Duffy went to De La Salle Boys' primary school, St Lorcan's B.N.S, and St John's De La Salle College. In 1977, he started studying Social Work at Trinity College Dublin (TCD). He became the President of the Trinity College Students' Union in 1979. Four years later, he was elected President of the Union of Students in Ireland (U.S.I.).
In 2008, Joe appeared on the RTÉ TV show Who Do You Think You Are?. This show explored his family's history, revealing that some of his ancestors served in the British Army in India.
Career
Liveline Show
Joe Duffy is most famous for presenting Liveline. It's a radio show where people can call in and share their opinions or stories. It covers many different topics that are important to people in Ireland.
In 2008, Joe supported Irish pensioners who protested at Leinster House (where the Irish government meets). They were upset about changes to their medical cards.
In September 2009, another TV channel, TV3, had issues with a late-night game show. Callers to Liveline complained about it. Joe Duffy mentioned on air that he couldn't get a representative from TV3 to talk about the callers' concerns. TV3 said they had sent a statement to Liveline before the show, but it was not mentioned. The Play TV service was later stopped by TV3 in March 2010.
Earnings
Joe Duffy is one of RTÉ's highest-paid presenters. In 2008, he earned €408,889. The Director General of RTÉ said that these salaries were set at a time when there was more competition for presenters.
Some listeners of RTÉ Radio 1's Drivetime show questioned these high salaries. They pointed out that shows like Liveline often discussed the pay of politicians.
In October 2011, Joe Duffy defended his salary and those of other RTÉ presenters on TV3's Midweek. He said the agreements were "fair and square". His earnings for 2009 were €389,314. He believes that he and the Liveline show offer good value to RTÉ. By 2019, his earnings were €392,494.
Panto Appearances
In 2018 and 2019, Joe Duffy appeared in the Cheerios Panto production of Snow White. He played the Magic Mirror in pre-recorded scenes. He even used some of his famous Liveline phrases, like "Talk to Joe."
Personal Life
Joe Duffy is married and has triplets. He lives on Dublin's Northside.
He describes himself as a Christian socialist. This means he believes in justice and fairness, based on Christian teachings. In 2010, Joe hosted an RTÉ One TV show called Joe Duffy's Spirit Level. This show explored the strong faith of Irish people and different religions in the country.
His autobiography, a book about his own life, is called Just Joe. It was launched by famous broadcaster Gay Byrne in October 2011.
In 2014, Joe Duffy had a small role in the movie Mrs. Brown's Boys D'Movie. He played himself in the film.
In August 2022, Joe shared a story on his radio show about a scary experience at a Dublin beach. He stepped on a weever fish, which caused him a lot of pain. Now, he always wears swim boots to protect his feet.
Awards and Recognition
In 1992, Joe Duffy received a Jacob's Award. This was for his excellent reports on RTÉ Radio 1's The Gay Byrne Show.
In 2009, Village magazine named Joe Duffy the 11th most influential person of the year.
