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 a retired Irish radio and TV presenter. He worked for RTÉ, Ireland's public broadcaster, for many years. Joe Duffy was well-known for hosting Liveline, a popular interview and phone-in show on RTÉ Radio 1. This show was broadcast on weekdays.
Joe Duffy was also a student activist in his younger days. He was once the president of the Union of Students in Ireland (USI). He is married and has triplets. In 1992, he won a Jacob's Award for his work. Joe Duffy retired from RTÉ on June 27, 2025, after working there for 37 years.
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Early Life and Education
Joe Duffy was born in Mountjoy Square, Dublin, on January 27, 1956. He grew up in Ballyfermot with his four siblings. His parents were Jimmy and Mabel.
He attended De La Salle Boys' primary school, St Lorcan's B.N.S., and St John's De La Salle College. In 1977, he began studying Social Work at Trinity College Dublin (TCD). He became President of the Trinity College Students' Union in 1979. Four years later, he was elected President of the Union of Students in Ireland (USI). As USI President, he was once briefly held for taking part in a student protest.
In 2008, Joe Duffy appeared on the TV show Who Do You Think You Are?. This show explored his family's history, including their connections to the British Army in India.
Career Highlights
Hosting Liveline
Joe Duffy was the host of Liveline, a very popular radio show. On Liveline, listeners could call in and share their thoughts and experiences on different topics.
In 2008, Joe Duffy supported Irish pensioners who protested at Leinster House. They were upset about changes to their medical cards. During the 2008 financial crisis, Joe Duffy discussed the economic situation on his show. Some people, including the Finance Minister at the time, were concerned that the discussions on Liveline might cause public worry about banks. However, Joe Duffy continued to allow callers to share their concerns.
Later, another TV station, TV3, felt that Liveline and Joe Duffy were unfair to them. This happened after callers to Liveline criticized a game show run by TV3. TV3 said they had sent a statement to Liveline to explain things, but it was not used on air. The game show was later stopped by TV3.
Earnings and Value
Joe Duffy was one of RTÉ's highest-paid presenters. For example, he earned €408,889 in 2008. RTÉ explained that these salaries were set when there was more competition for talented presenters.
Some listeners felt that the high salaries were not fair, especially since shows like Liveline often discussed public spending. Joe Duffy defended his earnings. He said that he and his Liveline show provided good value for RTÉ. In 2011, he earned €378,000, and in 2019, his earnings were €392,494.
Panto Appearances
In 2018 and 2019, Joe Duffy took part in the Cheerios Panto production of Snow White. He played the Magic Mirror in pre-recorded parts of the show. He even used some of his famous Liveline phrases, like "Talk to Joe."
Personal Life
Joe Duffy is married to June. They have triplets who were born in 1995. The family lives on Dublin's Northside.
In 2010, Joe Duffy hosted an RTÉ One TV show called Joe Duffy's Spirit Level. This show explored the faith of Irish people and different religions in the country.
His autobiography, a book about his life, is called Just Joe. It was launched in October 2011 by famous broadcaster Gay Byrne. In 2014, Joe Duffy had a small role in the movie Mrs. Brown's Boys D'Movie. He played himself in the film.
Awards and Recognition
In 1992, Joe Duffy received a Jacob's Award. This award was for his reports on RTÉ Radio 1's The Gay Byrne Show.
In 2009, Village magazine named Joe Duffy as the 11th most influential person of the year.
