Kevin Myers facts for kids

Kevin Myers (born March 30, 1947) is a journalist and writer from Ireland. He was born in England. He has written for big newspapers like the Irish Independent, The Sunday Times (Irish edition), and The Irish Times. He was especially known for his column called "An Irishman's Diary". Kevin Myers is known for sharing strong opinions on different subjects. In 2017, he stopped writing for The Sunday Times after an article he wrote about how much men and women were paid at the BBC.

About Kevin Myers

Early Life and Education

Kevin Myers was born in Leicester, England. He grew up there. His father was a doctor from Ireland. When Kevin was 15, his father passed away. Kevin was attending Ratcliffe College, a Catholic boarding school, at the time.

His father's death made things financially difficult. However, Kevin was able to stay at school. The school and the local education authority helped him. After finishing school, Kevin moved to Ireland. He went to University College Dublin (UCD) and graduated in 1969.

His Work as a Journalist

After university, Kevin Myers became a journalist. He worked for RTÉ, which is a broadcasting company in Ireland. He reported from Northern Ireland during a difficult time known as the Troubles. Later, he wrote for three of Ireland's main newspapers. These were The Irish Times, the Irish Independent, and the Irish edition of The Sunday Times.

He wrote a popular column called "An Irishman's Diary". A collection of these columns was published in 2000. A second book of his columns came out in 2007.

Other Projects and Books

In the 1990s, Kevin Myers hosted a TV quiz show called Challenging Times. It was shown on RTÉ.

He also wrote books. In 2001, he published a novel called Banks of Green Willow. In 2006, he wrote Watching the Door. This book was about his experiences as a journalist in Northern Ireland in the 1970s. This book received good reviews from newspapers like The Times and The Guardian.

Kevin Myers also appeared on radio shows. He was a regular guest on programmes on Newstalk 106 and Today FM. He was also a member of the Film Classification Appeals Board. This board helps decide what age ratings movies should have.

Kevin Myers' Views

Views on Irish History

Kevin Myers has often shared his strong opinions on Irish history. He has been critical of certain groups who used violence to achieve Irish independence. This is sometimes called "physical force Irish republicanism."

In 2008, he wrote about the anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising. This was a rebellion in Dublin. He questioned what there was to celebrate about the violence that happened. He asked who gave the rebels the right to kill innocent people.

He has also spoken about Irish independence movements. He believes that these movements often led to conflicts between Irish people. He said that many people killed during the Troubles in Ireland were Irish themselves.

Views on Unionism

Kevin Myers has also commented on events related to Unionism. This is a political belief that supports Northern Ireland remaining part of the United Kingdom. For example, he described the Larne gun-running in 1914 as "high treason." This event involved people bringing guns into Ireland. They did this with the help of some figures in the British army and the Conservative Party.

Personal Life

Kevin Myers is married to Rachel Nolan. They live in County Kildare, Ireland. His sister-in-law is Anna Nolan, who is a TV presenter and producer.