Richard Downes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard Downes
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Richard Downes in 2009
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| Born |
Raheny, Dublin, Ireland
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| Nationality | Irish |
| Occupation | Journalist, broadcaster, author |
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Notable credit(s)
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Morning Ireland RTÉ News |
| Spouse(s) | Mairead O'Driscoll |
| Children | 2 |
Richard Downes is an Irish broadcaster and journalist. He has worked for many big news organizations. These include the Press Association, Reuters, the Financial Times, the BBC, and RTÉ. He was a presenter for Morning Ireland on RTÉ Radio 1 from 2002 to 2010. Later, he became the Washington Correspondent for RTÉ News from 2010 to 2013.
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About Richard Downes
Richard Downes grew up in Edenmore in Northside Dublin. He was the ninth of ten children in his family. His father was a civil servant, and Richard loved exploring his father's library from a young age.
He was also fascinated by the souvenirs his cousins brought back from Africa. His brother also lived in Nigeria for a time. Richard is married to Mairead, and they have two children. They live in North Dublin.
Richard's Journalism Career
Richard Downes started his journalism career in 1985 in London. He worked for news agencies like the Press Association and Reuters. He also wrote for the Financial Times.
Working for the BBC
Later, Richard joined the BBC. He became their Southern Africa Correspondent. From 1998, he spent two years based in Baghdad, Iraq. He learned a lot about the country. He reported on the "Desert Fox" air attacks against Saddam Hussein in December 1998. He later wrote about his experiences in his 2006 book, In Search of Iraq: Baghdad to Babylon.
Reporting for RTÉ News
In 2000, Richard moved to RTÉ News and Current Affairs. He was sent back to Iraq to cover the Iraq War. He reported on many important events there. He left Iraq before Saddam Hussein's statue was pulled down. He said the pressure on him and his family was too much.
In 2008, during the 2008 Zimbabwean presidential election, Richard was one of the few journalists allowed into Zimbabwe. He was only permitted to stay for three days. However, he returned disguised as a tourist. He filmed a secret report for the BBC's Newsnight program.
Presenting Morning Ireland
From 2002 to 2010, Richard presented Morning Ireland. This was Ireland's most popular radio show. In April 2010, it was announced he would become RTÉ's Washington Correspondent. He took over from Charlie Bird. Richard was surprised but very happy about the new role. He worked in the United States for three years.
He returned to Dublin in late 2013. Catriona Perry took over his role as Washington Correspondent.
Books by Richard Downes
- In Search of Iraq: Baghdad to Babylon (New Island Press, 2006)
