Birth name | Tom McGurk | ||||||||||||
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Date of birth | 20 December 1946 | ||||||||||||
Place of birth | Cookstown, County Tyrone [1] | ||||||||||||
University | Queen's University Belfast | ||||||||||||
Spouse | Miriam O'Callaghan (1983–1996) Caroline Kennedy (m. 2003) | ||||||||||||
Children | 4 | ||||||||||||
Occupation(s) | Journalist | ||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||
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Tom McGurk (Irish : Tomás Mag Oirc) (born 20 December 1946) is an Irish poet, journalist, radio presenter and sportscaster from Brockagh, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. He attended Portadown College. [2] He studied English and Philosophy at Queen's University Belfast. [3] He was involved in the civil rights demonstrations while at Queen's.
McGurk first joined RTÉ in 1972, as a news reporter, moving on to present Last House and First House on television. In 1972 he won a Jacob's Award for his RTÉ Radio documentaries on Ireland's islands. [4] For 20 years was the presenter of RTÉ Sport's rugby coverage, most notably of the Six Nations and Internationals with the panel of George Hook and Brent Pope. McGurk also spent time in the 1980s and 1990s in the UK, working for BBC Radio 4's Start the Week and as a presenter on the regional ITV station for the North West of England, Granada Television. On his return to Ireland he presented the Sunday Show on RTE Radio 1. He has also guest presented Tonight with Vincent Browne , on TV3. He presented a drive-time radio show on 4FM when it launched in 2009. [5]
Until 2019, he was a columnist with The Sunday Business Post . He then wrote for The Currency until 2020.
McGurk wrote the script for the TV film Dear Sarah based on the letters from Sarah Conlon, campaigning for the release of her husband (Giuseppe Conlon), son (Gerry Conlon) and sister Anne Maguire, who were caught up in the Guildford Four miscarriage of justice.
Among his poems is "Big Ned" about a farmer from Brockagh, County Tyrone. [6]
While working for 4FM, the Director of the National Women's Council, Susan McKay, spoke out against an "uncouth and objectionable" interview McGurk conducted with her. The National Women's Council has since refrained from giving interviews to 4FM. [7]
From 1983 to 1996 he was married to the broadcaster Miriam O'Callaghan, with whom he has four daughters. In 2003 he married PR consultant Caroline Kennedy. [8]
On 5 December 2017, the Irish Revenue Commissioners's list of tax defaulters revealed that McGurk had made a settlement of €76,000 with the Revenue for the underpayment of income tax. [9]
Gerard Ryan was an Irish presenter of radio and television employed by Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ). He presented The Gerry Ryan Show on radio station RTÉ 2fm each weekday morning from 1988 until hours before his sudden death. He was presented with a Jacob's Award for this show in 1990.
Timothy Brendan Kennelly, usually known as Brendan Kennelly, was an Irish poet and novelist. He was Professor of Modern Literature at Trinity College Dublin until 2005. Following his retirement he was a Professor Emeritus at Trinity College.
Miriam O'Callaghan is an Irish television current affairs presenter with RTÉ.
The Gaelic Athletic Association-Gaelic Players' Association All Stars Awards are awarded annually to the best player in each of the 15 playing positions in Gaelic football and hurling. Additionally, one player in each code is selected as Player of the Year.
George Hook is an Irish broadcaster, journalist and rugby union pundit. He formerly hosted The Right Hook and High Noon on the Irish radio station Newstalk.
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Ray Shah came to prominence in public life as a contestant on the Channel 4 reality programme Big Brother, in which he finished second.
Brockagh is a village in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is on the western shore of Lough Neagh, about 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) east of Coalisland and north of Washing Bay. It lies within the Mid Ulster District Council area.
Derek Davis was an Irish broadcaster from Bangor. On television, he co-hosted Live at 3, presented Davis at Large and Out of the Blue and won Celebrity Bainisteoir.
The Jacob's Awards were instituted in December 1962 as the first Irish television awards. Later, they were expanded to include radio. The awards were named after their sponsor, W. & R. Jacob & Co. Ltd., a biscuit manufacturer, and recipients were selected by Ireland's national newspaper television and radio critics. Jacob's Award winners were chosen annually until 1993, when the final awards presentation took place.
Doireann Ní Bhriain is an Irish independent radio producer. She began her career as a radio and television journalist, and started out reading children's stories on television. From those beginnings, she went on to work for the Irish broadcaster RTÉ for over 20 years before moving on in 1993. She is best known for her work and affiliation with RTÉ Radio 1.
Gareth O'Callaghan is an Irish writer and radio and television presenter. He was most recently heard on 4fm, having presented shows on RTÉ 2fm for much of his career until 2005, and then a show on Galway Bay FM. In January 2022, he returned to radio following a 4-year break, presenting a new Saturday morning with Ireland’s Classic Hits Radio. He is currently serving as interim presenter of the station's weekday Night Time Talk show, following the sudden departure of presenter Niall Boylan to contest in the 2024 European Parliament election in Ireland.
John Murray is an Irish journalist and broadcaster. Currently heard on Weekend Sport, he presented The John Murray Show on RTÉ Radio 1, "focus[ing] on lifestyle and entertainment items", filling the slot from 09:00 to 10:00 previously occupied by Ryan Tubridy, who moved to RTÉ 2fm. Murray was one of the presenters of Morning Ireland, Ireland's most popular radio show, before going on to host his own weekly programme, The Business.
The 2009 All-Ireland Football Championship final was the 122nd event of its kind. Played between Cork and Kerry on 20 September 2009 in Croke Park, Dublin, it was the last football match of the 2009 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship.
James Greeley is an Irish radio voiceover. He worked for 4fm until early 2012.
Dear Sarah is a 1990 made-for-television film about Giuseppe Conlon who was wrongfully sentenced to twelve years imprisonment after being implicated as one of the Maguire Seven during the 1970s. The film was produced by Raidió Teilifís Éireann, directed by Frank Cvitanovich and written by Tom McGurk. It starred Stella McCusker, Barry McGovern and Paddy Rocks, and was aired in 1990 by RTÉ in Ireland and on the ITV Network in the United Kingdom.
Damien McCaul is an Irish radio presenter and television personality.
Ireland's Classic HitsRadio is an Irish independent multi-region radio station based in Dublin, and broadcasting to that city as well as Cork, Limerick, Galway, County Clare, County Wicklow, County Kildare, County Meath. It can also be picked up in parts of County Kerry, County Tipperary, County Waterford, County Wexford and County Mayo.
The Kerry county football team represents Kerry in men's Gaelic football and is governed by Kerry GAA, the county board of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The team competes in the three major annual inter-county competitions; the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the Munster Senior Football Championship and the National Football League.