Barry Cowan was one of the leading faces of BBC Northern Ireland news and current affairs during the worst of The Troubles in the 1970s and 1980s. He was much-respected by broadcast colleagues and by politicians. Born in Coleraine, County Derry/Londonderry, Barry was educated at Ballymena Academy and graduated in physics from Queen’s University, Belfast. His broadcasting career began in the early 1970s with the BBC, where he was a studio manager. But the man who would eventually become a formidable on-air talent quickly moved into reporting and presenting. In 1974, he became the main anchor on BBC Northern Ireland’s flagship current affairs/news programme, Scene Around Six.
…Finnerty, John
John was an announcer on both RTÉ TV channels from the mid-1980s. In the early 1990s, he moved across to the newsroom to present TV and radio news bulletins. John was one of the main presenters of the RTÉ One One o’Clock News from 2005 until his retirement in June 2017.
Finucane, Marian
Marian was an RTÉ continuity announcer in the mid-1970s before moving on to present many radio and TV programmes at the station.
Leonard, Aidan
Aidan joined the RTÉ TV continuity announcing staff in 1994, and worked mainly on RTÉ One. This was in addition to presenting his 2FM radio shows. Aidan left the TV job within a year or so.
Dowling, Aoife
Aoife joined RTÉ in the late-1990s, working as a continuity announcer on both television channels, though mainly on RTÉ Network 2. She later went on to present RTÉ weather forecasts – on both channels – from 2002. She left RTÉ in summer 2003.
Cronin, Cath
Cath joined the RTÉ One announcing team in summer 2005. She can also be heard occasionally on RTÉ 2.
O’Reilly, Brendan
Brendan joined RTÉ as a continuity announcer in 1961. Previously the Irish high jump and javelin champion, he went on to present Sports Stadium, RTÉ’s long-running Saturday afternoon sports magazine, from the 1970s to the 1990s.
…Sherwin, Jim
Jim was an RTÉ TV continuity announcer in the early 1970s.
He moved into sports broadcasting, where he had a long and successful career as a presenter, commentator and producer. He was RTÉ’s main commentator at eight Olympic Games.
His rugby commentaries on radio and TV began in 1970 and ended at the Rugby World Cup in Sydney Australia in 2003. He commentated for over 20 years on racquet sports for RTÉ TV including Wimbledon and Roland Garros and was RTÉ’s main commentator on all major non-sporting outside broadcasts, including installation of presidents, live transmissions of visiting celebrities and state funerals.
O’Shea, Neil
Neil is a former RTÉ Radio 1 presenter and announcer. He moved to TV presentation in the early 1990s, where he was an announcer on RTÉ Network 2. He also had occasional shifts on RTÉ One.
Comyn, Michael
Michael was an announcer on RTÉ One and RTÉ Network 2 from 1994 to 1997. He subsequently moved to RTÉ Radio 1 as an announcer. In May 1999, Michael was the first voice to be heard on the newly launched RTÉ Lyric FM; he hosted the breakfast show there until May 2000. For the next three years, Michael presented the Weekend Supplement on Dublin radio station 102.2 Lite FM.
Michael’s voice can be heard on the DART and at Irish rail stations.
In 2016, he returned to the TV airwaves, where he can still be heard introducing the programmes on RTÉ One and RTÉ 2. Michael also presents Leap of Faith on RTÉ Radio 1.
Michael is the manager of Comyn Communications Ltd and has been delivering courses in communications since 1986; he also presents in media skills, presentation skills and runs a popular life audit course.
Cassin, Anne
Anne’s broadcasting career began in 1982 as a researcher and reporter, and later news presenter, on pirate station Radio Nova. She joined RTÉ as a continuity announcer in 1987 and became a newsreader and reporter in 1990. She was the presenter of Capital D, an RTÉ magazine series for Dublin residents. She also presented the monthly Crimecall programme. Currently, she co-presents the thrice-weekly Nationwide programme, alongside Mary Kennedy.
Mae, Geri
Geri joined the RTÉ Network 2 announcing team in late-1997. She moved on to front children’s TV junctions – on Den 2 – in 1998.