If you missed any of the previous Newsletters or Photos go to the website at www.superannrte.ie and click on the Newsletter archive and then the date......of the Newsletter or Photos you want to view....
If you want the Newsletter sent to your personal email address or if you have changed your email address, or know a colleague who would like to get the Newsletters, please send their email address to me Charles Byrne at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Death of Alice Raitt ( 10th Nov 2016) formerly Newsroom and RTÉ Music Dept.
Our deepest sympathy to the Raitt and McIntyre families on the death of our colleague Alice Raitt.
The following notice appeared:
The death has occurred of Alice RAITT (née McIntyre) Rathfarnham, Dublin / Meath .. Formerly Co. Meath. Peacefully after a short illness. Beloved wife of the late Desmond. Much loved mother of Frances, Yvonne, Alice, Olive, Desmond, son-in-law Fran, daughter-in-law Mylinh, grandchildren Steven, Jeff, Lauren, Alana, Aoife, great-grandson Preston, relatives and friends. Rest in Peace.
Family funeral took place on Monday, 14th November.
( My thanks to Alice's daughter Yvonne Raitt and colleagues Evelyn Durcan and Richard Pine for alerting me to this sad news.. CB)
Yvonne sent the following message:
I just wanted you to know my mum Alice Raitt passed away last week (10 Nov 2016). Mum joined RTE when my dad passed away in 1969. She started in the typing pool under Evelyn Durcan . She progressed to the Newsroom then the Authority office and finally the music dept under Dr Gerard Victory. She had very happy times there and made lots of friends. When I was a teenager along with one of my sisters, we worked in the canteen under Maura Meegan while on school holidays in the summer which we loved. Anyway many happy memories. Many thanks Yvonne CB
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Wishing Colleague Gay Byrne Well...
Gay Byrne has revealed on his RTÉ Lyric FM show that he will not be on air next week as he has to go to hospital for tests to determine if prostate cancer may have spread to his lower back.
As he wrapped up his show on Sunday, the veteran broadcaster said he would not be doing the show next week because he had to go into hospital.
The 82-year-old told listeners: "I shall not be with our listeners on this day next week. Have to go to hospital this week...They think they may have discovered a bit of cancer in the prostate and they think it may have moved up into my back.
"I've had the most wonderful, fantastic, robust, good health all my broadcasting life."
He added: "It's my turn now ... Many, many people much worse off. Thank you for your good wishes."
The broadcaster suffered a heart attack in December 2015 but returned to work just weeks after the health scare.
Following his retirement, the former Late Late Show host has continued to broadcast on radio with a weekly Lyric FM show and on television with his Meaning of Life series, which sees him interview people in the public eye about their beliefs. Previous guests on the long-running series include Stephen Fry, Majella O'Donnell, Enda Kenny, Rory O'Neill and David Puttnam.
Many of us have worked with Gay on both Radio and Television over many years and I know you all join with me in wishing him well ...CB
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Niall Byrne's New Piano Album "Still Life" Available on Itunes..
Our son Niall has released a new piano album 'Still Life' on itunes ... It contains 10 simple and tuneful pieces for solo piano.
Niall Byrne is an award-winning Irish composer. Niall studied piano and composition at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. He was awarded first prize at the 1992 Dublin Film Festival's music competition, chaired by composer Michael Nyman. Since then he has composed music for films and television dramas. He has received several IFTA Award nominations, and won Best Original Score at the 10th annual IFTA Awards in 2013 for his score to the BBC film 'Loving Miss Hatto'. More recently he scored the BAFTA-nominated drama series 'Cilla' for ITV and the film 'The Truth Commissioner' starring Roger Allam for the BBC. His orchestral score for the silent film 'Guests of the Nation' has been performed in Dublin (NCH), London (Barbican) and New York (Lincoln Center).
Talk on Dublin's Queens Theatre..by Colleague Cecil Allen
Just to remind you that there will be a repeat of the talk on "The Queens Theatre" by Cecil Allen at 2.30. on Wednesday 23 November 2016 - Venue the Pearse Street Library.
( Many thanks to colleague Bil Keating for the reminder of the repeat of Cecil's talk. CB)
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We wish Pauline Power, Age Action, National Developement Manager, well in her new post.. Our Thanks to Pauline for her help to us in the past and to Age Action for Sharing their latest Newsletter with us, see below. We have not had a Newsletter from them for a while, as they have had a number of personnel changes.
However all is well now and here is the link to their latest Newsletter....well worth a read....CB
Cost of Laya healthcare policies to rise by average of 5% from January
The company attributed the price rise to an 'unsustainable increase in the cost and volume of claims in public and private hospitals, along with a significant increase in consultant costs are the main factors driving this review'
Laya healthcare is set to increase the price across its schemes from the beginning of next year.
The move will see an average increase of 5% on the gross premiums of a number of schemes.
The company attributed the price rise to an “unsustainable increase in the cost and volume of claims in public and private hospitals, along with a significant increase in consultant costs are the main factors driving this review”.
It follows the Department of Health writing to insurers last week to advise them that the Government is to raise the health insurance levy by 10% from next April.
Laya said it has tried to minimise the impact on its members by reducing the price of certain schemes.
Virgin Media Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Liberty Global announced today that it has received regulatory and competition approval to acquire UTV Ireland, the nation’s newest free-to-air commercial broadcaster.
Tony Hanway, CEO of Virgin Media in Ireland, said: “We’re delighted to have received regulatory approval to acquire UTV Ireland. This follows our acquisition of TV3 last year and we look forward to playing an even bigger role in the Irish broadcasting sector.”
Pat Kiely, MD of TV3, said: “The purchase of UTV Ireland is good news for viewers and will support TV3 to further compete against significant local and international competition.”
The agreement also includes a comprehensive 10 year output deal in Ireland for ITV produced programming. The purchase price is expected to be funded through existing liquidity.
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Virgin Media & Turner Agree New UK & Ireland Programming Deal
14 Nov 2016 : Laura Brennan
The Liberty Global subsidiary Virgin Media and Turner, one of the world’s leading entertainment brands, have agreed its latest long term programming deal in the UK and Ireland.
The long-term programming agreement ensures Virgin customers will retain access to channels including Cartoon Network, Boomerang, Cartoonito, TCM and CNN International.
For Irish Virgin Media customers this means that they will be able to benefit from a significant increase in on-demand shows. The expanded contract unlocks a wealth of Turner catch-up TV for Virgin Media customers. They will have access to hours’ worth of programming with a 30 day catch up window.
As part of the new deal, Cartoon Network in HD will be available for the first time to customers in Ireland. Irish Virgin Media customers will also have access to hundreds of hours of boxsets for kids featuring programmes such as ‘Regular Show’,’ Ben 10’, ‘The Powerpuff Girls’, ‘Scooby Doo’, ‘Mr Bean’, ‘The Tom and Jerry Show’ and’ Fireman Sam’. This will further boost Virgin Media’s existing selection of kids’ programmes.
David Bouchier, Chief Digital Entertainment Officer at Virgin Media said: “Our new deal with Turner means our customers will be able to access a wealth of on-demand programs, as well as continuing to enjoy some of the very best TV from channels as diverse as Cartoon Network, TCM and CNN International. We are committed to giving our customers the very best TV to watch, when and how they want, and it’s fantastic to work with partners who think in the same way.”
The deal also strengthens the partnership over the long term, with Turner guaranteeing new rights to support Virgin Media’s future product launches, which includes launching catch-up TV and box sets to Virgin Media’s TV platform.
Ian McDonough, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Turner, Northern Europe commented: “We’re very excited about strengthening our much valued partnership with Virgin Media, built around our premium kids and entertainment brands. At Turner we are committed to delivering the best curated branded experiences to our audiences, wherever they are. We look forward to working closely with Virgin Media to deliver entertaining channels and on-demand content that captures the growing appetite of our audiences for many years to come.”
Virgin has been expanding its offering recently, signing a multi-year programming deal with Viacom in the UK and Ireland in October and striking an agreement for Sony kids’ channel Pop in August.
Al Pacino in Trinity College, A boy who travels to school on horseback, the Gay Liberation Movement in Ireland, the Forum Cinema in Dun Laoghaire, an audiovisual exhibition at the RDS and much more…
View now on rte.ie/archives
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Important Message for all Members of the RTÉ Sports and Social Club..
Our colleague Douglas McCann - Secretary of the RTÉ Sports and Social Club, wants all members of the RTÉ Sports and Social Club to urgently make contact about an urgent Club matter. Please send your Name and email address to Douglas at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .. I understand from Douglas that this is an urgent matter and they need to contact Club members ......so please respond ASAP ...Best wishes Charles B
