Newsletter 5th February 2017

 

If you would like 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.  

Reminder to colleagues and those recently retired ...to be aware that the "RTÉ Alumni" meet every first Tuesday of the month from 13.00 Hrs in the Tara Tower Hotel.. Very informal gathering of colleagues having a snack and a chat....give it a try,  you will be very welcome....CB 

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Death of Eddie Barrett ( formerly RTÉ  News)

Funeral Arrangements

Our deepest sympathy to the Barrett family on the death of our colleague Eddie Barrett formerly RTÉ News and Irish Times. My thanks to Poilin Ní Chiarain for alerting me to the sad news and to Marguerite Sheridan for thefollowing arrangements...  CB

The funeral of former RTÉ and Irish Times journalist Eddie Barrett will take place on February 17^that 1pm in the Crematorium at Golders Green, London. Eddie is a former Chair of Dublin Broadcasting branch and also served as an officer of the RTÉ Trade Union Group in the seventies. 

The NUJ proposed to host a memorial event in Dublin, at a date to be arranged following consultation with Eddie’s family.

On Saturday April 8th at 11.30am there will be a celebration of Eddie's contribution to journalism, the NUJ and the wider trade union movement in the irish Writers Centre, Parnell Square, Dublin 1.  

Please note the date and advise former RTE colleague and friends. 

Seamus Dooley, assistant general secretary of the NUJ , said: “Eddie was a man of the utmost integrity. He was fiercely loyal, to his family, his friends, his union, to the principles of the labour movement. He began his journalistic career in Dublin and is remembered with affection and admiration. On joining RTE he played a significant role in Dublin Broadcasting branch and worked tirelessly to promote cross union cooperation, through the RTÉ Trade Union Group.

“In 1974 He was instructed that, in his coverage of the trial of British heiress Rose Dugdale for the robbery of Alfred Beit’s paintings at Russborough House in Wicklow, he could not report her remarks from the dock. As a result he refused to make the broadcast, convened a branch meeting and the NUJ blacked coverage of the courts for about a week until RTÉ agreed that court coverage would not be subjected to Section 31 restrictions.

“Eddie was a formidable politician: dogged, strategic, determined and took part in many internal NUJ battles. Eddie did so with grace and charm, combined with a quick wit and unfailing humour.

“He was an admirer of Jim Larkin and in 2013 took part in various events to mark the centenary of the 1913 Lock Out. At the Larkin Hedge School in Liberty Hall he relished the poems, songs, music and speeches as we celebrated a man who shared Eddie's global vision and abiding commitment to the cause of labour.”

Tributes here on NUJ website...CB

https://www.nuj.org.uk/news/tributes-paid-to-nuj-stalwart-eddie-barrett/

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Gerry Fitzgerald ( RTÉ Radio Sound Engineer )

Castlebar International Song Contest

Tribute by Paddy McGuinness 

I was saddened to learn of the death of a great friend,  Gerry Fitzgerald and was pleased to read the nice tribute by Gareth Hudson.

Gerry was a real gentleman and was so helpful to us in the early days of the Castlebar International Song Contest. 

As you know, I have been compiling a history of the event and the book will be launched on 30^thMarch.  I include underneath an excerpt from the book relating to Gerry:

More than in any other aspect of the contest -(composers, singers, advertising, sponsors, etc.) – there were deeper and longer lasting friendships formed between committee members and individuals from RTÉ.  In the final years of the contest, when television coverage was constantly at risk, these friendships often made the difference between approval for coverage or being dropped from the TV schedules.

The earliest of such relationships was that with Gerry Fitzgerald who was the sound engineer for the initial recordings of the 1969 contest.  A native of Waterford, Gerry dealt with the many challenges that the event and the venue presented with an unquestioning ‘can do’ attitude.  Getting any kind of acceptable sound balance from the venue was almost impossible but Gerry never complained to anyone in Castlebar.  More importantly, unlike some others, he didn’t complain about the problems he had to deal with in Castlebar when he reported back to ‘head office’.

Many thanks to Paddy (McGuinness) for that lovely tribute... CB

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  John Kelly Scholarship 2016/17 Winners

Every year RTÉ Credit Union support students in Third Level education by rewarding four scholarship prizes of €1,500 in the John Kelly Scholarship Scheme. It is a great scheme we offer which helps students with the expense of college fees and it is open to all college going members. 

We had a great response and lots of entrants to this year’s competition. The winners were selected by raffle ticket at the AGM in January.
 
This year’s winners are:

Katie Hume
Ciarán Claffey
Katie Hafford
Siúan Poirteir
 

Katie Hafford:
 “I am so grateful to have been chosen for the John Kelly Scholarship. When I received the call saying I had won the prize it really brightened up a gloomy Wednesday!   I want to thank RTÉ Credit Union for the opportunity to enter this competition. It will certainly help me get through the rest of the year.”

Many thanks to Karen Tiernan for the above...CB

RTÉ Credit Union

Donnybrook, Dublin 4
Tel 01 208 2657
Fax 01 208 2128
Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Update Meetings for RTÉ Sports and Social Club Members

 

As members will be aware, RTÉ and the RTÉ Sports and Social Club are currently engaged in mediation regarding an alternate location for the club towards the Nutley end of the site.

Niamh Farren , Brian Gilroy and Paul Silke ( Representing RTÉ)

 

• Wednesday 1st February at 13.00 

• Wednesday 1st February at 19.00

• ( Photos from this session Below )

• Sunday 5th February at 16:00