Newsletter 26th February 2017
Superann Newsletter 26th 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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RTÉ Alumni First Tuesday March 2017 ( Not until 7th March)..
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....Next meeting 13.00 Hrs Tuesday March 7th 2017...CB
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Death of colleague author and broadcaster, Frank Delaney . He was 74.
Our deepest sympathy to wife Diane and the Delaney family on the death of our colleague Frank Delaney . The following appears on the RTÉ Website.
Frank Delaney was a newscaster for RTÉ in the early 1970s and then worked as a news reporter for the BBC in Dublin. For many years, Delaney wrote and presented for Omnibus, the BBC's popular weekly arts series, and created the weekly Bookshelf programme for BBC Radio Four, interviewing over 1,400 authors; in later years, he hosted The Book Show for Sky News.
Born and raised in Tipperary, Delaney made acclaimed TV documentaries on a number of subjects, including Joyce, Shaw, Oscar Wilde and the evolution of the English language. His acclaimed 1987 BBC series The Celts, examining the origins, growth, and influence of Celtic culture in Great Britain and throughout Europe, was broadcast in forty countries and spawned a popular companion book. A prolific author, and popular public speaker, he penned a number of non-fiction works, including Legends Of The Celts, Betjeman Country and A Walk in the Dark Ages, and over a dozen novels, notably Ireland, a novel and an ongoing series of fictional bestsellers tracing the history of Ireland. Since 2002, Delaney was based in the US, where he produced a popular weekly podcast, Re: Joyce, exploring aspects of James Joyce's Ulysses. In a statement, President Higgins said that Frank Delaney was recognised as an important scholar on the work of James Joyce and an influential Irish voice in the UK and further afield. He said he had created a space to discuss arts and literature, winning both critical acclaim and substantial audiences for his broadcasts as well his writing.
Frank is survived by his wife Diane, and sons Francis, Bryan and Owen.
( Funeral arrangements will be posted when available... CB)
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RTS Obituary - Al Lennon 1932 – 2017
Byline: Matthew Bell
Alphonsus (Al) Lennon, who died after a long illness on 19 February, aged 84, founded the RTS Republic of Ireland Centre in 1996.
Al remained as Chair until 2000 when Charles Byrne assumed the role.
“We are all very sad at the passing of our dear friend and colleague Al Lennon and owe him a great deal for his vision in founding the RoI Centre. I also had the honour of working with him at RTÉ when he was part of the outside broadcast department,” said Byrne, who remains the Chair of the Centre.
In 2006, Al was presented with the RTS’s Pilgrim Award, which recognises outstanding service to the society.
“Al Lennon was, of course, the rock on which the RTS in Ireland was founded and a prime mover in Irish television. He will be sadly missed,” said the Honorary Secretary of the RTS, David Lowen.
Over a long career at RTÉ outside broadcasts, Al covered many events, including the Eurovision Song Contest in Dublin in 1971, 1994 and 1995. He was OB technical coordinator for the interval performance of Riverdance during the 1994 contest.
He also contributed to RTÉ installations and technical planning at many of Ireland’s major sporting venues such as Gaelic sports stadium Croke Park and the Curragh Racecourse.
Al is survived by his wife, Mary, and his three daughters, Ann, Kathryn and Sinéad.
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Al Lennon Presented with the RTS Pilgrim Award in 2006
Al Lennon presented with the Royal Television Society "Pilgrim Award" in 2006 . The presentation was made by the Hon. Secretary of the RTS David Lowen at a function in the Royal Irish Academy in Dawson Street on Thursday 23rd November 2006.
The award is made for outstanding service to the Society. Al and Stanley Warren together with Eric Caves and Don Anderson, from the NI Centre of the society, were instrumental in the foundation of the Republic of Ireland Centre of the RTS in 1996.
The ROI centre also celebrated its 10th year as a Centre of the Society. The Chief Executive of the RTS, Simon Albury , congratulated members on their achievements and on the 100 events held by the Centre over the ten years..
Eric Caves and Don Anderson with Niamh White at the celebrations.
Don Anderson and Fred Wylie from the Northern Ireland Centre with David Lowen Hon. Secretary of the Society.
Al's daughter Kathryn with her Dad at the presentation...
Bobby Gahan - Godfrey Graham and Mike Reilly at the event..
RTS member Drago Radic and the late RTÉ Producer Peter Canning
RTS members Colm Kirwan, Noel Forde and Enda O'Kane
Al as a member of the RTS was instramental in forming the RTS ROI Center in 1996
There have been close ties since between the RTSNI and ROI Centres
Don Anderson ( RTSNI) congratulates the RTSROI centre on Al's award..
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Colleague Sean Walsh sends the following..
"I was a boy growing up in a provincial town in the 40’s. ‘Loved plays, drama, writing sketches, acting, play-acting… So when the Fit-Ups arrived for a spell I was spellbound!
Can you imagine? No TV in those far-off days. No mobiles, video, internet. Just steam radio breaking down all too often! And two or three cinemas locally referred to as “picture houses…” (‘The first house at 7, the second at 9…’ The Magnet… the Oriel… The Adelphi…)
So when a company of players arrived in the town and struck camp at the school hall - Shakespeare, a different play each night - the excitement was almost tangible. "
(I was to epitomise much of that many years later in a favourite writ: The McMaster Piece.)
( Have a look at Sean and his wee memoir at the following you tube link....well worth the 5 minutes.. CB )
Thanks to a master craftsman.
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TYRONE GUTHRIE IN W.W.2: FROM DUNKIRK TO BELFAST
Lecture by colleague TV Producer/Director Christopher Fitz-Simon
Former TV Producer/Director Christopher Fitz-Simon will be giving a public lecture at the RDS on 12 April entitled TYRONE GUTHRIE IN W.W.2: FROM DUNKIRK TO BELFAST.
Tyrone Guthrie was an eminent Irish theatre director. On the outbreak of W.W.2 he was placed in charge of the Sadler’s Wells Opera and Ballet and the Old Vic Theatre Company and entrusted with keeping them employed during the lüftwaffe blitz on London. He hired the Victoria Theatre in Burnley, Lancashire, plus several factory floors where the companies rehearsed before opening in the theatre prior to touring to venues out of range of bombing. Over 200 dancers, singers, actors and musicians were involved. Accommodation was found in private homes, and transport to all kinds of unlikely destinations. Huge audiences appeared as if from nowhere.
This talk makes use of Guthrie’s private letters to his mother at Annaghmakerrig, Co Monaghan, and his sister, Mrs Hubert Butler in Kilkenny. The material – never before seen – contains descriptions of the primitive conditions and the warm receptions, involving artists such as Ninette de Valois, Sybil Thorndike, Joan Cross, Robert Helpmann, Lewis Casson, Alec Guinness, Charles Laughton, Laurence Olivier, etc etc. In spite of the privation and uncertainties of the times Guthrie’s observations on war news and politics – including the Irish Free State’s neutrality – are highly entertaining.
Opening times and admission: Wednesday Apr. 12, 2017, at 6.30 p.m. sharp in the R.D.S. Library.
The talk will last 50 minutes, after which questions will be welcomed, followed by light refreshments.
Admission free (and free parking) but booking is recommended on 01 2407254, or online https://www.rds.ie/Whats-On/Event/30569.
The Library door is on the right of the main RDS entrance on Merrion Road, Dublin 4.
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GALA CONCERT in aid of HAITI- HAVEN
Saturday 11th March at The Convention Centre
John McColgan presents a Gala Concert, in aid of Haven, in the Convention Centre Dublin on Saturday, 11 March next. Artists include Riverdance, Mario Rosenstock, Brian Kennedy, Kila, Róisín O, Vladimir and Anton, and Patrick Bergin, with more special guests taking to the stage on the night. Tickets start from €25, and are on sale now through Ticketmaster.
Haven is an Irish NGO, strongly committed to empowering the people of Haiti to build sustainable livelihoods and to live free from poverty. Launched in 2008, it focuses on three core development areas: water and sanitation, training and education, and shelter. All proceeds raised at the Gala Concert will support Haven’s recovery work on the ground in Haiti following the devastation caused by Hurricane Matthew in October 2016. Visit the following site for more information..
https://www.havenpartnership.com/
Watch the following You Tube Video to understand the problems..Remember Hurricane Mathew... CB
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2CuLYxI4D0&feature=youtu.be
Haven is an Irish non-governmental organisation (NGO) which is strongly committed
to empowering the people of Haiti to build strong and sustainable livelihoods.
Launched in 2008, we work solely in Haiti, facilitating the provision of sustainable water and sanitation, training and education, and shelter solutions for its people.
Our vision is to build thriving communities which prosper independently, and in which every person has a safe place to call home.
To date, Haven has facilitated the training of over 78,000 Haitian people, empowering them to build strong, secure and sustainable livelihoods, and to live free from poverty. We have trained over 69,000 people in Hygiene Promotion, and built or upgraded homes and shelters for close to 20,000 people. We have directly employed more than 1,200 Haitian people, and brought over 1,400 volunteers to Haiti to assist with the building of houses through our volunteer programmes.
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Start the week with a smile...
(With thanks to colleague Paul Irvine...)
It was announced today that President Donald Trump’s personal library burnt to the ground. Both books were destroyed in the fire and worse still he hadn’t even finished colouring-in one of them.
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The Banking Crisis Explained.
( Many thanks to colleague Peter Fletcher for this tale..)
Jimmy bought a donkey from a farmer for €100.00 who agreed to deliver the donkey next day.. The farmer duly arrived and announced, 'Sorry Jimmy, I've bad news. The donkey died.'
''Well give me my money back.' said Jimmy
'Can't do that' said the farmer, ' I spent it.'
'OK so, just bring me the dead donkey.'
'What are you going to do with him?'
'I'll raffle him.'
'You can't raffle a dead donkey!'
'Sure I can. I just won't tell anyone he's dead.' A month later, the farmer met Jimmy and asked, 'What happened with that dead donkey?'
'I raffled him. Sold 500 tickets at two Euro a go and made a profit of 998 Euro.'
'Didn't anyone complain?'
'Just the guy who won. So I gave him his two Euro back.' Jimmy now works for NAMA .
That's all for now...have a good week... CB
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