Gay Byrne
| Gay Byrne | |
|---|---|
Byrne in 2007
|
|
| Born |
Gabriel Mary Byrne 5 August 1934 Rialto, Dublin, Ireland |
| Residence | Sandymount, Dublin, Ireland |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Other names | Uncle Gay, Gaybo, Uncle Gaybo |
| Education | Rialto National School, Synge Street CBS, Honorary doctorate in literature from Trinity College, Dublin (1988) |
| Occupation | Broadcaster |
| Years active | 1958–present |
| Employer | Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ) |
| Notable work |
The Late Late Show, The Late Late Toy Show, The Gay Byrne Show, Rose of Tralee, People in Need Telethon, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, The Meaning of Life, For One Night Only |
| Board member of | Chairman of the Road Safety Authority (2006–2014) |
| Spouse(s) | Kathleen Watkins (1964–) |
| Children | Suzy, Crona |
Gabriel Mary "Gay" Byrne (born 5 August 1934; affectionately known as Uncle Gay,Gaybo or Uncle Gaybo) is a veteran Irish presenter of radio and television for several decades. His most notable role was first host of The Late Late Show over a 37-year period spanning 1962 until 1999. The Late Late Show is the world's second longest-running chat show. His time working in Britain with Granada Television saw him become the first person to introduce The Beatles on screen.
From 1973 until 1998, Byrne presented The Gay Byrne Hour—later The Gay Byrne Show when it expanded to two hours—on RTÉ Radio 1 each weekday morning. Since retiring from his long-running radio and television shows, Byrne has presented several other programmes, including Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, The Meaning of Life and For One Night Only on RTÉ One and Sunday Serenade/Sunday with Gay Byrne on RTÉ lyric fm. In 2006 he was elected Chairman of Ireland's Road Safety Authority. Since retiring he has become the "Elder Lemon of Irish broadcasting".
In 2010, The Irish Times said Byrne was "unquestionably the most influential radio and television man in the history of the Irish State". In 2011, he was approached to become President of Ireland but declined to run, despite topping opinion polls.
Byrne is the son of Edward Byrne, who joined the Irish Volunteers in 1912, and subsequently joined the 19th Hussars, Infantry Division, at the commencement of World War I. He later fought during the Irish War of Independence. He fought throughout most of the War, including at O'Connell Street. Shortly after the War, Edward Byrne was employed by Guinness' St. James's Gate Brewery where he worked for most of the rest of his life. He worked on the barges that operated on the river Liffey, transporting wooden casks from St. James's Gate Brewery to ships at the North Wall, Dublin. Edward Byrne was the son of Alexander Byrne, a coachman to the Earl of Meath, who lived at a lodge on the Earl's estate near Kilruddery, County Wicklow.
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