Marian Finucane RIP Mod warning #46

MrMusician18 · 04-01-2020 08:23PM

Sleeper12 wrote: »

It's worth remembering that Pat Kenny didn't move to Newstalk for a paycut. No one here on boards has a clue what anyone has or hasn't been offered.

It's also worth remembering that 2FM still hasn't recovered from the death of Gerry Ryan almost 10 years ago. They would gladly have him back at twice the price. They have lost millions in advertising since he died

2fm would be losing listeners with or without Gerry as it's just another generic pop station competing with several others who too are being trounced by streaming services. Not even Gerry's personality and ego could hold back that tide.

If private operators want to break themselves competing for talent, so be it and if RTE want to do it too off with them. But in exchange for that the license fee should be abolished.

A public service broadcaster funded by the taxpayer should be able to survive within the constraints of the public service pay scales.

sideboard · 04-01-2020 08:30PM

Ahwell wrote: »

Eamon Dunphy had a Sunday morning show on RTE radio 1 with 250,000 listeners, he was poached by Newstalk to present another Sunday morning show.

Is this the same ED of Today FM with 250,000 listeners?

BarryD2 · 04-01-2020 08:34PM

Deleted User wrote: »

Are you of a generation that remembers the whole Mespil debacle? I suspect you are not. The Mespil Estate in prime location Dublin 4 is one of the oldest estates of blocks of apartments in the country, and was in ownership of semi-state body Irish Life Assurance Company.

It was an all-tenanted estate, and had long term residents there for many many years, very many of them junior civil servants. The State decided to sell this asset; however the scandal was that it was not offered for sale to the general public, but to selected individuals, and was sold for less than would have been fetched on the open market. My aunt was living there and not given the option to buy. They were all sold to selected people who were friends of politicians in power - it was huge news at the time. The residents were turfed out and had to find accommodation.

Marian Finucane was one of the beneficiaries of a purchase. Details of her libel action:

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/marian-finucane-begins-libel-action-against-independent-1.32229

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/finucane-libel-action-settled-1.32374

Thanks for reminding us of this, I recall it alright but I'd forgotten the details. Pity that this aspect hasn't been discussed more in the various flowering eulogies on air. As mentioned above, I always got a feeling in the Celtic Tiger years that she was a bit too gung ho in running features on what was arguably property speculation. It was almost a regular property slot at one time, like the cookery bit or the movies. Which also puts puts a slant on her unwillingness to be too hard on the some of the main actors when things fell apart.

I suppose if you have lots of cash assets, then looking for vehicles to invest in was a predictable solution. But to come back to the old mantra 'sure, we were all at it' - well no we weren't and it's the likes of the circles she moved in that was speculating and driving property prices up.

Amongst all the good points of her career, that aspect is a black mark.

sideboard · 04-01-2020 08:40PM

MrMusician18 wrote: »

A public service broadcaster funded by the taxpayer should be able to survive within the constraints of the public service pay scales.

Difficult to maintain quality programmes with a fixed licence fee. I have no issue with RTE maintaining 'quality' presenter/producers, even if some are paid higher as 'contractors' as this saves on the pensions bill...:D

Nevin Parsnipp · 04-01-2020 08:57PM

sideboard wrote: »

Difficult to maintain quality programmes with a fixed licence fee. I have no issue with RTE maintaining 'quality' presenter/producers, even if some are paid higher as 'contractors' as this saves on the pensions bill...:D

Mmm? Depends on the extent of higher pay.....I don't think anyone can justify the huge wedges being paid to presenters like Darcy....Tubridy....Duffy et all and the likes of G.Lee and D.Mooney..

Not sustainable in my book...

04-01-2020 08:57PM

sideboard wrote: »

Thanks for that, although I still remain unclear why you decided to gift us with your account of Mespil flats. Marian happened to be a purchaser of one of them, so are you inferring she shouldn't have done so? Seems to me by reading the accounts you provided, that she only did so after discussion with the existing tenant - who does not seem to have been subsequently 'turfed out' either, as you put it, following her purchase. Other owners may have done so to their tenants, put that's hardly Marians responsibility? I wish I could say that the State/Irish Life had acted appropriately in this saga, but I don't see any scintilla of wrongdoing by Marian in this.
So again, what is the point you are making?

You really haven’t heard about the Mespil saga before. It’s only relevance is that she, along with a selection of people, including a whole posse of Fianna Fáilers were given the purchase option of these plum assets. They were sold without going for public sale. Look, put it this way... supposing we heard that RTE sold off the whole of Montrose for a song, without public knowledge to Enda Kenny, Simon Harris etc..and Gay Byrne among others. It might be remarked upon, among the tributes and adulations, that this happened, good and great though the person was.

I have rather a bit of personal knowledge, not about Marian in relation to this other than what's In the public domain, but about at least one particularly unsavory individual who was literally handed such property on a plate.

And no, the tenants had zero say, many were thrown out. Some who refused received visitations in the night, so to speak. If it happened now it would be Number One item in the Media, as accountability is s very different matter nowadays.

Anyway, not to detail this thread...Marian was a good person...that very sorry saga is for another one altogether. Ireland was a different country then.

sideboard · 04-01-2020 09:37PM

Deleted User wrote: »

Anyway, not to detail this thread...Marian was a good person...

Perfect, then! So we agree that Marian did not act out of avarice or greed in buying one of the Mespil flats? Rather, she was unwittingly offered a property at a good price...and like any of us, once she was satisified that the tenant had no issues with her purchasing, she then went ahead with the purchase.

I feel it important to make these points, as some on here may have gathered from your initial post, that there was more to the story that somehow reflected badly on her.

Honourable throughout.

04-01-2020 09:40PM

splinter65 wrote: »

My 22 year old daughter has never sought out a radio station in her life, unless you count petulantly changing the dial on the car radio from Newstalk/Radio 1/TippFM to Beat103 or SpinSthWest.
It’s so weird.

Not just that they don't listen to radio - they actually don't know how to use a radio. A teen in my car asked when we were tuning in radio stations in the car 'what number is 98FM' - didn't get the connection between the name and the frequency, because he never used or understood frequency.

Sleeper12 wrote: »

It's worth remembering that Pat Kenny didn't move to Newstalk for a paycut. No one here on boards has a clue what anyone has or hasn't been offered.

I remember hearing Willie O'Reilly speaking about his Today FM days, saying that money was never a problem when trying to poach anyone from RTE over to the dark side. They could easily afford to beat RTE salaries.

sideboard wrote: »

Thanks for that, although I still remain unclear why you decided to gift us with your account of Mespil flats. Marian happened to be a purchaser of one of them, so are you inferring she shouldn't have done so? Seems to me by reading the accounts you provided, that she only did so after discussion with the existing tenant - who does not seem to have been subsequently 'turfed out' either, as you put it, following her purchase. Other owners may have done so to their tenants, put that's hardly Marians responsibility? I wish I could say that the State/Irish Life had acted appropriately in this saga, but I don't see any scintilla of wrongdoing by Marian in this.
So again, what is the point you are making?

It does indicate poor judgement, to take part in a scheme that she well knew was restricted to 'the chosen few' and not a simple open market investment opportunity.

sideboard · 04-01-2020 09:52PM

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

It does indicate poor judgement, to take part in a scheme that she well knew was restricted to 'the chosen few' and not a simple open market investment opportunity.

I'm not into property, but my guess is that trying to sell off a multi-apartment complex with sitting tenants, is not your usual sale and one that only 'landlords' are likely to buy. Seems sellers have questions to answer moreso that buyers - especially a buyer that consulted with tenant beforehand.

Higgins5473 · 04-01-2020 10:00PM

sideboard wrote: »

Perfect, then! So we agree that Marian did not act out of avarice or greed in buying one of the Mespil flats? Rather, she was unwittingly offered a property at a good price...and like any of us, once she was satisified that the tenant had no issues with her purchasing, she then went ahead with the purchase.

I feel it important to make these points, as some on here may have gathered from your initial post, that there was more to the story that somehow reflected badly on her.

Honourable throughout.

You seem to be moving through Kübler-Ross stages of grief very rapidly, Your “Fingers” Fingleton tribute and Marians association with him the Mespil deal seemed to be a bit of denial, an hour later and you’re now into anger. Next post about a bit of bargaining? “Sorry for overreacting but...”. Who knows where it will be at tomorrow, very passionate about someone either way, especially seeing as you could not spell her first name properly early on in the thread.

sideboard · 04-01-2020 10:05PM

Higgins5473 wrote: »

You seem to be moving through Kübler-Ross stages of grief very rapidly, Your “Fingers” Fingleton tribute and Marians association with him the Mespil deal seemed to be a bit of denial, an hour later and you’re now into anger. Next post about a bit of bargaining? “Sorry for overreacting but...”. Who knows where it will be at tomorrow, very passionate about someone either way, especially seeing as you could not spell her first name properly early on in the thread.

Only you could interpret your posts....

04-01-2020 10:17PM

sideboard wrote: »

Perfect, then! So we agree that Marian did not act out of avarice or greed in buying one of the Mespil flats? Rather, she was unwittingly offered a property at a good price...and like any of us, once she was satisified that the tenant had no issues with her purchasing, she then went ahead with the purchase.

I feel it important to make these points, as some on here may have gathered from your initial post, that there was more to the story that somehow reflected badly on her.

Honourable throughout.

I don’t doubt she deliberately did anything wrong, it was only that she became one of the elite by default rather than on purpose, part of what Ireland has been like. Being a person born in 1961, I was a 30 something when all that happened, and I or my cousin would have willingly purchased the apartment (at market rate) for our aunt to live in for the rest of her days at modest rent, but we were not facilitated.

There was a day when the FF-subscribed would be treated favorably in commercial transactions. Thanks to the media, Marian being part of this, that every corruption these days comes to light pretty quickly and there is less opportunity for it to occur either purposefully or by default (not actively scrutinizing every aspect of ones financials).

Nevin Parsnipp · 04-01-2020 10:28PM

sideboard wrote: »

Difficult to maintain quality programmes with a fixed licence fee. I have no issue with RTE maintaining 'quality' presenter/producers, even if some are paid higher as 'contractors' as this saves on the pensions bill...:D

Mmm? Depends on the extent of higher pay.....I don't think anyone can justify the huge wedges being paid to presenters like Darcy....Tubridy....Duffy et all and the likes of G.Lee and D.Mooney..

Not sustainable in my book...

sideboard · 04-01-2020 10:28PM

Deleted User wrote: »

I don’t doubt she deliberately did anything wrong, it was only that she became one of the elite by default rather than on purpose, part of what Ireland has been like. Being a person born in 1961, I was a 30 something when all that happened, and I or my cousin would have willingly purchased the apartment (at market rate) for our aunt to live in for the rest of her days at modest rent, but we were not facilitated.

There was a day when the FF-subscribed would be treated favorably in commercial transactions. Thanks to the media, Marian being part of this, that every corruption these days comes to light pretty quickly and there is less opportunity for it to occur either purposefully or by default (not actively scrutinizing every aspect of ones financials).

If there was corruption, it was in the sellers domain, ie State or Irish Life.
(I am sorry for what happened your aunt and hope subsequently you've gotten justice.

04-01-2020 10:35PM

sideboard wrote: »

If there was corruption, it was in the sellers domain, ie State or Irish Life.
(I am sorry for what happened your aunt and hope subsequently you've gotten justice.

I do know at least one of the purchasers (not Marian or anyone prominent) but a friend of Albert Reynolds who purchased here and ended up owing millions to Revenue before dying of a stroke.

Beeping Kitchen Appliances · 04-01-2020 10:54PM

sideboard wrote: »

If there was corruption, it was in the sellers domain, ie State or Irish Life.
(I am sorry for what happened your aunt and hope subsequently you've gotten justice.

Do you think Irish Life picked the buyers out of a hat?

Who included the two daughters of the then Taoiseach and also Fingers Fingleton.

04-01-2020 11:00PM

Deleted User wrote: »

I do know at least one of the purchasers (not Marian or anyone prominent) but a friend of Albert Reynolds who purchased here and ended up owing millions to Revenue before dying of a stroke.

Strokes were common in those circles.

chicorytip · 04-01-2020 11:05PM

AwaitYourReply wrote: »

Up until 2005 you had the likes of Ciarán Mac Mathúna with "Mo Cheol Thú" early on Sunday mornings since 1970, not sure if the broadcasting of Sunday Mass had moved off Radio 1 FM to MW/LW although; i think it is still broadcast on RTÉ Radio 1 Longwave 252/RTÉ Radio 1 Extra around 11am.

"The Sunday Show" with Andy O'Mahony used review the Sunday newspapers along with the stories/events of the week which used start at around 11:40am on Sunday mornings. I think I recall Andy O'Mahony interviewing Deirdre Purcell and perhaps Gay Byrne himself on The Late Late Show after her book on the RTÉ broadcaster. Andy is also a writer and used present book review programmes down through the years.

On Saturdays around lunchtime you used have a programme called "Saturday View" with Rodney Rice from 1986 until his retirement in 2009.

Radio 1 also used have a long established programme dedicated to horse racing called Airs & Races on Saturday afternoons presented by Val Joyce. Late on Sunday nights you had the "Gaelic Sports Results" with Seán Óg Ó'Ceallacháin reading out all the GAA results - no other sports results were covered in that segment at the time.

Looking back to 1989 you had Scrap Saturday a political satire programme on Saturdays with Dermot Morgan (Father Ted), Pauline McLynn (Mrs. Doyle) and Gerry Stembridge which ran until 1991 and was hugely popular at the time. Morgan and McLynn would later star in huge successful Channel Four comedy series, "Father Ted" along with Ardal O'Hanlon and Frank Kelly which was originally broadcast between 1995-1998.

Marian Finucane's switch from weekday mornings to Sat/Sun 11am-1:00pm was a game-changer for RTÉ Radio 1 weekend audience ratings to date! Interesting times ahead as she is a very hard act to follow.

Sources:
https://www.rte.ie/news/2009/1211/125311-macmathuna/
https://www.rte.ie/archives/exhibitions/681-history-of-rte/708-rte-2000s/327784-rodney-rice-signs-off/
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-voice-of-reason-j9m80xn0j
https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/letters/reshuffle-on-rt%C3%A9-radio-1-1.1015573
https://www.rte.ie/archives/profiles/oceallachain-sean-og/
https://www.rte.ie/archives/2016/0127/763382-scrap-saturday/

Where is Andy O' Mahony now? It was always a pleasure to listen to him - such an articulate and erudite broadcaster.

AwaitYourReply · 05-01-2020 12:54AM

chicorytip wrote: »

Where is Andy O' Mahony now? It was always a pleasure to listen to him - such an articulate and erudite broadcaster.

Andy O'Mahony is around 85 years of age and in recent years had turned his attention to writing as far as I know. He would have been an important broadcaster who rubbed shoulders with Terry Wogan, Gay Byrne and Charles Mitchell back in the day. I gather that "The Sunday Show" ran from 1988 until 2000. He was old school broadcaster in the finest way and his diction was always crystal clear so; I would imagine he had lessons in elocution which was probably a requirement for broadcasters all those years ago.

If you would like to listen to Andy O'Mahony being interviewed by Miriam O'Callaghan on RTÉ Radio 1 dated 30/10/2016 on the show: Sunday with Miriam, please feel free to Copy & Paste the below web link into your browser's address bar.
https://www.rte.ie/radio/radioplayer/html5/#/radio1/21080114
(alternative link below of same show content)
https://www.mixcloud.com/rt%C3%A9radioplayermostpopularpodca/sunday-with-miriam-andy-omahony/

https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/creating-space-the-education-of-a-broadcaster-by-andy-o-mahony-1.2949509

The below title is Andy O'Mahony's memoir

"Creating Space: The Education of a Broadcaster" ISBN 978-1-908308-93-1 (Liffey Press, 2016)

Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_O%27Mahony

generalgerry · 05-01-2020 12:22PM

This is getting ridiculous. Are they to tell us next that she had an in depth knowledge of rugby when talking to Eddie O'Sullivan?

Odyssey 2005 · 05-01-2020 02:00PM

generalgerry wrote: »

This is getting ridiculous. Are they to tell us next that she had an in depth knowledge of rugby when talking to Eddie O'Sullivan?

Rte radio is becoming insufferable. Every show has a tribute to MF. Suppose Duffy will do 75 mins tomorrow. Had to turn it off again this morning

MrMusician18 · 05-01-2020 03:00PM

Odyssey 2005 wrote: »

Rte radio is becoming insufferable. Every show has a tribute to MF. Suppose Duffy will do 75 mins tomorrow. Had to turn it off again this morning

RTE are good for talking about two things at the moment
1. How great, but under appreciated they are
2. Campaigning on direct provision

Edgware · 05-01-2020 04:38PM

First "celebrity" death in a long time that Fr. Brian Darcy didnt get a call

ednwireland · 05-01-2020 04:49PM

rip and all that , but i must have listened to a different Marion finucane show ove rthe past few years to all the talking heads recently, it was well past its sell by date as are most of the rte presenters

generalgerry · 05-01-2020 04:52PM

Interesting contribution from Gary Murphy. He said that after the appeal of the 8th referendum that Marian had a female contributor from the No (to repeal) side in the studio and he was very impressed with how fair Marian was and how well she was treated by Marian.

Now he made this statement to acknowledge how fair and respectable she was, but I think this is a hugely telling statement with regard to the media in this country. When a radio presenter treating the "other" side with respect is considered giving them a concession, as opposed to the presenter not bringing their own views to the interview and treating all sides the same (like they are supposed to do).

I can imagine that same interview with D'Arcy would have much different.

Odyssey 2005 · 05-01-2020 05:08PM

MrMusician18 wrote: »

RTE are good for talking about two things at the moment
1. How great, but under appreciated they are
2. Campaigning on direct provision

You left out cancer and death !

Higgins5473 · 05-01-2020 05:26PM

generalgerry wrote: »

Interesting contribution from Gary Murphy. He said that after the appeal of the 8th referendum that Marian had a female contributor from the No (to repeal) side in the studio and he was very impressed with how fair Marian was and how well she was treated by Marian.

Now he made this statement to acknowledge how fair and respectable she was, but I think this is a hugely telling statement with regard to the media in this country. When a radio presenter treating the "other" side with respect is considered giving them a concession, as opposed to the presenter not bringing their own views to the interview and treating all sides the same (like they are supposed to do).

I can imagine that same interview with D'Arcy would have much different.

I agree with you the media in this country are outright bias generally and pathetically obvious about it, you wouldn't know how the feel about things but I believe it is generally to try and garner support for whatever they believe is most popular.

As for Marian Finucane and that topic, perhaps she is a very good at remaining impartial but she did lose her daughter at a very young age due to leukaemia so you wouldn't know how she felt about that particular referendum no matter what she said in public.

As for dArcy, the only positive is the man is so ill-informed about almost everything whenever he tries to get into a heated debate about something he feels strongly about he is generally made look like the fool he is no matter who is up against. You could have some absolute off the wall idiot far right KKK member in discussing their beliefs with dAarcy and the conversation would still end with you believing Cletus Spuckler made a better and reasonable argument than Ray dArcy.

Nevin Parsnipp · 05-01-2020 08:41PM

AwaitYourReply wrote: »

Andy O'Mahony is around 85 years of age and in recent years had turned his attention to writing as far as I know. He would have been an important broadcaster who rubbed shoulders with Terry Wogan, Gay Byrne and Charles Mitchell back in the day. I gather that "The Sunday Show" ran from 1988 until 2000. He was old school broadcaster in the finest way and his diction was always crystal clear so; I would imagine he had lessons in elocution which was probably a requirement for broadcasters all those years ago.

If you would like to listen to Andy O'Mahony being interviewed by Miriam O'Callaghan on RTÉ Radio 1 dated 30/10/2016 on the show: Sunday with Miriam, please feel free to Copy & Paste the below web link into your browser's address bar.
https://www.rte.ie/radio/radioplayer/html5/#/radio1/21080114
(alternative link below of same show content)
https://www.mixcloud.com/rt%C3%A9radioplayermostpopularpodca/sunday-with-miriam-andy-omahony/

https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/creating-space-the-education-of-a-broadcaster-by-andy-o-mahony-1.2949509

The below title is Andy O'Mahony's memoir

"Creating Space: The Education of a Broadcaster" ISBN 978-1-908308-93-1 (Liffey Press, 2016)

Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_O%27Mahony

What is an "Old school broadcaster " ?

Nevin Parsnipp · 05-01-2020 08:44PM

ednwireland wrote: »

rip and all that , but i must have listened to a different Marion finucane show ove rthe past few years to all the talking heads recently, it was well past its sell by date as are most of the rte presenters

If it was "well past it's sell by date" how come it had a very big listnership...especially for a week end talk show ?

Higgins5473 · 05-01-2020 08:52PM

Nevin Parsnipp wrote: »

If it was "well past it's sell by date" how come it had a very big listnership...especially for a week end talk show ?

Time slot and traditional listenership. Click back into this particular post when the next batch of latest figures come out. I can guarantee you they will not differ much, as would be the case if she had not been offered a new contract or retired. Listeners did not just tune in for Finucane, like Duffy she’s off most of the time but the same amount of listeners tune in. Only difference being Marian Finucane actually had some talent as opposed to Joe Duffy.

Marian Finucane RIP Mod warning #46

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