RTÉ broadcaster Gerry Ryan has been laid to rest today. Family, friends and members of the entertainment and media worlds packed the Church of St John the Baptist in Clontarf to pay their last respects.
Gerry was born in Dublin. He studied law at University College Dublin and went to work as an apprentice solicitor. During his time at college he worked in pirate and community radio and decided law was not for him.
Having started his broadcasting career as a rock and pop music DJ on pirate radio in Dublin, he graduated to RTÉ Radio 2 where he shared a late night slot with Dave Fanning and Mark Cagney. His talent for talk radio led to his appointment to RTÉ 2fm's mid morning programme where he has established himself as a household name and Ireland's premier 'shock jock' for nearly 20 years.
Gerry was one of Ireland's top broadcasters on primetime television and radio. Gerry hosted Ireland's leading daytime radio show, ‘The Gerry Ryan Show’, on RTÉ 2fm which attracted over 305,000 listeners and was part of everyday life for many Irish people.
On television, Gerry appeared as host of numerous light-entertainment shows on RTÉ and has just recently started a new series of ‘Ryan Confidential’, his own unique late-night chat show where he spoke one-on-one with some of the world’s most famous people from the areas of sport, politics and entertainment. Gerry also presented one of RTÉ’s very successful shows, ‘Operation Transformation’. He is survived by his five children and his wife, Morah, from whom he was separated.
Producer of 'Ryan Confidential', Blueprint Pictures' David Blake Knox tells IFTN "Gerry was an immensely talented and original broadcaster. He was also a devoted father and a loyal friend. He was a vital presence with a fantastic appetite for life and it's hard to believe that that voice has been silenced."
Tributes have been paid to Gerry's life and work by friends and colleagues; Tom Savage, Chairperson in RTÉ commented: “When someone comes to write the history of RTE and of broadcasting at the end of the 20th and the beginning of the 21st centuries, they will have to devote a special analytical section to the phenomenon that was Gerry Ryan because he was - in fact - a phenomenon and an icon in the evolution of Irish broadcasting.”
Similarly Cathal Goan, Director General in RTÉ stated: “This is a moment of inexpressible grief. We have lost a broadcasting colleague whose presence, voice and work defined a broadcasting genre in Ireland and defined a generation. Those who had the privilege of working with him will have a sense of bewilderment at the suddenness of his leaving us, and an abiding affection for a broadcaster who was a one-off.”
Clare Duignan, Managing Director of RTÉ Radio said of the broadcatser's passing: “It is with immense shock that I learned earlier of the death of Gerry Ryan. Gerry was not only one of Ireland’s finest broadcasters, he was a beloved friend and colleague to so many in RTÉ Radio and Television. Our thoughts at this time are with Gerry’s family, his children and his friends. Gerry was at the heart of RTÉ for over 20 years – he was a highly entertaining larger-than-life broadcaster and colleague. He is truly, truly irreplaceable.”
Mary Hanafin T.D., the Minister for Tourism Culture and Sport today said she was deeply saddened to learn of the death of broadcaster Gerry Ryan. “Gerry’s talent was unique for his ability to engage his audience with subject matters that sometimes shocked but always entertained." She said "He stretched and extended boundaries of radio broadcasting in Ireland.
"His comfortable personal style with interviewees, both on radio and TV, ensured intimate dialogue was brought into the homes of a nation. Gerry’s affable personality was legendary and he was much loved, respected and admired by all of his colleagues over the years and his passing is a great loss to his family, close friends and all of those who were touched by his style and brand of broadcasting.”
