Gerald Barry Dies After Long Illness

The journalist and broadcaster, Gerald Barry, has died in a Dublin hospital as a result of a long illness.

Mr Barry, who was 63 and had been ill for some time, was former editor and presenter of RTÉ's This Week programme for many years and held a number of distinguished positions in the media industry throughout an extensive career.

Ireland's political leaders have led in the tributes to Mr Barry, the new Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore saying he had learned of the death with great sadness.

"Gerry Barry was one of the outstanding journalists of recent decades with a formidable record in both the print and the broadcast media.

"He will be remembered with particular respect for his role as Editor and presenter of the This Week. He conducted many memorable interviews on This Week and, under his stewardship, the programme was always essential listening for anyone involved in politics or simply interested in news and current affairs."

Mr Gilmore said he had been interviewed by Gerry many times and had found him "scrupulously fair".

Fianna Fail leader Michael Martin joined the tributes saying Mr Barry was a "talented broadcaster and journalist" and that he was greatly saddened to hear of his passing.

"Gerald Barry was one of those who first inspired my interest in politics. His interviews were always insightful and informative and he succeeded in drawing the best from his subjects. In making information accessible and his interviews so engaging, Gerald made a very significant contribution to Irish public life."

Mr Martin said he also had been interviewed by Gerald while a TD and as a Minister many times.

"He was always tough, but always fair", Mr Martin said.

Mr Barry began his career in journalism with RTÉ News in the early 1970s and specialised in politics and economics.

His career included highlights such as reports on the Falklands war for RTÉ and he was the interviewer when then Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald launched his 'Constitutional Crusade' for a more liberal society.

(DW/KMcA)