Gerry Ryan (4 June 1956 – 30 April 2010)
Gerry Ryan, one of Ireland’s great entertainers and Radio/TV show host died today at the age of 53.
Great shame that, he was always a great cynical voice in Irish affairs and I’ll definitely miss hearing the odd show on the radio from him. From a news article on him by The Guardian:
Often controversial, Ryan was part of a new wave of young radio and television stars that emerged in the 1980s. As well as his popular radio programme, he presented television programmes including Ryan Confidential, Gerry Ryan Tonight, Ryantown, Gerry Ryan’s Hitlist and Operation Transformation.
He co-presented the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest from Dublin’s The Point theatre and replaced Pat Kenny for an edition of the Late Late Show in 2008. He published his autobiography, Would the Real Gerry Ryan Please Stand Up, in 2008.
Ireland’s most famous broadcaster, Gay Byrne, paid tribute to Ryan, describing him as an “unconstrained spirit” who lived life to the full. He said Ryan was a “terrific friend, a terrific drinker and a terrific guy to be with. He was tremendously arrogant in his views and opinions and he was very funny about it at the same time. You couldn’t possibly take offence. Continue reading
Joyful Grumbling 