Cinnlínte: Saol an Iriseora – a memoir of changing times

Cinnlínte: Saol an Iriseora

Author: Deaglán de Bréadún

ISBN-13: 978-1-907494-58-1

Publisher: Cois Life

Guideline Price: €12

Deaglán de Bréadún worked for many years as a reporter and correspondent with The Irish Times and is well-known and respected among those of us who read his articles over the years. In an introductory sketch in this life of a journalist, he tells us something of his Wexford childhood and the family's move to Dublin. He discloses that his career in journalism began when he edited and produced two editions of his own newspaper in Synge Street CBS but the demands of study at second and third level saw him place his early aspirations on the back burner until he managed to get some temporary work as a sub-editor in The Irish Times in the late 1970s.

This memoir outlines the shape of his journalistic career and events at home and abroad on which he reported. For those of his own vintage, Cinnlínte is a reminder of major news events and personalities. For readers of a younger generation, the book will be an easily digested account of news stories that have become history and a glimpse at the life of a accomplished journalist.

We are led gently through a parade of notable political characters that was de Bréadún’s obvious pleasure to encounter as he worked variously as Irish Editor, Northern Editor, Moscow Correspondent and Political Correspondent. He presents us with memories of Charles Haughey, Albert Reynolds and Brian Cowen, recalls reporting the situation of Kurdish refugees on the Iraqi border, interviewing Yasser Arafat in Gaza and meeting Mikhail Gorbachev and Boris Yeltsin in Moscow as the communist world fell apart.

Although he largely manages to conceal personal feelings, he was obviously deeply affected by his experience of the Kurdish refugee crisis in 1991 following the Gulf War and we can pick up on his sadness at the situation he found in Gaza when he interviewed PLO leader Yasser Arafat. Nevertheless, his efforts to be balanced, fair and courteous to all parties is evident in his even-handed reporting of domestic and international stories.

The years covered here, from 1980 to 2010, were years of momentous change in Irish society. From the Northern troubles to the peace process and consequent political agreements; the convulsions and bitterness of the abortion and divorce referendums; the forced resignations of political leaders; and regret at the political violence that he feels has delayed the possibility of a united Ireland. A closing chapter reflects on how official commemorations of the 1916 Easter Rising changed during his lifetime and how present concerns changed those commemorations.

The writing throughout is simple, clear and concise. A very occasional trumpet blow is acceptable in a journalistic memoir which avoids focusing on the journalist over what he writes about. We do get glimpses of the journalist chasing confirmation for his story, sometimes flagging important interviews to editors beforehand and sometimes keeping silent until the interview is in the bag. The author’s enjoyment of his work and his sympathy for most of the people he encountered are obvious.

He acknowledges how quickly the past becomes a foreign country and how today's younger generation find it almost impossible to imagine the conservatism that permeated Irish society shortly before they were born. Cinnlínte should go some of the way to help explain to them how some of those changes happened, and to remind older readers of personalities, events and quotations that made the news. 'Turkeys voting for Christmas' was always a favourite of mine and I was glad to be reminded of the 'wife-swapping sodomites'.

Cinnlínte: Saol an Iriseora is a reminder of Deaglán de Bréadún's ability to explain events clearly and accurately in easily understood English or Irish.

Cathal Póirtéir is a freelance writer and broadcaster, who worked as a producer and presenter with RTE Radio 1 and RTE Raidió na Gaeltachta for 30 years. His books include The Great Irish Famine and Glórtha ón Ghorta.