RTÉ head of religious programmes to retire

Fr Dermod McCarthy, editor of religious programmes at RTÉ, is to retire on June 22nd after serving 16 years in the post.

Previously he was part of the distinguished team which produced the ground-breaking Radharcseries of religious-themed programmes for RTÉ, from 1965.

From 1982 he served at Dublin's Pro-Cathedral, where he was administrator when appointed to his current post at RTÉ in 1991.

From Ballinamore, Co Leitrim, Fr McCarthy attended secondary school at Mount St Joseph near Roscrea, from where the Pentecost Mass was broadcast by Eurovision yesterday. Speaking about the event last night, Fr McCarthy marvelled at the talent of participants. "There's a great wealth of artistic and musical expertise in church and cathedral choirs all over Ireland and we don't appreciate them enough," he said.

The greatest challenge facing religious programming in Ireland currently is that of reflecting the growing plurality of religions here, he said. Towards that end, the broadcast of Orthodox and Buddhist services would take place in July. Highlights of his time at RTÉ were the funeral of Pope John Paul; the installation of Pope Benedict; and the funeral of Mother Teresa in 1997 "when we also began planning for Pope John Paul's funeral", he said.