ELLA SHANAHAN:ELLA SHANAHAN, who has died aged 60, was one of the pioneering women in print and broadcast journalism in the 1970s.
A former London editor of The Irish Times,she was also Ireland's first female agriculture correspondent, one of the first female presenters on RTÉ Radio's News at Oneand a leading journalist of her generation.
Her farming background, precocious talent, extensive contacts, sociability and all-round ability led to a 35-year career in newspapers and broadcasting, both as a correspondent and editor, subsequently working in PR before returning to print journalism.
The eldest of four children of Mary and Gerard Shanahan, she grew up on the dairy farm run by her mother at Killoteran, Co Waterford, taking an active part in the milking, calving and general running of the farm. Her father worked for the ESB. The family later moved for a time to Coolfin, Portlaw, to run her father’s family’s beef and tillage farm, which her brother Michael, an organic farmer, continues to operate.
She was educated at Butlerstown National School, Co Waterford, and the Ursuline Convent in Waterford. In fifth year she got a summer job in the Waterford News Star. She wrote a weekly column during her sixth year in school, wearing a trench coat and scarf to cover her school uniform and putting on make-up to go around the city to collect items for her column.
While her parents envisaged her going to college to study law she started working full-time at the paper as a reporter on completion of her Leaving Certificate.
She later worked for the then Cork Examinerand Cork local radio. In 1972 she became part of a dynamic team of journalists who had joined The Irish Times, under editor Douglas Gageby and news editor Donal Foley. She worked initially as a news reporter before moving to RTÉ in 1974 where she was a presenter on the News at One.She rejoined The Irish Timesin 1977 and a year later was appointed Ireland's first female agriculture correspondent.
A highly effective networker, she built up contacts with leading agricultural organisations and politicians. She broke a number of exclusive stories in agriculture.
In all she spent 27 years with The Irish Timesas agriculture correspondent and political reporter, and then London editor from 1988 onwards. She covered the Anglo-Irish story, the last years of Margaret Thatcher's tenure as prime minister, the British Midland Kegworth disaster, the Hillsborough stadium disaster and the release of the Birmingham Six and the Guildford Four.
On her return to Dublin she worked as deputy editor, and later as editor, of the newspaper's Education and Livingsupplement before her appointment in 2000 as agribusiness correspondent. As editor of the supplement, she devoted much time to nurturing and mentoring young journalists starting out in their careers, offering advice and work, and encouraging their ambitions even if outside journalism.
She left the paper in 2002, setting up her own PR company, initially doing consultancy work for farming and food organisations and the co-operative movement before working with Walsh PR.
A social butterfly, outgoing, gregarious, witty and in demand, she was a great cook and loved food, wine and entertaining. She was famous for the dinners and parties she hosted with her partner of 27 years, Breandán Ó Cíobháin, an RTÉ producer, events that often lasted all night and included an eclectic range of guests from all strata of Irish society – politicians, writers, journalists, actors, farmers, campaigners and barflies.
The Progressive Democrats asked her to run for them in the 1980s when they were established but she declined.
She was a dog lover and after being introduced to the keeshond breed, a huskie-like dog, by a colleague from RTÉ she always had at least one.
Two years ago she retired to Waterford to be close to her mother, who died in April aged 96. She was also pre-deceased by her partner, Breandán.
She is survived by her sister, Frances, who works in RTÉ, her brothers Michael and Eddie, and five nieces.
Ella Shanahan: born September 26th, 1950; died July 28th, 2011.