The death has been announced of journalist Arthur Quinlan, who was 92.
He died yesterday evening in Limerick.
Mr Quinlan, who was from Dublin but raised in Clare, began working as a freelance journalist for The Irish Times in 1945. He also worked for RTÉ in the 1960s and 1970s.
Irish secretary of the National Union of Journalists, Seamus Dooley, said that with the death of Mr Quinlan, the union had lost "a loyal, committed and distinguished member".
"Arthur was a member of honour of the union, the highest accolade awarded by the NUJ. He served as chairman of the Irish South West branch and was especially committed to the welfare of members," Mr Dooley said.
"He was a kind and generous colleague, full of stories and blessed with a wonderful sense of fun. Arthur was a passionate advocate for the development of the Mid West region, especially Shannon Airport, and as a national correspondent was recognised as 'Mr Limerick'."
Mr Quinlan was affectionately known by many of his colleagues in Limerick as ‘Uncle Arthur’ and once said: “I interviewed many royals including the Duke Of Edinburgh , Princess Margaret , King Michael of Romania and his mother, Queen Maria , King Peter of Yugoslavia , King Zog of Albania , King Ibn Saud , founder of Saudi Arabia , Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia , Queen Wilhelmina and Queen Juliana of Holland and that lovely couple Prince Rainier and his wife, the former Grace Kelly.”
Mr Quinlan reportedly taught Fidel Castro how to make an Irish coffee and also interviewed Che Guevara .
He is pre-deceased by his wife Vera, former president of Lahinch Golf Club, who died last April. The couple who lived at Rocklawn, North Circular Road in Limerick, are survived by their children Tom, Ann and Joyce.