Hacks roll out yarns and reel in years for NUJ's great survivors

IT WAS like a live version of Reeling in the Years at the GAA Museum last night when the Dublin branch of the NUJ hosted a reception for a distinguished group of journalists who qualified for life membership, having survived more than 40 years in the profession.

Dr John Bowman sent apologies, which was a pity since he would have picked up some choice historical nuggets from his fellow lifers.

Olivia O’Leary recalled that when she joined RTÉ in 1972, management tried to short-change her by insisting her starting salary should be two-thirds that of her male colleagues. The new girl complained to Cían Ó hEigartaigh, father of the newsroom chapel, who called a meeting to discuss taking industrial action.

In the meantime, O’Leary’s boss, Kevin O’Kelly, had had a quiet word with the director general and RTÉ caved in. “I never forgot it to him or to Cían but I know Cían felt we should have walked out anyway – just to show ’em!”, O’Leary said.

Brendan Keenan of the Irish Independentrecalled early days in the Belfast Telegraphwhen the NUJ lodged a claim for "danger money" for covering riots. Management responded by issuing armoured "deerstalkers". This provoked outrage among the chapel officers, who pointed out they were likely to be attacked by both sides for wearing the hats "and possibly by soldiers and peelers as well". A compromise was found when the workers settled for sunshine holiday vouchers.

Geraldine Kennedy, former madam editor at The Irish Times, spoke of her unique distinction at being allowed to pass an official picket in RTÉ so that she could defend her professional reputation and press freedom after it was revealed that her phone and that of Bruce Arnold had been tapped on the orders of CJ Haughey and Seán Doherty. The NUJ decided that Doherty should not be given free rein, so Kennedy found herself being interviewed by newsroom management.

One man who would have enjoyed the yarn swapping was Seán Kilfeather, late of this parish. GAA president Christy Cooney was presented with Kilfeather’s portrait, which will hang in the Croke Park media centre.

The former GAA correspondent was a great raconteur and close personal friend of the late Kader Asmal. When the former Trinity professor returned to Ireland as South African minister for water, his old drinking buddy greeted him with the immortal words: “Jesus Christ Kader, Minister for Water? It’s not like you were ever fond of the stuff.”

Kader, a connoisseur of Irish whiskey, appreciated the joke.