Page 2 - Rt 201 News Today

For the umpteenth time this morning, Susan O’Neill trails off mid-sentence. “Sorry, the wind caught my eye,” she explains. “It was whirling across the river.” We’re sitting down to 11 o’clock tea at the Falls Hotel in Ennistymon, Co Clare.

A comparison of Ryan Tubridy’s final year and Patrick Kielty’s first year on The Late Late Show has given the first insight into how the two hosts compare, one year since Tubridy did his last show.

A major investigation into RTÉ’s finances has called for an urgent review of almost €4m worth of allowances paid to staff in addition to their salaries.

After waiting an excruciating amount of time for the damp squib special investigations into RTÉ to be completed, the Government is back at square one.

“I have warned the girls I will be turning up a lot when I am retired,” broadcaster Bryan Dobson says, referring to his two daughters, Sophie and Hannah. “They will be trying to pretend they are not in. ‘Don’t answer the door, dad is here — again!’”

Ireland’s Eurovision entrant Bambie Thug has promised they will “stand out” from the crowd ahead of the first semi-final on Tuesday.

Bryan Dobson will present his final programme on RTÉ Radio 1 today, as he retires after 37 years with the national broadcaster.

Gregory Campbell has claimed BBC’s coverage of the Northern Ireland centenary parades was “even exceeded” by RTÉ as he questioned the TV licence fee.

Ciaran Mullooly is in ebullient form on a canvass through Newbridge. He is naturally gregarious with voters, and his rich baritone voice of the midlands, familiar to generations of RTÉ viewers, booms above the traffic in the busy Kildare commuter town.

RTÉ’s Bryan Dobson is to retire from the broadcaster today after almost four decades as one of Ireland’s leading journalists and anchors.