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GAY BYRNE HAS told listeners of his Lyric FM show that he may have been diagnosed with cancer.
Speaking at the end of his Sunday afternoon programme today, the legendary broadcaster told fellow presenter Evelyn Grant:
“I shall not be with our listeners on this day next week… Have to go to hospital… We’re going to hospital as they think they may have discovered a bit of cancer in the prostate and they’re afraid that it may have moved up into the small of the back.”
He confirmed he is due to undergo further tests.
The 82-year-old continued, “I’ve had the most wonderful, fantastic, robust, good health all my broadcasting life. It’s my turn now. Many, many people much worse off. Thank you for your good wishes.”
In a statement, RTÉ wished Byrne well.
“All Gay’s friends and colleagues in RTÉ wish him a speedy recovery and look forward to welcoming him back in the coming weeks,” the national broadcaster said.
After decades of hosting the Late Late Show, Byrne left the Friday night stage in 1999. He continues to appear on television for his popular long-form interview show The Meaning of Life and presents the two-hour Sunday with Gay Byrne programme on RTÉ Lyric FM.
Byrne attended the Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards on Wednesday night where his wife Kathleen Watkins won the Children’s Book of the Year Award.
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Hearing things like this, I’m relieved to live in Ireland.
@Rob O’Brien: how many Muslims live in Ireland and what percentage of the community does this represent?
@Rob O’Brien: langer
@Rob O’Brien: the assertion of exponential growth is a false fact. It is untrue, incorrect, misleading and without foundation.
@Paddy Reid: I saw a few Muslims on the South Circular Road. It was just after a Mosque meeting. All seemed pleasant, cheerful and law abiding.
1.07%. Yes, definitely an invasion.
I understand from parents that a child has to be converted to a Muslim to get a place in school.
All the pubs and restaurants in Dublin no longer serve alcohol and Sharia law has been declared by the Dail.
Overrun we are. My employer has asked me to change my named to a Muslim name to keep my job and the Constitution has been changed to make Islam the official religion of Ireland.
@Tony Daly: and I hear shavers are banned. Kalashnikovs are OK though.
The problem is that probably 35% of that 1% think Ireland should be under Sharia. Also that probably over 80% think that Gods law is above national laws. 100% will want more Muslims in Ireland. I grew up with Muslims, Jews and Hindus. The only one that wants to take over for their God is..? We’ve only just got rid of the Vatican’s Taleban, we don’t need the professional version to replace it. 1% is indeed an invasion.
@Patrick J. O’Rourke: can you cite your source for those percentages or are you just pulling those numbers out of your hole. My guess is the latter.
@Patrick J. O’Rourke: Where did you pull those number from?
Somebody needs to get the Internet to that part of the world.
That famous religion of peace at work again.
@Evert Bopp: indeed we funf fundamentalists everywhere, some born again Christians, including in the US, extremist evangelical Christians, Roman Catholic Fundamentalists, fundamentalist Muslims, fundamentalist extreme right wingers, as in the US.
We are afflicted by fundamentalists.
@Evert Bopp, you’re l on the record in your blog in the run up to our marriage equality referendum – “That’s why we should ask ourselves, is granting a tiny minority (gay people make up less than 3% of the population) their wishes worth the loss of civil liberties and freedom of speech for all of us?”. You’re no friend of the gay community, and no help when it comes to building bridges.
@Evert Bopp: this is nothing to do with religion. it’s is to do with power hungry, narsissistic, inhumane people who are a virus to society, who use the cloak of religion to control.
@Evert Bopp: haha that’s the pot calling the kettle black. I remember your deeply bigoted comments leading up to the marriage equality referendum.
@Tony Daly: Nice little list. Now point out to me which one of those groups is imprisoning and killing gays?
@Clever Jake: Blah, blah, blah, deflection.
I see your extremist individuals and I raise you a semi-religious ideology that tosses gay people from building.
@Dave Bruen: So stating mathematical facts is akin to killing people for their sexual orientation?
You need to calibrate your sense of reality.
@Carina Clarke: Have you actually read the article?
@Ger: Ah yes, because objecting to a redefinition of marriage is EXACTLY THE SAME as imprisoning and killing gay people.
Drama queen.
@Evert Bopp: I have read the article. I was replying to your comment. Not the article. Do try to keep up. How’s every in the IONA these days?
@Bopp How has marriage equality impacted upon your civil liberties and freedom of speech. Nothing to do with maths. You are a nasty person Evert, plain and simple. Don’t let anyone fool you otherwise.
@Carina Clarke: How should I know how everyone in IONA is and how is that relevant?
@Dave Bruen: Keep changing the subject Davy boy.
@Bopp, really Evert? I’m only playing your self admitted homophobic position back to you, not changing the subject at all. In the context of this article, I think that it’s relevant.
This is an example of the horror that Vladimir is letting his Chechen lackey perpetrate.
and look at Saudi. americas lackey
@David Cullen:
The difference is Chechnya is part of Russia, which is Vladimir’s country. Saudi Arabia, unlike Chechnya, is a sovereign state. Therefore, America has no control over Saudi Arabia.
@Ciarán Masterson: bullshit!!
There’s an ad played with the champions league that’s beginning to annoy me everytime it gets played. Ronaldo, Messi, bale and the rest come on with this “no to racism” message. Good, great. Fifa and Uefa are trying to exert a positive influence on social issues. But when you contrast that with the next world cups being in Russia and Qatar, and their attitudes to women and lgbt (not just societal either endorsed by their administrations), you have to question Fifa’s real bona fides on these issues. It’s money, we know, but at least be honest and do away with the cuddly racism ads.
Rant over.
You’re absolutely spot on.
Massive sports organisations are ostensibly pro-inclusivity until it comes down to the finances – morality can go out the window when Qatar/Russia come calling.
Islamic area being backwards why is anyone surprised by this?
Could be ture, definitely wouldn’t be surprised if it was, very hard for any media to get into the chechnya, Russia has such a strong hold there, and how would you’re man know if there’s no gay people there, that comment alone is would suggest it’s ture
@Cormac O’Neill: He probly couldnt get the shift last weekend, so reckons no gays…
Russia is obviously gagging for a new war in Chechnya. This is just the excuse to sell it to the west. We have stood by twice already and given them a free hand to destroy Chechnya, now at least we have an excellent excuse to sit on the fence
We all know, there’s no such thing as a gay muslim/Christian/jew etc. etc. and stop talking nonsense.
And they said hitler was bad. Not a patch on the husky ruskys.
Makes my blood run cold. ““If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face—for ever.”
have your say