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TRIBUTES HAVE CONTINUED to pour in today for Marian Finucane, who has died at the age of 69.
The veteran broadcaster was a regular fixture on our airwaves over the last five decades, most recently hosting the prime weekend slot on RTÉ Radio One.
Former president Mary Robinson today called Finucane a “trailblazer” who leaves a “great legacy” behind her.
One of her first landmark shows was Women Today, which started in May 1979, and gave a voice to women and helped to popularise the call-in format that central to shows like Liveline today.
Here are just a few of her most memorable moments across her broadcasting career.
Late Late Show, 1980
A report submitted to the RTÉ Authority had said that Marian Finucane would never get to host the Late Late Show.
In an appearance on the show – which was dedicated to women in the media – in 1980, Gay Byrne offered Finucane his seat.
Sat next to writer and activist Nell McCafferty, the latter quipped: ““At last, free at last, thank God we’re free at last.”
Nuala O’Faolain interview
One of the most striking interviews Finucane ever did was with her longtime friend Nuala O’Faolain.
The author had just received a terminal cancer diagnosis. She died less than a month after this interview took place in May 2008.
“The certainty we all have in this life is that we will die,” Finucane began the segment before explaining O’Faolain’s diagnosis.
O’Faolain then described how she had refused chemotherapy which could have prolonged her life.
“I was just reading about some best-selling man who says ‘Live your dream to the end’ and I don’t despise anyone who does, but I don’t see it that way,” she said. “Even if I gained time through chemotherapy, it isn’t time I want. Because as soon as I knew I was going to die soon, the goodness went out of life.”
Late Late Show, 1991
On a panel of women discussing women’s rights and progress made in that regard on International Women’s Day in 1991, Finucane reflected on what had been achieved.
And, while progress had indeed been made, some areas had been found wanting according to the broadcaster.
“In the matter of the Church, what can I say, Nell puts these things so eloquently,” she said.
“[There was] a kid in a class. And the priest came in. The teacher swears this was an original from the child. The priest came in and was asking her how many sacraments there were. She said ‘six for girls and seven for boys’.
Essentially, there’s a crowd of blokes sitting around in lovely surroundings and smashing gear and saying ‘no, we better keep it to ourselves and they’re not up to it’. Nothing has changed there.
Coming to the negatives, the thunderingly awful thing that I looked up today is the average industrial wage for a man is in the region of £258 and the average industrial wage for a woman is £140-odd. Progress?
Sean Fitzpatrick interview
In October 2008, Finucane had former Anglo chairman Sean Fitzpatrick appear on the show.
This came right after the Irish government issued the bank guarantee.
“Where were you on Monday night?” she began. When they discussed that Anglo’s shares had nosedived earlier that day, she asked “any indigestion?”. She also asked if he’d seen “Armageddon coming”.
What followed was an almost half-hour long probing interview where Fitzpatrick denied Anglo had been reckless in its lending practices.
“The cause of our problems are global,” he said. “So I can’t say sorry with any degree of sincerity and decency. But I can say thank you.”
Tom Lyons / TwitterThere is a fair argument that Marian Finucane's 2008 interview with Sean FitzPatrick was the interview of the financial crash. She was by no means a banking expert but it was incredibly telling and revealing.
— Tom Lyons (@TomLyonsBiz) January 2, 2020
Iodine tablets
In a jaw-dropping interview with Junior Minister Joe Jacob about what Ireland’s nuclear disaster procedures looked like, Finucane was baffled as to where the Irish public would get their iodine tablets that the government had promised from.
After the September 2001 terror attacks, the World Health Organisation had advised countries to prepare their own emergency responses.
A researcher for Finucane’s show rang around government departments to see who was in charge of that before the Department of Enterprise put Jacob forward.
What followed was an astonishing piece of radio.
At one segment, Jacob referred to Ireland as a “small nuclear country”.
Finucane interjected: “A small neutral country?”
Jacob responded: “Yes, Marian. I have nuclear on the brain after our long conversation.”
The interview even got its own episode of Scannal!
Occupying Stephen’s Green
Before Finucane became a household name, one of her notable appearances on TV – which got its own slot on Reeling in the Years – is when she took part in a student occupation of 45 Stephen’s Green in 1970.
“Why are you spending Christmas week cleaning door posts in Stephen’s Green?” the interview asked.
“Because I feel it’s part of my responsibility to make sure this building isn’t demolished,” she said.
The architecture student added she felt she had a responsibility to the people of the capital as a Dubliner herself.
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When you want to listen to the Radio it’s all, to me about the sound of the broadcasters voice as well as what they say.
From Gay Byrne, Terry Wogan, Larry Gogan who is still a pleasure to listen to
Marianne had the voice and used it very wisely
God Bless
@Patrick O’malley: well said
@Patrick O’malley: unlike Duffy and D’Arcy, God bless them!
@Desmond Lyons: Duffy was/is a poor substitute for Marian on liveline. She was much better than him with people on the more sensitive subjects.
Such a well read broadcaster on any topic she dealt with. She always remained neutral and was never judgmental. I admire the way she kept her private life private. A true professional. It was never about her it was always about the subject. Very slim pickings in RTE for this calibre of journalist left. RIP Marian.
@2thFairy: Sean O’Rourke is easily on a par quality-wise. He the best available now – listen again to his interview with Maria Bailey.
Joe Duffy, Ray D’Arcy and Brendan … from Cork are very tabloid. Brendan can barely speak English. They shouldn’t be on RTE Radio 1.
Of all the interviews she did, for me the most memorable was with her dear friend Nuala O’Faolain and I remember Nuala saying how the impact of her diagnosis had taken all the joy out of her life. These words were to revisit me four years ago this weekend when my lovely Mam passed away from pancreatic cancer and I perfectly understood what Nuala meant and the simplicity of describing the greatest loss. Marian’s loss is immeasurable, not just to her radio family,may she be at peace, such a lovely lady.
@Honeybee: that was an incredibly moving interview.
The weekends will never be the same again – another voice to the past gone – RIP Marian Finucane.
I rarely comment on this eclectic forum. Just want to give a thumbs up to RTE, the ‘ public service’ which it provided for me over the decades. I found my voice, a friend, but my values deepened, in a time when there was no twit’r world , just by listening to her and the many other women….and men (Ger and Gay RIP) who shook us out of a disturbing and century/ies old malaise. It led me to read great books, articles and I have to respond to Justine McCarthy . She was SUPERB this morning on Radio 1. I could visualise the pair of them (and Duncan). A wonderful tribute, Justine.
Deepest sympathies to her loved ones, her RTE colleagues, S.Africa and all those who will find Saturdays and Sundays lesser days now, despite them being weekend days…. will miss her terribly. A rebel.
I walk every day always listening to podcasts of her shows. I encourage everyone to do the same and enjoy her interviews. Nothing comes close. I shall miss her and the country is poorer for her passing.
I will always remember her for the car crash interview with Joe Jacob.
Marian had the skill to get the best and worst out of the people she interviewed.
@ianglen: That was a classic. Jacob was completely out of his depth.
Saturday and especially Sunday morning walks with the dog won’t ever be the same again,Rest in peace Marian you will be missed .
Why did she not do the late late show… Ryan tub is terrible but I am glad he works and contributes to tax…..
I was lucky enough to be in the audience of the 1980 Late Late Show where Marion took the helm. 1980 Ireland was a very different place especially for women. We owe a debt of gratitude to Marion and her colleagues who bravely challenged the Patriarchy everyday and helped make Ireland a much better place. She will be sadly missed on our airways.
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