Joe Duffy has told how he had a heartbreaking Christmas as he attended nine funerals, including those of Marian Finucane and Larry Gogan.
The Liveline host also said there is a dark cloud looming within RTE Radio after the deaths of the popular presenters.
Joe said: “There is a sadness over Marian and a sadness over Larry and the residual from Gay [Byrne].
“I was texting Kathleen[Watkins, Gay’s wife] the other day, I think she hurt her foot, but isn’t she brilliant, isn’t she brilliant?”
Going on to open up about his own sadness, he revealed he has had a rough start to the New Year.
Joe added: “Ah yeah that is fine but the other complication, my Christmas was so sad because my mother-in-law died the day after Marian, my aunt died.
“So I think I went to nine funerals over Christmas.”
But looking ahead to 2020, the author of historic chronicle Children Of The Troubles said he is hoping to get his documentary on the BBC.
He added: “Well my book is still out there, and we are pitching it, like we made it and broadcast on RTE but we are pitching it to BBC so we are optimistic they are going to broadcast it because it is about the Troubles obviously.”
And the radio presenter, who celebrated his 64th birthday earlier this week, went on to joke about facing the RTE retirement age.
Speaking at the red carpet of the The Lieutenant Of Inishmore this week, Joe jokingly told Dublin Live: “At least I didn’t get my marching orders from RTE.”
Laughing, he went on to quote The Beatles’ song When I’m 64, saying, “Don’t tell RTE I’m 64, will they still need me, still they feed me..” before clarifying the retirement policy won’t affect him because he isn’t staff.
