Sean O'Rourke

Sean O'Rourke (born 22 May 1955) is an Irish journalist and broadcaster who works for the Irish public broadcaster, RTÉ. From September 2013 until his retirement in May 2020, he presented the Today with Seán O'Rourke show every weekday from 10:00am until midday on RTÉ Radio 1.

Sean O'Rourke
Born (1955-05-22) 22 May 1955
Portlaoise, County Laois, Ireland
NationalityIrish
Alma materUniversity College Galway
Occupation(s)Journalist, broadcaster
EmployerRTÉ
Notable credit(s)RTÉ News at One
The Week in Politics
SpouseCaroline Murphy
Children6

Career

An arts graduate from University College Galway, O'Rourke has previously worked for the Connacht Tribune, The Sunday Press and The Irish Press.

In 1989 he joined RTÉ News. For RTÉ he has presented Morning Ireland and This Week. In 1995 he moved to the News at One.

On television he has presented Today Tonight, Prime Time and The Week in Politics.[1]

From 2013 to May 2020 he presented the popular weekday radio programme, Today with, as Today with Sean O'Rourke, being succeeded by Sarah McInerney and then Claire Byrne in that role.

In August 2020, O'Rourke apologised for his involvement in the Oireachtas Golf Society scandal.[2] RTÉ announced that planned projects involving O'Rourke would not proceed.[3][4]

Awards

O'Rourke has won ESB National Media Awards: Radio Broadcaster of the Year 1997, NUI Galway Alumni Award for Arts, Media & Communications 2007 and 2008 PPI News Broadcaster of the Year.[5] In June 2011 he was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Laws by his alma mater, NUI Galway.[6]

Personal life

O'Rourke was born in Portlaoise, one of eight children of local school principal and hurling enthusiast Kevin O’Rourke.[7] The family later moved to Galway, where he was educated at Coláiste Iognáid.[8] He is married to Caroline Murphy and has six children, one of whom is a human rights lawyer, Maeve O'Rourke.[9] He is a practising Catholic.[10]

As of 2013, he was chair of NUI Galway's alumni association.[11]

References
  1. "RTÉ News at One Profile: Sean O'Rourke". RTÉ. 2009. Retrieved 10 June 2009.
  2. Doyle, Kevin (21 August 2020). "The event, the guests, the garda investigation – everything we know so far about the golf dinner that cost Dara Calleary his job". Irish Independent. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  3. "RTÉ confirms plans for Sean O'Rourke projects will not proceed". RTÉ News and Current Affairs. 24 August 2020. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  4. "'Clifden changed the landscape': RTÉ Radio 1 controller on why SOR's return was ditched". The Journal. 26 August 2019. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  5. "PPI Radio Awards 2008". PPI Radio Awards. 2008. Retrieved 10 June 2009.
  6. "NUI Galway Honours Four Outstanding Individuals with Honorary Degrees". National University of Ireland, Galway. 2011. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  7. "Laois Nationalist — Laois man takes top radio spot". Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  8. "the JES - 150 years of the Jesuits in Galway" (PDF). Coláiste Iognáid.
  9. "I don't like admitting this, but I was starting to question my enthusiasm". Irish Examiner. 2 September 2018. Archived from the original on 4 September 2018. One of the highlights of the summer was going to my daughter Maeve's conferring
  10. "This much I know: Seán O'Rourke, Broadcaster". Irish Examiner. 13 February 2015. Archived from the original on 4 June 2015. I'm a practicing Catholic. I feel I need to practice a lot more because I'm a long way from being perfect.
  11. "Sean O'Rourke, Chair of NUI Galway Alumni Association". 30 July 2013.
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