Joe Duffy bid farewell to Liveline on RTÉ Radio 1, surrounded by friends, supporters, and listeners, last week, and already there’s much speculation that he’s going to run for the Presidency.
He hasn’t directly confirmed or denied it, but more and more people say that he’s going to run for the Aras and will get the backing of a number of front row politicians.
Broadcasting live from Studio One at the RTÉ Radio Centre for what he called “the hullabaloo”, Duffy was joined on air by Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Callan’s Kicks, Paul Harrington, Brush Shiels, June Rodgers, Claudia Boyle, Declan O’Rourke, The Dublin Fire Brigade Pipe Band, The Camembert Quartet, and other special guests.
A tribute message from President Michael D Higgins was shared on air by Shay Byrne, a fellow RTÉ Radio 1 broadcaster, honouring Duffy’s years of dedication to Irish radio, reports RTE.
President Higgins praised Joe Duffy for “so many years of dedicated service” and expressed “the warmest of thanks on behalf of the Irish people for your remarkable contribution to public life”.
“One that you have shaped with empathy, insight, and an unwavering commitment to the voices of ordinary people,” he wrote, reports RTE.
He went on to commend the presenter’s “lifelong commitment to justice, equality, and public service”.
“Since you first presented Liveline in 1998, the programme has served not merely as a radio programme but as a civic space; a forum for the voicing of concerns, active public engagement, democratic dialogue, and the expression of that rich and complex tapestry which constitutes Irish society,” President Higgins continued, reports RTE.
“Your stewardship of that space, with your distinctive blend of compassion, curiosity, and courage, has been both passionate and principled, marked by a rare empathy, making an enduring contribution to our public discourse,” reports RTE.
President Higgins and his wife Sabina extended their well wishes for the future.
“May this new chapter bring you the same richness of engagement and meaning that you have given to so many throughout your long and remarkable career,” r r
Read more: How Joe Duffy changed Irish radio forever
Taoiseach Micheál Martin called Duffy “the voice of the people”.
“You are authentic. You gave the people a platform,” he continued as he joined the programme on air, reports RTE.
“I think you never left your roots. Your working-class background stood to you. The values that your parents and family gave to you, I think, were the reason why you were unique. You had a unique capacity to mediate between the people and authority and allow them to tell their stories,” reports RTE.
“On a personal level, we’ve known you going back to my student days, where you taught me a few things when I was a student activist,” reports RTE.
“You forgot them quick enough, Mick!” quipped the man of the hour.
“I learned a lot from you,” An Taoiseach continued after the laughter had subsided.
“And later on in life, in west Cork and elsewhere, our paths crossed… Your personal acts of kindness have always been quite extraordinary and something that has touched our family quite a lot. And I just wanted to say that to you, because I think it’s your kindness and your compassion that rings true on the radio but also in personal life – that’s the kind of person you are,” reports RTE.
“You kept us all on our toes over the years,” Mr Martin recalled. “And I can remember many a civil servant coming running into me in the afternoon, saying: ‘Liveline’s gone mad! It’s after going on fire! We’ve got to do this, that, or the other!’
“But one difference between you and social media, if I may say: you had balance on every show. Somebody else got to give the other side of the story, or at least you gave them the opportunity,” reports RTE.
“Look, you were just a wonderful platform for people. Survivors of institutions, people who may not often get the opportunity, who didn’t have PR people or anything like that. They just picked up the phone, they rang you, and you guided them through to tell their story. People will be forever in your debt,” reports RTE.
“As I am to them,” replied the host, wishing An Taoiseach, “your colleagues and your family good health and godspeed in this very, very difficult world that we live in at the moment”.
In a fitting close to the show, Paul Harrington and The Camembert Quartet performed the Jimmy Webb hit “Wichita Lineman”, reports RTE.
Before signing off, Joe Duffy told listeners: “Liveline goes on on Monday with PBH – Philip Boucher-Hayes is there on Monday.”
He concluded: “Love you all, it’s been a privilege,” reports RTE.
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