THE LATE journalist and broadcaster Cathal O’Shannon had asked for a small, simple funeral but, in keeping with the man, it was a little bit more than that.
Friends from stage, screen and newspapers turned out at Glasnevin crematorium chapel yesterday for the funeral service of a man who distinguished himself in the print and broadcasting media over several decades.
O’Shannon died last week at the age of 83 after a long illness.
A portrait commissioned by his late wife Patsy on the occasion of his 70th birthday was placed on the altar of the chapel at the crematorium.
The portrait depicted two of the most salient events in his life: his time as a young man in the RAF and his famous interview with boxer Muhammad Ali.
His friend John McColgan told the congregation that O’Shannon’s last years without his wife were “incredibly lonely and depressed”.
Mr McColgan, the producer behind Riverdancewho met O'Shannon while working in RTÉ, praised the efforts of Paul Cusack, who delivered the eulogy yesterday.
RTÉ producer Mr Cusack, who is the son of actor Cyril Cusack, was there for O’Shannon in his final years and looked after him, Mr McColgan said to applause from the congregation.
In his eulogy, Mr Cusack said O'Shannon wrote with "care and precision" and had a great love of the English language which he demonstrated best in his dispatches for The Irish Timesfrom the Congo, where Irish peacekeepers were stationed.
That “precision and clarity” he demonstrated in print were later brought to his broadcasting career.
Mr Cusack reminded the congregation that Terry Wogan had described O’Shannon as probably the greatest television journalist Ireland had ever produced.
He had the “most envied of broadcaster’s gifts – a seductive voice”, Mr Cusack said.
As an interviewer, he was “exceptional” and nothing intimidated him. He was also a “wonderful friend” and an excellent storyteller, Mr Cusack said.
Fr Dermod McCarthy, the former head of religious programming at RTÉ, said O’Shannon had lived life to the full.
“His natural curiosity fuelled his inquiring mind and brought fun and smiles into every company,” he said.
He would have loved the opportunity to have been involved in interviewing the seven presidential candidates, he added.
Among those who attended the funeral were Press Ombudsman Prof John Horgan; Eoin McVey of The Irish Timeseditor's office representing the Irish Times; director general of RTÉ Noel Curran; the managing director of RTÉ Radio, Clare Duignan; Gay Byrne and his wife Kathleen; Bill O'Herlihy; Tom McGurk; former chief justice John Murray; former film censor John Kelleher; actor John Kavanagh; actor Ingrid Craigie, who read a prayer; and aide-de-camp Comdt Michael Treacy, on behalf of the Taoiseach.
