David Dunseith
Encyclopedia
David Dunseith was a Northern Irish journalist
and broadcaster
with BBC Northern Ireland
. He presented BBC Radio Ulster
's 'Talk Back' & 'Seven Days' programmes. His career has spanned the troubles covering the turbulent and tragic events of recent years from the Falls Curfew
in 1970 to the Omagh
atrocity in 1998. He has reported on all the Northern Ireland political initiatives from Sunningdale
to the Good Friday Agreement.
. Before pursuing a career in the media, he was a police officer, but moved to journalism in the 1970s. He worked for Ulster Television (U.T.V.), presenting many programmes, including UTV Reports and Counterpoint. During UTV's 50th birthday celebrations in November 2009, he co-presented an edition of UTV Live.
David Dunseith is perhaps best known for presenting BBC Radio Ulster
's Talk Back from 1989 to 2009 – he followed the late Barry Cowan as presenter – but his association with the programme went back even further than that. When it first went on the air in 1986, he was a weekly contributor with an ability to read from a script written on various pieces of scrap paper. He became its main presenter in 1989, going on to establish a huge reputation for straight-talking, no-nonsense, often merciless grilling of interviewees. In 2006 Talk Back won a silver Sony Radio Academy Award in the news and current affairs programme category. He presented the 20th anniversary edition of Talk Back on Friday 7 September 2006.
In August 2009, he ended over two decades of work on Talk Back when Radio Ulster reshuffled presenters on its news and current affairs programmes. On May 11 2011, Dunseith announced his retirement from Radio Ulster while presenting his final Seven Days
before his body was removed to Roselawn Crematorium.
.
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and broadcaster
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
with BBC Northern Ireland
BBC Northern Ireland
BBC Northern Ireland is the main public service broadcaster in Northern Ireland.The organisation is one of the three national regions of the BBC, together with BBC Scotland and BBC Wales. Based at Broadcasting House, Belfast, it provides television, radio, online and interactive television content...
. He presented BBC Radio Ulster
BBC Radio Ulster
BBC Radio Ulster is one of two Northern Irish BBC radio stations, the other being BBC Radio Foyle located in the city of Derry. BBC Radio Ulster is located at Broadcasting House in the Ormeau Avenue area of Belfast city centre...
's 'Talk Back' & 'Seven Days' programmes. His career has spanned the troubles covering the turbulent and tragic events of recent years from the Falls Curfew
Falls Curfew
The Falls Curfew was a British Army operation during 3–5 July 1970 in an area along the Falls Road in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The operation started with a weapons search but quickly developed into rioting and gun battles between British soldiers and the Official Irish Republican Army...
in 1970 to the Omagh
Omagh
Omagh is the county town of County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is situated where the rivers Drumragh and Camowen meet to form the Strule. The town, which is the largest in the county, had a population of 19,910 at the 2001 Census. Omagh also contains the headquarters of Omagh District Council and...
atrocity in 1998. He has reported on all the Northern Ireland political initiatives from Sunningdale
Sunningdale
Sunningdale is a large village and civil parish in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England.-Location:Sunningdale is located close to the present border with Surrey, and is not far from Ascot, Sunninghill and Virginia Water. It is situated 24 miles west of London and 7...
to the Good Friday Agreement.
Career
He grew up in DerryDerry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
. Before pursuing a career in the media, he was a police officer, but moved to journalism in the 1970s. He worked for Ulster Television (U.T.V.), presenting many programmes, including UTV Reports and Counterpoint. During UTV's 50th birthday celebrations in November 2009, he co-presented an edition of UTV Live.
David Dunseith is perhaps best known for presenting BBC Radio Ulster
BBC Radio Ulster
BBC Radio Ulster is one of two Northern Irish BBC radio stations, the other being BBC Radio Foyle located in the city of Derry. BBC Radio Ulster is located at Broadcasting House in the Ormeau Avenue area of Belfast city centre...
's Talk Back from 1989 to 2009 – he followed the late Barry Cowan as presenter – but his association with the programme went back even further than that. When it first went on the air in 1986, he was a weekly contributor with an ability to read from a script written on various pieces of scrap paper. He became its main presenter in 1989, going on to establish a huge reputation for straight-talking, no-nonsense, often merciless grilling of interviewees. In 2006 Talk Back won a silver Sony Radio Academy Award in the news and current affairs programme category. He presented the 20th anniversary edition of Talk Back on Friday 7 September 2006.
In August 2009, he ended over two decades of work on Talk Back when Radio Ulster reshuffled presenters on its news and current affairs programmes. On May 11 2011, Dunseith announced his retirement from Radio Ulster while presenting his final Seven Days
Death
On 30 June 2011 it was announced that Dunseith had died following a lengthy illness. He was 76. His requiem mass was held at Star of the Sea Roman Catholic Church in StrangfordStrangford
Strangford is a small village at the mouth of Strangford Lough in County Down, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 475 people at the 2001 Census.On the other side of the lough is Portaferry and there is a ferry service between the two villages...
before his body was removed to Roselawn Crematorium.
Personal life
Dunseith married fellow journalist Roisin Walsh and the couple had three sons together. Walsh died in July 2010 from motor neurone diseaseMotor neurone disease
The motor neurone diseases are a group of neurological disorders that selectively affect motor neurones, the cells that control voluntary muscle activity including speaking, walking, breathing, swallowing and general movement of the body. They are generally progressive in nature, and can cause...
.