Richard Downes
Encyclopedia
Richard Downes is an Irish
broadcaster
and journalist
. He has worked for the Press Association
, Reuters
, the Financial Times
and the BBC
. He has previously presented Morning Ireland
on RTÉ Radio 1
. He succeeded Charlie Bird
as Washington Correspondent for RTÉ News in 2010.
by his cousins who were missionaries. His brother was also based in Nigeria
.
He is married with two children to Mairead. He lives in North Dublin when not in Washington.
, where he worked for the Press Association
, Reuters
, and the Financial Times
. He later moved to the BBC
. There he was made Southern Africa Correspondent. In 1998 he was a based in Baghdad
for two years. He grew to know the country and was sent to report on the Desert Fox aerial assault against Saddam Hussein
which took place that December. He was to later write of his experiences in his 2006 book In Search of Iraq: Baghdad to Babylon.
In 2000, he moved to RTÉ News and Current Affairs. He was later redeployed to Iraq
, this time with RTÉ. He covered many events in the country since the start of the Iraq War. He left before Saddam Hussein's statue was toppled, claiming he was “at an advanced stage of psychological disintegration“ and that the pressure on his family was too much to bear.
Downes published his book in 2006, In Search of Iraq: Baghdad to Babylon, which has an account of his time in Iraq. In 2008, during the 2008 Zimbabwean presidential election
, he was one of only a few to be granted access into Zimbabwe
. Downes was only allowed to stay in the country for a period of three days but he returned disguised as a tourist and filmed a secret report for the BBC
's Newsnight
.
He presented Ireland's
most listened to radio programme, Morning Ireland
from 2002 to 2010. It was announced in April 2010 that he would succeed Charlie Bird
as RTÉ's Washington Correspondent. When Bird announced his premature departure from the role, Downes was rumoured by the Evening Herald
to replace him. He will be in the United States for a period of two years. At the news of the role he said that he was a “surprised but rather delighted man.” He took up the role in June 2010. There will be a replacement for his Morning Ireland position.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
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...
and journalist
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...
. He has worked for the Press Association
Press Association
The Press Association is the national news agency of the United Kingdom and Ireland, supplying multimedia news content to almost all national and regional newspapers, television and radio news, as well as many websites with text, pictures, video and data content globally...
, Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
, the Financial Times
Financial Times
The Financial Times is an international business newspaper. It is a morning daily newspaper published in London and printed in 24 cities around the world. Its primary rival is the Wall Street Journal, published in New York City....
and the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
. He has previously presented Morning Ireland
Morning Ireland
Morning Ireland is the breakfast news programme broadcast by RTÉ Radio 1 in Ireland and is noted as that country's most listened to radio programme. It is broadcast each weekday morning between 07.00 and 09.00 and is presented by Aine Lawlor, Cathal Mac Coille, Rachael English and Aoife Kavanagh...
on RTÉ Radio 1
RTÉ Radio 1
RTÉ Radio 1 is the principal radio channel of Irish public-service broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann and is the direct descendant of Dublin radio station 2RN, which began broadcasting on a regular basis on 1 January 1926...
. He succeeded Charlie Bird
Charlie Bird
Charles "Charlie" Bird is an Irish journalist and broadcaster. He was Chief News Correspondent with RTÉ News and Current Affairs until January 2009. He took up the role of Washington Correspondent, but prematurely returned to his earlier post in Ireland in June 2010.-Early life:Bird was born in...
as Washington Correspondent for RTÉ News in 2010.
Early and personal life
Downes was reared on Northside Dublin, born the ninth of ten children. His father was a civil-servant whose library Downes became fascinated with from an early age. He admired the souvenirs brought back from AfricaAfrica
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
by his cousins who were missionaries. His brother was also based in Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
.
He is married with two children to Mairead. He lives in North Dublin when not in Washington.
Career
Downes's career in journalism started in 1985 in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, where he worked for the Press Association
Press Association
The Press Association is the national news agency of the United Kingdom and Ireland, supplying multimedia news content to almost all national and regional newspapers, television and radio news, as well as many websites with text, pictures, video and data content globally...
, Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
, and the Financial Times
Financial Times
The Financial Times is an international business newspaper. It is a morning daily newspaper published in London and printed in 24 cities around the world. Its primary rival is the Wall Street Journal, published in New York City....
. He later moved to the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
. There he was made Southern Africa Correspondent. In 1998 he was a based in Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
for two years. He grew to know the country and was sent to report on the Desert Fox aerial assault against Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
which took place that December. He was to later write of his experiences in his 2006 book In Search of Iraq: Baghdad to Babylon.
In 2000, he moved to RTÉ News and Current Affairs. He was later redeployed to Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, this time with RTÉ. He covered many events in the country since the start of the Iraq War. He left before Saddam Hussein's statue was toppled, claiming he was “at an advanced stage of psychological disintegration“ and that the pressure on his family was too much to bear.
Downes published his book in 2006, In Search of Iraq: Baghdad to Babylon, which has an account of his time in Iraq. In 2008, during the 2008 Zimbabwean presidential election
Zimbabwean presidential election, 2008
The Republic of Zimbabwe held a presidential election along with a parliamentary election on 29 March 2008. The three major candidates were incumbent President Robert Mugabe of the Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front , Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change , and...
, he was one of only a few to be granted access into Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
. Downes was only allowed to stay in the country for a period of three days but he returned disguised as a tourist and filmed a secret report for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's Newsnight
Newsnight
Newsnight is a BBC Television current affairs programme noted for its in-depth analysis and often robust cross-examination of senior politicians. Jeremy Paxman has been its main presenter for over two decades....
.
He presented Ireland's
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
most listened to radio programme, Morning Ireland
Morning Ireland
Morning Ireland is the breakfast news programme broadcast by RTÉ Radio 1 in Ireland and is noted as that country's most listened to radio programme. It is broadcast each weekday morning between 07.00 and 09.00 and is presented by Aine Lawlor, Cathal Mac Coille, Rachael English and Aoife Kavanagh...
from 2002 to 2010. It was announced in April 2010 that he would succeed Charlie Bird
Charlie Bird
Charles "Charlie" Bird is an Irish journalist and broadcaster. He was Chief News Correspondent with RTÉ News and Current Affairs until January 2009. He took up the role of Washington Correspondent, but prematurely returned to his earlier post in Ireland in June 2010.-Early life:Bird was born in...
as RTÉ's Washington Correspondent. When Bird announced his premature departure from the role, Downes was rumoured by the Evening Herald
Evening Herald
The Evening Herald is a mid-market tabloid evening newspaper published in Dublin, Ireland by Independent News & Media. It is published Monday-Saturday, and has three editions — City Edition, City Final Edition and National Edition...
to replace him. He will be in the United States for a period of two years. At the news of the role he said that he was a “surprised but rather delighted man.” He took up the role in June 2010. There will be a replacement for his Morning Ireland position.
External links
- Biography of Downes at RTÉ.ieRte.ieRTÉ.ie is the brand name and home of RTÉ's online activities, located at the URL http://rte.ie. The site began publishing on 26 May 1996. According to RTÉ, it operates on an entirely commercial basis, receiving none of the licence fee which funds much of RTÉ's activity. The site, it says, is funded...