Gerald Barry

Who was Gerald Barry?

Gerald Barry was an Irish political journalist and broadcaster. He worked for public service broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann and the Sunday Tribune newspaper, during which time he became known for his "highly probing", "highly intelligent", "quite rigorous", "clinical, even forensic but never discourteous" interviewing style.

Barry was born in Dublin and reared in Clontarf. His parents were Brian and Stella Barry. His parents and sister died before him, but his brother survives him. He was educated at Scoil Lorcáin and Belvedere College. At Belvedere he played cricket. He studied at University College Dublin in the mid-1960s, achieving honours in politics and economics, but being disrupted by illness before returning to rise as auditor of the university's Literary and Historical Society.

Barry started working for RTÉ News during the 1970s, reporting on events such as the Falklands War and the political careers of taoisigh Garret FitzGerald and Charles Haughey. In 1978, he became News/Features deputy editor and, later, editor. He spent 11 years as deputy editor of and political correspondent for the Sunday Tribune from 1983 onwards.