Inside Joe Duffy's life from on air controversy to ‘single biggest wound of his life' as he retires from RTE

The Irish Sun

08-05-2025

JOE Duffy is hanging up his mic
and retiring from RTE after 37 years working for the station.
The legendary host is
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Joe announced his retirement today
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Joe has worked for RTE for 37 years
Credit: Gary Ashe-Commissioned by The Sun Dublin
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Joe has been married to his wife June for 36 years
Credit: Alamy
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Joe has three kids
Credit: MARC O'SULLIVAN/COLLINS AGENCY
Joe will be on air for another seven weeks before his
The dad-of-three shocked the nation with his departure announcement this afternoon and
Let's take a look back at Joe's colourful personal life as well as his thriving career.
JOE'S YOUTH
Joe was born in January 1956, in Mountjoy Square,
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He was raised in Ballyfermot with his father Jimmy, mother Mabel and his four siblings.
Joe became one of the first from his area to go to Trinity College, studying social work.
He was actively involved in student politics and went on to serve as President of the Union of Students in Ireland.
He led protests on campus highlighting access to education and spent two weeks in
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Joe has often spoke about his working class background and has said it's been the source of insecurity for him.
Speaking on Rodney Edwards' podcast Human Nature, he said: "I'd be very insecure, I've never had a sense that I was entitled to a job or entitled to stuff in life.
I may be shown the door, says Joe Duffy as he weighs in on renewing his RTE contract while listener begs him to stay
"There was never an expectation that I would go to college or any of us would and I was the first of a thousand generations to go to third-level."
TRAGIC FAMILY DEATH
Joe's beloved youngest brother Aidan was tragically killed in a road accident on the Maynooth Road in 1991 when he was just 25-years-old - seven years after their father died, aged 58.
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The presenter, who was working at a different RTE radio station at the time, first heard of his sibling's death on the news bulletin but never thought it that his family member was involved.
Speaking about the horrific incident, Joe said: "I remember hearing there's been a tragic car accident in Maynooth and two people are dead, I said, 'Oh my god'.
"And then at 3pm as I came upstairs the chaplain at RTE was sitting at my desk and I was wondering why he was there, and a few of my friends were there and they said, 'We've bad news, Aidan's been killed in a car crash'.
"The steering chassis collapsed and Aidan's van careered under a truck, and the truck pushed Aidan's van back, killing him instantly, by the way, and it pushed Aidan's van back and under a coach that was coming behind him, that was full of Spanish students.
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"And one of the teachers was killed, so there was two people killed in that. But he was only 25, he'd just moved in with his girlfriend, he was doing well, a great worker."
Joe said the "hardest thing he ever had to do" was pass on the devastating news to his mum Mabel.
He added: "Without doubt the single biggest wound in my life is Aidan's death. He was a good lad, he was a great worker, very bright, he was the youngest in our family."
JOE'S LOVE LIFE
Joe and his beloved wife June Meehan met at Trinity College in their youth and later got married in June in 1989.
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The pair welcomed triplets Ellen, Ronan and Seán into the world on 28 March 1995.
The birth of their babies was announced on The Gay Byrne Show.
Joe only learnt that his wife was expecting triplets just weeks before she gave birth and he admitted that he knew nothing about parenting before the trio arrived.
He told RSVP Magazine: "I had three children at the same time back in 1995, I had three children about 15 different theories about parenting.
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"I was a qualified family therapist and social worker, that is what I did in university."
Joe's wife has said she's "not into" the public lifestyle and so he keeps their relationship relatively private.
JOE'S CAREER
After working in the probation service, he joined RTE originally as a radio producer, in 1989, and came to prominence as a reporter on the legendary Gay Byrne Show.
He presented programmes like Soundbyte before taking over
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In his 27 years in the Liveline hotseat, both Joe and the programme itself have become national institutions, with the programme frequently attracting some 400,000 listeners.
READ JOE DUFFY'S STATEMENT IN FULL
"After 37 wonderful years here in RTE, and 27 years presenting Liveline, I just wanted to share a few words with you as I prepare to move on.
"First of all, it has been - and I mean this from the bottom of my heart - an incredible honour and privilege to be part of a programme that relied entirely on trust: the trust of our listeners.
"People felt they could pick up the phone, ring Liveline, and share their lives, problems, stories sad, bad, sometimes mad and funny, their struggles, and their victories. I never took that for granted - not for a single minute.
"Over these years, I've been blessed to work alongside hundreds of producers, researchers, broadcasting assistants, and all the wider public servants who make RTE - and when I say everyone, I mean everyone. Those who lifting a paintbrush, wielding a Black & Decker, a hoover drill, operating a sound desk. From the person at reception to the person climbing a mast. We were and are all working towards the same goal: serving the public.
"And it goes without saying that my wife June and my three children Sean, Ellen and Ronan, have been such a part of keeping me going, day after day, often through difficult times on an intense daily programme.
"For that alone I am deeply privileged and eternally grateful.
"As the American poet Maya Angelou wrote: 'People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.'
"And I hope, in some small way, through Liveline and through RTE, we made people feel heard.
"And now, after many happy years, I've decided the time has come to move on.
"I wrote to the head of Radio last November, informing her that having already extended by contract for two years, that Friday June 27 next when it was due to expire would be my final day on Liveline.
As you know I'm not a firefighter - a garda, not a paramedic, teacher, parent of young children, not a nurse, not a street cleaner - all of them real, vital, essential public servants.
"As my late mother Mabel used to say to me, you're not to lose the run of yourself if you're just answering the phones, I was just trying to listen, trying to connect, and trying to give people a voice, especially those without.
"Mabel, who died two years ago would have been 96 on Sunday and on the day she was born the Irish parliament was debating the abolition of workhouses - we've come a long way - like many in her generation who have been great Liveline listeners, remember you dug the well - subsequent generations drank the water. As a country, a community we've come a long way.
"Liveline began under the stewardship of the late Marian Finucane 40 years ago and it will endure.
"So onwards! I'm looking forward to the chapter. Please, please keep talking to Joe. I'm here until the end of June."
During Joe's tenure, Liveline has been a vital outlet for citizens. Joe also hosted a wide range of programmes for television, including Liveline Callback and The Meaning of Life, as well as several acclaimed documentaries.
Joe has been a recipient of many awards during his acclaimed career, including a Jacob's Award in 1992 for his work on The
Joe has written his autobiography Just Joe and two award-winning history books, Children of the Rising and Children of the Troubles.
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ON-AIR CONTROVERSY
The 69-year-old became a staple on Irish airwaves throughout the years and shared countless laughs with listeners - and had quite a few arguments too.
Joe clashed with Wolf Tones star Brian Warfield on air in 2023 during a major debate over chants to the Wolfe Tones song, Celtic Symphony.
The singer had gone on Liveline to address videos that were circulating of some fans chanting "Ooh, ah, up the Ra" at the Belfast Féile an Phobail festival.
After the interview, Brian accused the star of ambushing him on live radio and claimed he was "very abusive' and 'totally out of line' in his comments.
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Last May, Warfield revealed that he was suing RTE for defamation after the Liveline spat.
His lawyers initiated proceedings at the
It is understood the 78-year-old singer took the action after failing to secure an apology from
over claims made by host Joe, 68.
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Joe Duffy's brother Aidan tragically passed away aged 25
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Joe Duffy is often seen at events with his daughter Ellen
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Joe will be finishing up on air next month
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