Taoiseach Micheál Martin leads tributes as Joe Duffy bids emotional farewell to Liveline

Extra.ie​

7 hours ago

After nearly three decades of giving a voice to the nation, Joe Duffy signed off from Liveline for the final time on RTÉ Radio One this afternoon, marking the end of one of Irish broadcasting's most iconic chapters.
With his trademark empathy, urgency, and unmistakable argumentative nature, Joe's last show was a tapestry of gratitude, reflection, and unscripted chaos that has defined the programme since he first took to the mic in 1998.
From tearful callers from days gone by to surprise guests, the final episode was more than a goodbye — it was a national moment to honour a broadcasting legend. Joe Duffy presenting his final farewell show in Studio 1 at the RTÉ Radio Centre. Pic: Andres Poveda
Friday saw RTE craft a carefully woven tribute: a chorus of familiar voices, from longtime friends to unforgettable callers, each sharing memories, thanks, and the kind of emotion that Duffy has spent a career coaxing from the nation.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin, a long-time Liveline regular, shared a tribute which struck a delicate balance: warm and emotional, but laced with the kind of teasing camaraderie that only comes from decades of friendship.
'Thank you sincerely, you are and were the voice of the people. You were authentic. You gave the people a platform,' he said. Brush Shiels speaking with Joe Duffy as he presented his final farewell show in Studio 1 at the RTÉ Radio Centre. Pic: Andres Poveda
'I can remember many a civil servant coming into me in the afternoon saying 'Liveline has gone mad.''
He added: 'Your personal acts of kindness have always been quite extraordinary and something that has touched our family quite a lot.'
The Taoiseach also thanked the broadcaster greatly for his kindness after the death of his daughter, recalling a day of crab-fishing in Co Cork where Duffy took a number of photos of Mr Martin holding his daughter Léana in his arms. From tearful callers from days gone by to surprise guests, the final episode was more than a goodbye — it was a national moment to honour a broadcasting legend. Pic: Andres Poveda
The Liveline host subsequently sent them to the family after her death, aged 7, in 2010.
'That's something Mary and I have always treasured,' the Taoiseach added.
In another emotional moment, Liveline caller Caroline Davis travelled to the studio to say thank you to the broadcaster for his contribution to restoring the BreastCare Allowance after she appeared on the programme.
'That is the real Joe Duffy, looking after the ordinary people in Dublin,' added musician Brush Shields.
Similarly, we heard from a woman named Sallyanna, who in 2021 sent a 'powerful' email to Liveline about her experience of menopause.
'I remember that I was shocked that somebody was listening to me. Joe listened to me and nobody else had,' she said.
There were a number of comedic, poetic and musical tributes to the star, but most notably, was the Dublin Fire Brigade Pipe Band, who presented Joe with a gift and a song to send him on his way.
Lastly, President Michael D Higgins penned a touching letter to the broadcaster, thanking him profusely for his impact on our airwaves and his furthering of major social justice campaigns.
'Dear Joe, as you prepare to take your leave from the national airwaves, after so many years of dedicated service, may I, mar Uachtarán na hÉireann, extend to you the warmest of thanks on behalf of the Irish people for your remarkable contribution to public life, one that you have shaped with empathy, insight, and an unwavering commitment to the voices of ordinary people,' he began.
' From your early days as a student of social work at Trinity College through to your time as president of Trinity College Students Union in 1979 and later as President of the Union of Students in Ireland, you have demonstrated a lifelong commitment to justice, equality, and public service.
' Through your work, you have born witness to the struggles and triumphs of the Irish people, often giving voice to those on the margins. And creating a space in which silence could be broken and solidarity expressed.'
' Since you first presented Liveline in 1998, the program has served not merely as a radio program, but as a civic space. A forum for the voicing of concerns, active public engagement, democratic dialogue, and the expression of that rich and complex tapestry, which constitutes Irish society. Your stewardship of that space with your distinctive blend of compassion, curiosity, and courage has been both passionate and principled, marked by a rare empathy,' the president added.
' May this new chapter bring you the same richness of engagement and meaning that you have given to so many throughout your long and remarkable career,' he concluded.
While the president's goodbye was a complex and lengthy one, Joe chose to keep it simple, stating 'it's been a privilege,' and 'slán go fóill.'