Obituary: Philip Molloy, gifted journalist, broadcaster and insightful news editor with an abiding love of film

Irish Independent

17 hours ago

Director Jim Sheridan described him as a loyal friend who was 'so well-versed in cinema history that I learned a lot from him'.
He was born in Wexford town, one of a family of six, growing up for a while over Molloy's pub, which his parents ran. His siblings recall he was a voracious reader and was writing from an early age.
Wexford had three cinemas, and he was a regular in each one, buying tickets with money he earned from running errands for his grandad, a merchant navy captain who survived a bombing in 1941 but never left the house afterwards.
His first article on film was published in the magazine Photoplay when he was just 17.
He excelled at sport, winning two Leinster College junior football and hurling championships with Wexford CBS, and was a life-long Nott­ingham Forest fan.
After sitting the Leaving Cert, his mother Betty (from whom he inherited his love of Westerns) recognised his journalistic talent and asked The Wexford People to give him a start.
He 'hit the ground running', his sister Rosarii recalls, and soon moved to the New Ross Standard and then to the Irish Press as a reporter and then news editor.
One of his first major reports was on the Gorey train crash of 1975, in which five people died. He was one of the 94 passengers on board, but did not go to hospital, as he was too busy filing copy to the Irish Press and being interviewed for RTÉ.
During his time in the Irish Press he wrote a weekly column on film and secured a series of interviews with major actors and directors in Hollywood. Former colleague Des Nix recalled on Facebook that he once asked Philip to pick up his wage packet when he was away from the office for a few days.
Molloy had a 'finely honed news sense', an 'unflappable' nature and a 'loyal commitment to the correspondents and reporters around him'
'When I got back I thought it a bit strange that Philip asked how much would be in my wage packet, that he had opened it by mistake. I told him and he handed me the full amount. Only years later did I discover that my wage packet had been stolen from his drawer. How amazing and generous was that?'
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In 1988 Molloy was poached by the Irish Independent, where he became news editor. NUJ assistant general secretary Seamus Dooley was working on the sub-editors' desk at the time and recalled how the Wexford man 'cut a dashing figure in the drab, grey newsroom in Abbey Street.'
Molloy had a 'finely honed news sense', an 'unflappable' nature and a 'loyal commitment to the correspondents and reporters around him,' Dooley noted. 'He was never afraid to fight his corner with the Irish Independent editor Vinnie Doyle or chief sub-editor Vinnie Mahon, and animated discussions close to the deadline were not un­usual,' he said.
He was a committed NUJ ­member and, unusually, served a term on the chapel committee of the Independent, where he was a 'mentor to many younger journalists'.
Journalist Don Lavery said he was 'probably the best news editor I worked with', with a 'mind as sharp as a knife'. Such was his passion for film that he was nicknamed The Dark Knight, Lavery recalled.
Journalist Kathy Donaghy says he never forgot there were people at the heart of every story. Such was his support for reporters that she says she would have 'walked over hot coals for him'.
Former Irish Independent editor and NUJ chapel officer Claire Grady said on Facebook that he was a 'brilliant, supportive and inspiring news editor, and good fun too.'
He moved to Ireland on Sunday, and then did a stint as editor of The Right Hook on Newstalk, where he had a long-running film slot. George Hook described him as 'a loyal colleague and a superb contributor', a 'great newspaperman and an outstanding movie critic'.
He was truthful. You always felt he said exactly what he felt without any intention to harm or hurt
Latterly, he presented Newstalk's The Picture Show, and was remembered by listeners for his 'effortless wisdom'.
He was made a fellow of The Picture House in Wexford in a presentation by film director John Boorman in 2015.
Fellow director Jim Sheridan said Molloy was 'a welcome voice at the end of the phone line'.
'He was truthful. You always felt he said exactly what he felt without any intention to harm or hurt. He joins that great Irish Times film critic Michael Dwyer, watching movies from above. But more than that, he was a great husband and a loving father and a loyal friend,' Sheridan said.
Philip Molloy is survived by his wife Sheila (Wayman), children Richard, Jenna, David and Daniel, and his extended family.
His funeral service takes place tomorrow, Monday, June 16, at 11.30am in St Paul's Church, Silchester Road, Glenageary, followed by cremation at Mount Jerome, Harold's Cross.