Aoife Kavanagh
Encyclopedia
Aoife Kavanagh is a journalist with Raidió Teilifís Éireann
(RTÉ), the Irish national radio and television broadcaster. She contributed to the RTÉ programmes Morning Ireland
(RTÉ Radio 1
) and Prime Time
Investigates (RTÉ One
). Kavanagh made national news headlines herself in 2011 when she was at the centre of a controversy surrounding the defamation of Fr. Kevin Reynolds
. Her defamation of Fr. Kevin Reynolds led to the suspension of the Prime Time
programme, prompted an investigation and led to interventions by politicians as senior as the Taoiseach
Enda Kenny
. She was also removed from on-air programming.
In 2011, a defamation/libel suit was filed against RTÉ following one of Ms Kavanagh's reports on Prime Time
. The episode was entitled "Mission to Prey
" - about sexual abuse by Irish Catholic Missionary Priests in Africa
, including one whereby the Priest (Fr. Kevin Reynolds
) was falsely accused of child-rape and fathering a child while a missionary in Kenya
. The suit against the national broadcaster was settled for an undisclosed sum.
RTÉ later broadcast an apology to Fr Kevin Reynolds. The head of the Irish Missionary Union said Kavanagh's continuing presence on Morning Ireland after being found guilty of defaming Fr Kevin Reynolds was “unfair and unjust” and a demonstration of “double standards” in the media.
Kavanagh was previously tipped as a replacement for Charlie Bird
as RTÉ's US Correspondent after he fled the States. Director-General of RTÉ
Noel Curran
admitted the broadcasting of "Mission to Prey" was "one of the gravest editorial mistakes ever made" at RTÉ.
Raidió Teilifís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann is a semi-state company and the public service broadcaster of Ireland. It both produces programmes and broadcasts them on television, radio and the Internet. The radio service began on January 1, 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on December 31, 1961, making...
(RTÉ), the Irish national radio and television broadcaster. She contributed to the RTÉ programmes 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...
(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...
) and Prime Time
Prime Time
Prime Time is an Irish news analysis, current affairs and politics programme. It is broadcast on RTÉ One on Tuesday and Thursday nights between 21:30 and 22:10. It is currently presented by Miriam O'Callaghan, who has presented the programme since its commencement in 1996...
Investigates (RTÉ One
RTÉ One
RTÉ One is the flagship television channel of Raidió Teilifís Éireann , and it is the most popular and most watched television channel in Ireland. It was launched as Telefís Éireann on 31 December 1961, it was renamed RTÉ Television in 1966, and it was renamed as RTÉ One upon the launch of RTÉ...
). Kavanagh made national news headlines herself in 2011 when she was at the centre of a controversy surrounding the defamation of Fr. Kevin Reynolds
Fr. Kevin Reynolds
Fr. Kevin Reynolds is an Irish Catholic priest, falsely alleged by Raidió Teilifís Éireann in its Prime Time programme, to have raped and impregnated a minor Kenyan woman named Veneraanda and fathering a child called Sheila, during his time as a missionary...
. Her defamation of Fr. Kevin Reynolds led to the suspension of the Prime Time
Prime Time
Prime Time is an Irish news analysis, current affairs and politics programme. It is broadcast on RTÉ One on Tuesday and Thursday nights between 21:30 and 22:10. It is currently presented by Miriam O'Callaghan, who has presented the programme since its commencement in 1996...
programme, prompted an investigation and led to interventions by politicians as senior as the Taoiseach
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
Enda Kenny
Enda Kenny
Enda Kenny is an Irish Fine Gael politician, and has been the Taoiseach since 2011. He has led Fine Gael since 2002. He served as Minister for Tourism and Trade from 1994 to 1997. He is also a two-term Vice President of the European People's Party.Kenny has been a Teachta Dála for Mayo since...
. She was also removed from on-air programming.
In 2011, a defamation/libel suit was filed against RTÉ following one of Ms Kavanagh's reports on Prime Time
Prime Time
Prime Time is an Irish news analysis, current affairs and politics programme. It is broadcast on RTÉ One on Tuesday and Thursday nights between 21:30 and 22:10. It is currently presented by Miriam O'Callaghan, who has presented the programme since its commencement in 1996...
. The episode was entitled "Mission to Prey
Mission to Prey
"Mission to Prey" is the title of an episode of the RTÉ programme Prime Time Investigates broadcast in May 2011. It was presented by RTÉ's Aoife Kavanagh....
" - about sexual abuse by Irish Catholic Missionary Priests in Africa
Catholic sexual abuse scandal in Ireland
The Catholic sexual abuse scandal in Ireland is a major chapter in the worldwide Catholic sexual abuse scandal. Unlike the Catholic sexual abuse scandal in the United States, the scandal in Ireland included cases of high-profile Catholic clerics involved in illicit heterosexual relations as well as...
, including one whereby the Priest (Fr. Kevin Reynolds
Fr. Kevin Reynolds
Fr. Kevin Reynolds is an Irish Catholic priest, falsely alleged by Raidió Teilifís Éireann in its Prime Time programme, to have raped and impregnated a minor Kenyan woman named Veneraanda and fathering a child called Sheila, during his time as a missionary...
) was falsely accused of child-rape and fathering a child while a missionary in Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
. The suit against the national broadcaster was settled for an undisclosed sum.
RTÉ later broadcast an apology to Fr Kevin Reynolds. The head of the Irish Missionary Union said Kavanagh's continuing presence on Morning Ireland after being found guilty of defaming Fr Kevin Reynolds was “unfair and unjust” and a demonstration of “double standards” in the media.
Kavanagh was previously tipped as a replacement for 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 US Correspondent after he fled the States. Director-General of RTÉ
Director-General of RTÉ
The Director-General of Raidió Teilifís Éireann is chief executive and editor in chief of RTÉ. The current Director-General is Noel Curran, and is the most senior person in the Public Service Broadcaster, Noel Curran replaced Cathal Goan in the role in February 2011.The RTÉ Board appoints the...
Noel Curran
Noel Curran
Noel Curran is a radio and television producer and current Director-General of RTÉ. He joined Raidió Teilifís Éireann as a reporter in 1992 after a period working as a business journalist for Business & Finance magazine. He later produced both Kenny Live and The Late Late Show...
admitted the broadcasting of "Mission to Prey" was "one of the gravest editorial mistakes ever made" at RTÉ.
See also
- Media reformMedia reformMedia reform refers to proposed attempts to reform mass media towards an agenda which is more in tune with public needs and away from a perceived bias toward corporate biases...
- Sexual AbuseSexual abuseSexual abuse, also referred to as molestation, is the forcing of undesired sexual behavior by one person upon another. When that force is immediate, of short duration, or infrequent, it is called sexual assault. The offender is referred to as a sexual abuser or molester...
- Catholic sexual abuse scandal in IrelandCatholic sexual abuse scandal in IrelandThe Catholic sexual abuse scandal in Ireland is a major chapter in the worldwide Catholic sexual abuse scandal. Unlike the Catholic sexual abuse scandal in the United States, the scandal in Ireland included cases of high-profile Catholic clerics involved in illicit heterosexual relations as well as...
- Roman Catholic sex abuse cases by countryRoman Catholic sex abuse cases by countryThis page documents notable Alleged Roman Catholic sex abuse cases by country.- Kenya :In 2009 several people came forward with accusations of sexual molestation against an Italian priest working in the country. The Church gave assurances of an investigation, but this has not taken place...
- Anti Catholicism
External links
- Aoife Kavanagh biography on RTÉ Morning IrelandMorning IrelandMorning 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...
- RTÉ Apology following libel suit by Fr Kevin Reynolds
- English and Kavanagh officially join Morning Ireland team
- RTÉ Morning Ireland presenters page