Olivia O'Leary
Encyclopedia
Olivia O'Leary is an Irish
journalist, writer and current affairs presenter.
Educated at St Leo's College, Carlow and at University College Dublin
, she worked with the Nationalist and Leinster Times
in Carlow
. In the late 1970s she began working for The Irish Times
as parliamentary sketchwriter.
In 1972 she joined Raidió Teilifís Éireann
(RTÉ) as a current affairs presenter and later worked as a presenter on Today Tonight
, Questions and Answers and Prime Time
. She became the first regular female senior presenter of the BBC
's current affairs programme, Newsnight
and also presented First Tuesday, a monthly documentary strand produced by Yorkshire Television
for ITV
.
O'Leary won three Jacob's Awards
during her broadcasting career with RTÉ. Her first came in 1973 for her work as a radio news reporter. In 1982, she won her second Jacob's Award for her hosting of Today Tonight
. Her chairing of Questions and Answers brought her a third award in 1986. She has also won a Sony Award
for her BBC Radio 4
programme Between Ourselves.
She has co-authored the book Mary Robinson
: The Authorised Biography, with Dr. Helen Burke, and in 2004 wrote Politicians and Other Animals, a sketch on Irish politics.
She was Chairperson of the Office of the Ombudsman's 20th Anniversary Conference.
She was married to Paul Tansey
, Economics Editor of the Irish Times. He died suddenly in September 2008. She has one daughter, Emily Tansey.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
journalist, writer and current affairs presenter.
Educated at St Leo's College, Carlow and at University College Dublin
University College Dublin
University College Dublin ) - formally known as University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's largest, and Ireland's second largest, university, with over 1,300 faculty and 17,000 students...
, she worked with the Nationalist and Leinster Times
Carlow Nationalist
The Carlow Nationalist is an Irish regional newspaper, published each Wednesday. It has three comprehensive sections, containing news, sport and 'living' articles.-History:...
in Carlow
Carlow
Carlow is the county town of County Carlow in Ireland. It is situated in the south-east of Ireland, 84 km from Dublin. County Carlow is the second smallest county in Ireland by area, however Carlow Town is the 14th largest urban area in Ireland by population according to the 2006 census. The...
. In the late 1970s she began working for The Irish Times
The Irish Times
The Irish Times is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Kevin O'Sullivan who succeeded Geraldine Kennedy in 2011; the deputy editor is Paul O'Neill. The Irish Times is considered to be Ireland's newspaper of record, and is published every day except Sundays...
as parliamentary sketchwriter.
In 1972 she joined Raidió Teilifís Éireann
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) as a current affairs presenter and later worked as a presenter on Today Tonight
Today Tonight (Ireland)
Today Tonight is an Irish news and current affairs programme noted for its in-depth analysis, robust cross-examination of senior politicians and investigative reporting. The programme was brodacast on RTÉ One for the first time on Monday 6 October 1982....
, Questions and Answers 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...
. She became the first regular female senior presenter of the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's current affairs programme, Newsnight
Newsnight
Newsnight is a BBC Television current affairs programme noted for its in-depth analysis and often robust cross-examination of senior politicians. Jeremy Paxman has been its main presenter for over two decades....
and also presented First Tuesday, a monthly documentary strand produced by Yorkshire Television
Yorkshire Television
Yorkshire Television, now officially known as ITV Yorkshire and sometimes unofficially abbreviated to YTV, is a British television broadcaster and the contractor for the Yorkshire franchise area on the ITV network...
for ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
.
O'Leary won three Jacob's Awards
Jacob's Awards
The Jacob's Awards were instituted in December 1962 as the first Irish television awards. Later, they were expanded to include radio. The awards were named after their sponsor, W. & R. Jacob & Co. Ltd., a biscuit manufacturer, and recipients were selected by Ireland's national newspaper television...
during her broadcasting career with RTÉ. Her first came in 1973 for her work as a radio news reporter. In 1982, she won her second Jacob's Award for her hosting of Today Tonight
Today Tonight (Ireland)
Today Tonight is an Irish news and current affairs programme noted for its in-depth analysis, robust cross-examination of senior politicians and investigative reporting. The programme was brodacast on RTÉ One for the first time on Monday 6 October 1982....
. Her chairing of Questions and Answers brought her a third award in 1986. She has also won a Sony Award
Sony Radio Academy Awards
The Sony Radio Academy Awards , started in 1983, are some of the most prestigious awards in the British radio industry. They are run by ZAFER Associates in association with the Radio Academy...
for her BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
programme Between Ourselves.
She has co-authored the book Mary Robinson
Mary Robinson
Mary Therese Winifred Robinson served as the seventh, and first female, President of Ireland from 1990 to 1997, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, from 1997 to 2002. She first rose to prominence as an academic, barrister, campaigner and member of the Irish Senate...
: The Authorised Biography, with Dr. Helen Burke, and in 2004 wrote Politicians and Other Animals, a sketch on Irish politics.
She was Chairperson of the Office of the Ombudsman's 20th Anniversary Conference.
She was married to Paul Tansey
Paul Tansey
Paul Tansey was an Irish journalist and economics editor for The Irish Times.Tansey was a former deputy editor of the Sunday Tribune and assistant editor of The Irish Times before becoming the paper's economics editor...
, Economics Editor of the Irish Times. He died suddenly in September 2008. She has one daughter, Emily Tansey.