Evelyn Cusack
{{Short description|Irish weather presenter}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Evelyn Cusack
| image = Evelyn Cusack.png
| caption = Cusack in 2015
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1957|11|03|df=y}}
| birth_place = Clonaslee, County Laois, Ireland
| death_date =
| death_place =
| education = University College Dublin
| occupation = Meteorologist, presenter
| spouse =
| years_active = 1988–2023
| children =
| nationality = Irish
}}
Evelyn Cusack (born 3 November 1957) is an Irish former meteorologist who served as the Head of Forecasting from 2018 at Met Éireann, where she worked from 1981 until her retirement in 2023. She is the longest-serving weather presenter on RTÉ.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/weather/thanks-for-having-me-forecaster-evelyn-cusack-retires-today-after-42-years-at-met-eireann/a350665767.html|title=‘Thanks for having me’ – forecaster Evelyn Cusack retires today after 42 years at Met Éireann|publisher=Irish Independent|first=Seoirse|last=Mulgrew|date=1 June 2023|accessdate=1 June 2023}}
Personal life
Cusack was born in Clonaslee, County Laois, the middle child of a family of seven.{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/tv/failtetowers/evelyncusack.html |title=RTÉ Television – Fáilte Towers |accessdate=10 August 2013 |work=RTÉ News}} She attended University College Dublin, earning a bachelor's degree in physics and mathematics (1979) and a master's degree in physics (1984).
Career
Cusack joined the Irish meteorological service Met Éireann in 1981. She was a weather presenter on RTÉ from 1988 until 2018. In 1999, Cusack and other well-known weather presenters such as Gerald Fleming, who were all professional meteorologists, were temporarily let go from their jobs at RTÉ in favour of younger, less qualified presenters. However, after protest from viewers, Cusack and her colleagues were swiftly re-hired.{{cite news |url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/met-storm-forced-tv-bosses-to-change-tack-and-save-face-26136704.html |title=Met storm forced TV bosses to change tack and save face |date=28 October 1999 |work=Irish Independent }}
Cusack received the inaugural UCD Alumni award in science in 2014.{{cite web|url=https://alumni.ucd.ie/awards/awardee/evelyn-cusack/ |title= UCD Alumni | publisher=UCD |accessdate=27 October 2019}}
In March 2018, she was promoted to Head of Forecasting at Met Éireann,{{cite web|url=https://www.thejournal.ie/evelyn-cusack-new-job-met-eireann-3917735-Mar2018/ |title=Evelyn becomes Head of Forecasting | publisher=The Journal | date=22 March 2018|accessdate=27 October 2019}} having previously served as Deputy Head of Forecasting.{{cite news|url=https://www.thejournal.ie/evelyn-cusack-retiring-6082748-Jun2023/|title=Met Éireann's head of forecasting Evelyn Cusack is retiring today|publisher=TheJournal.ie|first=Daragh|last=Brophy|date=1 June 2023|accessdate=1 June 2023}}
On 1 June 2023, she retired from working at Met Éireann after 42 years.{{cite web|url= https://www.rte.ie/news/weather/2023/0601/1386806-cusack-retire/|title= Evelyn Cusack retiring after 42 years of weather forecasting|date=1 June 2023|work=RTE News|accessdate=1 June 2023}}{{cite news|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-41152534.html|title='It's time to go': Evelyn Cusack retiring from Met Éireann after more than 40 years|publisher=Irish Examiner|first=David|last=Kent|date=1 June 2023|accessdate=1 June 2023}}
Television
In 2008, she participated in RTÉ reality TV show Fáilte Towers.{{cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2008/0725/414093-failtetowers/|title=13 Fáilte Towers celebrities announced|publisher=RTÉ}} The show involved thirteen celebrities running a hotel for sixteen days and nights in order to win money for their designated charities. Cusack was the fifth to be eliminated.{{cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2008/0811/414219-failtetowers/|title=Evelyn checks out of Fáilte Towers|publisher=RTÉ News|date=11 August 2008|accessdate=1 June 2023}}
In 2015, she met young Johnny O'Loughlin on the Late Late Toy Show{{cite web|url=https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2015/1217/754687-heres-johnny-with-the-weather-toy-show-star |title= Johnny O'Loughlin on the Late Late Toy Show | publisher=RTÉ |accessdate=27 October 2019}} who had made a special weather board game for her.{{cite web|url= https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2023/0601/1386823-as-evelyn-cusack-retires-heres-her-toy-show-cameo/|title= As Evelyn Cusack retires, here's her Late Late Toy Show cameo|date=1 June 2023|work=RTE News|accessdate=1 June 2023}}
In 2017, she took part in TV3's Celebrity Masterchef.{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/tv-radio-web/celebrity-masterchef-evelyn-cusack-blown-off-course-in-dessert-storm-1.2965716|title=Celebrity Masterchef: Evelyn Cusack blown off course in dessert storm|publisher=The Irish Times|first=Marie|last=Claire Digby|date=6 February 2017|accessdate=1 June 2023}}{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/television/tv-reviews/she-thought-i-was-an-idiot-weather-forecaster-evelyn-cusack-sees-her-masterchef-run-come-to-a-sticky-end/35430254.html|title='She thought I was an idiot' - Weather forecaster Evelyn Cusack sees her MasterChef run come to a sticky end|publisher=Irish Independent|first=Sean|last=O'Grady|date=7 February 2017|accessdate=1 June 2023}}
References
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Category:Scientists from County Laois
Category:RTÉ television presenters
Category:Broadcasters from County Laois
Category:Irish television weather presenters