Jim Fahy
{{Short description|Irish journalist (1946–2022)}}
{{EngvarB|date=January 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Jim Fahy
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name = James Fahy
| birth_place = Loughrea, County Galway, Connacht, Ireland
| death_date = {{death date and given age|2022|1|14|75|df=y}}
| death_place = Tuam, County Galway, Connacht, Ireland
| nationality = Irish
| education = Kilrickle National School
De la Salle School, Loughrea
Garbally College
| alma_mater =
| occupation = Journalist and broadcaster
| years_active = 1965–2011
| employer = RTÉ (1974–2011)
| known_for = Looking West; Western Editor RTÉ News
| notable_works =
| television =
| awards = Jacob's Awards for Radio 1984
}}
James Fahy (21 November 1946 – 14 January 2022) was an Irish journalist, broadcaster and documentary-maker. He was the Western Editor for RTÉ News and was RTÉ's longest-serving regional correspondent at the time of his retirement in 2011.{{cite web |url=http://www.rte.ie/tv/ahundreddeadpeople/biography.html |title=Jim Fahy: A Biography |publisher=RTÉ Television |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014174214/http://www.rte.ie/tv/ahundreddeadpeople/biography.html |website=A Hundred Dead People In My Truck |access-date=17 January 2022 |archive-date=14 October 2013 |date=9 December 2008}}
Early life
Fahy was born in Kilrickle, County Galway,{{cite news|title=Western Journalist Retires After 46 Year Career |url=http://www.galwaynews.ie/23502-western-journalist-retires-after-46-year-career |accessdate=31 December 2011 |newspaper=Galway Bay FM |date=31 December 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120113204606/http://www.galwaynews.ie/23502-western-journalist-retires-after-46-year-career |archivedate=13 January 2012 }} in 1946.{{cite news|title=Correspondent who cast his net wide in search of stories|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2022/0115/1273891-jim-fahy-obituary/|first=Pat|last=McGrath|date=15 January 2022|access-date=16 January 2022|publisher=RTÉ}} He was educated locally in Kilrickle National School, De la Salle School, Loughrea and Garbally College (1960–1964). He aspired to become a pilot, but instead embarked on a career as a journalist.
Career
Fahy started working in 1965 for The Tuam Herald. While working at the paper he wrote a social diary which he called Nitescene. He was looked upon with great respect by his former colleagues at the paper.{{cite news|last=Siggins|first=Laura|title=Award-winning RTÉ western editor closes a 46-year career|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/1231/1224309679386.html|accessdate=31 December 2011|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=31 December 2011}}
Fahy joined RTÉ in 1974 as its first Western News Correspondent.{{cite news|last=Barry|first=Aoife|title=President Higgins pays tribute to RTÉ's Jim Fahy|url=http://www.thejournal.ie/jim-fahy-to-file-final-report-after-46-years-on-air-317192-Dec2011/|accessdate=31 December 2011|newspaper=TheJournal.ie}} In his early career in this role he reported on events such as the building and controversy of Ireland West Airport, the kidnapping of Don Tidey by the IRA and the affair that local Bishop Eamon Casey had.{{cite news|last=McDonald |first=Brian |title=Fahy heads into the west after almost 40 years on air |url=http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/fahy-heads-into-the-west-after-almost-40-years-on-air-2976670.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130217201138/http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/fahy-heads-into-the-west-after-almost-40-years-on-air-2976670.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 February 2013 |accessdate=31 December 2011 |newspaper=Irish Independent |date=31 December 2011 }} He is well known for making over 450 editions of Looking West for RTÉ Radio between 1977 and 1984, a programme about storytellers and musicians in the West of Ireland. It was described by The Irish Times as "ground-breaking".
While working for RTÉ News and Current Affairs, Fahy also travelled abroad, making many documentaries, a large number of which featured Irish aid workers.{{cite web|title=RADHARC AWARD 2006 PRESENTED TO 'When You Say 4,000 Goodbyes' |url=http://www.radharc.ie/downloads/Radharc_Award2006_Press_Release_050506.pdf |work=RADHARC |accessdate=31 December 2011 |date=5 May 2006 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222071416/http://www.radharc.ie/downloads/Radharc_Award2006_Press_Release_050506.pdf |archivedate=22 February 2012 }} With producer Dick Warner, he interviewed Mother Teresa of Calcutta in 1976 and journeyed across Africa for documentaries. More recently, he reported from Belarus, Haiti and Somalia. He was also on the scene of the September 11 attacks and profiled the Irish-American victims of them. In 2002, his documentary Stories from the Twin Towers won a gold medal at the New York Festivals Television Programming Awards.
Fahy won numerous other awards, including a Jacob's Award in 1984, as well as forty other national and international awards, many with producer Caroline Bleahen.
{{quotebox|width=30%|[..] every single thing that happened in the West of Ireland, be it political or cultural or international, the first thing people would say to each other was, 'have you contacted Jim Fahy?' [...]|President Michael D. Higgins, RTÉ News: Six One, 31 December 2011.}}
Fahy was appointed to the position of Western Editor by RTÉ in 2005, and was based in the station's Galway studio. In 2011, he retired along with other high-profile news broadcasters Anne Doyle and Michael Ryan.{{cite news|last=McDonald |first=Brian |title=RTÉ's Jim calls it a day after 50 years in journalism |url=http://www.herald.ie/entertainment/around-town/rtes-jim-calls-it-a-day-after-50-years-in-journalism-2976837.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130217222355/http://www.herald.ie/entertainment/around-town/rtes-jim-calls-it-a-day-after-50-years-in-journalism-2976837.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 February 2013 |accessdate=31 December 2011 |newspaper=Evening Herald |date=31 December 2011 }} He worked for the station for 37 years and was accomplished as the longest-serving regional news correspondent. His final news report was broadcast on RTÉ on 31 December 2011.{{cite news|title=Six One News: Western Editor Jim Fahy signs off on final report |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/av/2011/1231/media-3155332.html |accessdate=31 December 2011 |publisher=Raidió Teilifís Éireann |date=31 December 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120109041456/http://www.rte.ie/news/av/2011/1231/media-3155332.html |archivedate=9 January 2012 }} A tribute was paid to him from President Michael D. Higgins, who said that he would be "missed" and that he has a "seductive charm".
Personal life
Fahy was married to Christina until his death.{{cite news|title=Former RTÉ western editor Jim Fahy dies|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/former-rt%C3%A9-western-editor-jim-fahy-dies-1.4777677|first=Jack|last=Power|date=15 January 2022|access-date=16 January 2022|newspaper=The Irish Times|location=Dublin}} Together, they had two children: Shane and Aideen.{{cite news|title=Statement of Archbishop Michael Neary on the death of Jim Fahy RIP|url=https://www.catholicbishops.ie/2022/01/15/statement-of-archbishop-michael-neary-on-the-death-of-jim-fahy-rip/|date=15 January 2022|accessdate=16 January 2022|publisher=Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference}}{{cite news|title=Jim Fahy Obituary|url=https://www.legacy.com/ie/obituaries/connachttribune-ie/name/jim-fahy-obituary?pid=201133834|date=15 January 2022|access-date=16 January 2022|newspaper=Connacht Tribune|via=Legacy.com}}
Fahy died at his home in Tuam on 14 January 2022, at the age of 75.{{cite news|title=Tributes paid to 'voice of the west of Ireland' Jim Fahy|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2022/0115/1273842-jim-fahy/|first=Pat|last=McGrath|date=15 January 2022|access-date=16 January 2022|publisher=RTÉ}}{{cite news|title=Fond tributes as former RTÉ correspondent Jim Fahy dies after short illness|url=https://www.independent.ie/news/fond-tributes-as-former-rte-correspondent-jim-fahy-dies-after-short-illness-41242806.html|first=Eoghan|last=Moloney|date=15 January 2022|access-date=16 January 2022|newspaper=Irish Independent|location=Dublin}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fahy, Jim}}
Category:Jacob's Award winners
Category:Broadcasters from County Galway
Category:RTÉ newsreaders and journalists
Category:The Tuam Herald people
Category:Writers from County Galway