John Creedon

Creedon's career began with an initial failed audition for a job on RTÉ 2fm, but he went on to twice top the Irish Singles Chart with his character, Terence the Cork hairdresser.{{cite web|title=About John Creedon|url=http://www.rte.ie/radio1/johncreedon/about.html|work=The John Creedon Show|publisher=RTÉ Radio 1|access-date=4 January 2013}} Terence was a frequent contributor to The Gerry Ryan Show in the early 1990s. Creedon won a Jacob's Award in 1992 for his RTÉ Radio 1 morning show, Risin' Time.

Over the years, Creedon has hosted shows on RTÉ Radio One at various times of the day. The Creedon Show (15:30){{cite news|url=https://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/article670455.ece|title=Radio: RTÉ sticks to the same old songs|date=4 June 2006|access-date=12 September 2009|work=The Times|location=London|first=Greg|last=Hurst|archive-date=16 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616053048/http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/article670455.ece|url-status=dead}} was replaced by a programme hosted by Ronan Collins in 2006.{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/theres-blood-on-the-studio-floor-66411.html|title=There's blood on the studio floor|date=30 December 2006|access-date=12 September 2008|work=Irish Independent}} This change followed new radio chief, Ana Leddy's decision to move him on as part of widespread alterations across the station.{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/news-gossip/rte-goes-wild-in-major-shakeup-of-schedules-for-radio-1-and-2fm-99836.html|title=RTÉ goes wild in major shake-up of schedules for Radio 1 and 2FM|date=26 May 2005|access-date=12 September 2008|last=O'Brien|first=Jason|work=Irish Independent}}{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/national-news/rte-orders-second-radio-staff-shakeup-85854.html|title=RTÉ orders second radio staff shake-up|date=1 July 2006|access-date=12 September 2008|last=O'Brien|first=Jason|work=Irish Independent}}{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/national-news/rte-fears-mass-radio-defections-132138.html|title=RTÉ fears mass radio defections|date=2 July 2006|access-date=12 September 2008|last=Khan|first=Frank|work=Sunday Independent}} John also hosted Late Date on RTÉ Radio 1 for some time prior to his move to the current 8 to 10pm slot.

In August 2008 Creedon took part in the reality television series, Fáilte Towers,{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/arts/2008/0725/failtetowers.html|title=13 Fáilte Towers celebrities announced|date=25 July 2008|access-date=12 September 2008|work=RTÉ}} a show that saw a group of well-known personalities attempt to run a hotel for a two-week period whilst earning money for charity. Creedon was proclaimed winner of the show on 17 August 2008. Creedon selected Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin as his charity for the show due to his personal involvement with the hospital in the past. In 2007, his granddaughter Lucie was born prematurely to his daughter, Katie, who suffered from kidney problems as a child. Lucie died eight and a half weeks later.{{cite news|url=http://www.examiner.ie/story/ireland/qlaukfqlid/rss2/|title=Creedon up for more after Fáilte Towers win|date=19 August 2008|access-date=12 September 2008|work=Irish Examiner}}{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Commenting on the win, Creedon said: "The big fat guy never wins anything, this is great."{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/arts/2008/0817/failtetowers1.html |title=John is named Fáilte Towers winner |date=17 August 2008 |access-date=12 September 2008 |work=RTÉ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150305202722/http://www.rte.ie/ten/news/2008/0818/414300-failtetowers/ |archive-date=5 March 2015 }} After his victory, he presented a show for the RTÉ Concert Orchestra"[http://www.rte.ie/performinggroups/2008/1010/rtecohelix.html The Good, The Bad and The Ugly - A Tribute To The Wild West] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011042951/http://www.rte.ie/performinggroups/2008/1010/rtecohelix.html |date=11 October 2008 }}" - presented by John Creedon. RTÉ. and partook in TG4 series Faoi Lan Cheoil where, alongside Oscar-winning actor Jeremy Irons and international and Premier League footballer Andy Reid, he learnt a new musical instrument over six months in preparation for a public performance.{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/banjos-and-pirates-lead-charge-of-tg4s-new-lineup-1473436.html|title=Banjos and pirates lead charge of TG4's new line-up|date=11 September 2008|access-date=12 September 2008|last=Kelly|first=Fiach|work=Irish Independent}} Creedon was then a judge on The All Ireland Talent Show, representing the south of the country alongside Michael Healy-Rae and Sinéad Sheppard.{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/arts/2008/1113/allirelandtalentshow.html|title=All Ireland Talent Show judges revealed|date=13 November 2008|access-date=13 November 2008|work=RTÉ}} Judge Creedon warned fellow judge Dáithí Ó Sé to stop stealing acts from Munster, alleging that he invaded County Clare in series one and that he would be "answerable to me and to my gang" if he continued to persist.{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/arts/2009/0818/theallirelandtalentshow.html|title=Creedon warns Dáithí O'Sé over Talent Show|date=18 August 2009|access-date=18 August 2009|work=RTÉ}} After a short stint presenting Late Date, he was given his own 20:30 weekday music show on RTÉ Radio 1 in 2009.{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/why-miriam-is-primed-to-do--more-on-radio-1862307.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130111161229/http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/why-miriam-is-primed-to-do--more-on-radio-1862307.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 January 2013 |title=Why Miriam is primed to do more on radio |date=18 August 2009 |access-date=18 August 2009 |last=O'Farrell |first=Stephen |author2=Noonan, Laura |work=Irish Independent }}

In 2011, Creedon hosted a television series called 'Creedon's Retro Road Trip' in which he retraces the route of the only holiday his entire family ever took. His family's two-week holiday took place in 1969 with his eleven brothers and sisters who travelled across Ireland with a borrowed caravan. Creedon recreated the trip over forty years later and explored how the country had changed.{{Cite web|url=https://presspack.rte.ie/2011/06/11/creedons-retro-roadtrip-new-series/|title=CREEDON'S RETRO ROADTRIP ***New Series*** {{!}} RTÉ Presspack|website=presspack.rte.ie|access-date=2019-02-02}}

Creedon's next television series was titled 'Creedon's Cities' in which he visited the four major cities in the Republic of Ireland; Dublin, Galway, Limerick and Cork. The series aired in 2012.{{Cite web|url=https://presspack.rte.ie/2012/07/10/creedons-cities-new-series/|title=CREEDON'S CITIES ***New Series*** {{!}} RTÉ Presspack|website=presspack.rte.ie|access-date=2019-02-02}}

'Creedon's Wild Atlantic Way' aired in 2015. The series consists of 3 episodes showcasing points of interest along the Wild Atlantic Way.{{Cite web|url=https://presspack.rte.ie/2015/07/26/creedons-wild-atlantic-way-new-series/|title=CREEDON'S WILD ATLANTIC WAY ***New Series*** {{!}} RTÉ Presspack|website=presspack.rte.ie|access-date=2019-02-02}} Creedon travels along this tourist route in his 1960s VW campervan.{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/features/john-creedon-take-on-the-wild-atlantic-way-in-epic-roadtrip-343962.html|title=John Creedon take on the Wild Atlantic Way in epic roadtrip|date=2015-07-23|website=www.irishexaminer.com|access-date=2019-02-04}}

After his turn on Fáilte Towers, journalist and RTÉ colleague Joe O'Shea described Creedon's personality as being that of "somebody who gives space to others and is not intent on sucking up all of the available on-screen oxygen".{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/failte-towers--so-what-do-the--critics-say-about-the-million--people-who-watched-it-1461633.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120804190104/http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/failte-towers--so-what-do-the--critics-say-about-the-million--people-who-watched-it-1461633.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 August 2012 |title=Failte Towers: So what do the critics say about the million people who watched it? |date=23 August 2008 |access-date=12 September 2008 |author=O'Shea, Joe |author-link=Joe O'Shea |work=Irish Independent }} In March 2008, it was to Creedon's radio show that befuddled Irish listeners turned when RTÉ shut down its 82-year-old medium wave service. Within hours of the shutdown, they were contacting John Creedon's RTÉ radio show, "wondering how they could tune in to the newfangled VHF – or “VHI’’, as one gentleman insisted on calling it".{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/why-old-ireland-is-going-up-in-smoke-1333373.html|title=Why old Ireland is going up in smoke|date=31 March 2008|access-date=12 September 2008|work=Irish Independent}}

In an interview about his television series 'Creedon's Shannon' he talks of an old review of him that called him a "third rate presenter". While it did upset him at the time he recalls that his daughter Nanci told him "I’d rather be a third-rate presenter than a first-rate critic" a sentiment to which he says “I’ve kept that one in my back pocket, d’you know?”.{{Cite web|url=https://avondhupress.ie/water-john-creedon/|title=On the water with John Creedon|last=O'Keeffe|first=Donal|date=2017-07-19|website=The Avondhu Newspaper|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-02-02}}

{{Quote box|width=30%|align=right|quote=“Death is not the opposite to life. It's the opposite to birth.”|source= ^{Creedon's philosophical outlook as he reflected upon the death of his granddaughter.}The Late Late Show, 19 September 2008. It may be viewed [http://www.rte.ie/tv/latelate/20080919.html here]. }}

Creedon was raised with eleven siblings. He claimed in a 2008 Late Late Show interview that he once worked in a Penneys branch. He previously lived in Goatstown, Dublin, but now resides in Cork on a hill overlooking the city centre. His musical taste is eclectic, ranging from local band Fred to The Beatles, Nina Simone, Bruce Springsteen and Van Morrison. His record collection includes albums by Miles Davis and John Coltrane and selections from Americana, Eric Bibb, John Prine and the Handsome Family.{{cite news|url=http://www.hotpress.com/archive/2845606.html |title=At home with John Creedon |date=19 January 2006 |access-date=12 September 2008 |work=Hot Press |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120620105315/http://www.hotpress.com/archive/2845606.html |archive-date=20 June 2012 }}

An avid Irish language speaker, Creedon appeared on the first series of No Béarla, broadcast in 2007. He has spoken to the BBC about his search for his nation's favourite Irish word.{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/irish/blas/education/beginnersblas/highlights.shtml|title=Highlights of Beginners' Blas|access-date=12 September 2008|work=BBC}} He supports his local football club, Cork City F.C., a League of Ireland team.{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/eircom-league/in-off-the-post-rte-star-morahan-fashions-undying-gypsies-allegiance-1459309.html|title=In off the post: RTÉ star Morahan fashions undying gypsies' allegiance|date=20 August 2008|access-date=12 September 2008|work=Irish Independent}}

One of Creedon's favourite memories is the visit of Pope John Paul II to Ireland in 1979. He described the Pope "landing that helicopter by himself in Phoenix Park in 1979" as "truly memorable".{{cite news|url=http://www.rteguide.ie/2008/0901/lifelessons.html |title=Life Lessons: John Creedon |date=1 September 2008 |access-date=12 September 2008 |work=RTÉ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080917192400/http://www.rteguide.ie/2008/0901/lifelessons.html |archive-date=17 September 2008 }}

{{Reflist|2}}

• [http://www.rte.ie/radio1/johncreedon/ Official site of The John Creedon Show]
• {{IMDb name|nm1832770}}
• [http://www.rte.ie/arts/2009/0302/johncreedonrap.html John Creedon rap] from The All Ireland Talent Show
• Late Date archives: [http://www.rte.ie/radio1/latedate/1185517.html February 2008] [http://www.rte.ie/radio1/latedate/1196681.html April 2008]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110622094133/http://archives.tcm.ie/sligoweekender/2003/11/25/story15358.asp 2003 letter to the Sligo Weekender]

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Category:Living people

Category:Cork City F.C.

Category:Irish television personalities

Category:Jacob's Award winners

Category:Participants in Irish reality television series

Category:Mass media people from County Cork

Category:Reality show winners

Category:RTÉ Radio 1 presenters

Category:1958 births