Sean O'Rourke
{{Short description|Irish journalist and broadcaster}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2015}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=May 2015}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Sean O'Rourke
| image = Sean O'Rourke crop.jpg
| caption = Sean O'Rourke in 2009
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1955|5|22}}
| birth_place = Portlaoise, County Laois, Ireland
| death_date =
| death_place =
| education =
| alma_mater = University College Galway
| occupation = Journalist, broadcaster
| alias =
| title =
| employer = RTÉ
| family =
| spouse = Caroline Murphy
| domestic_partner =
| children = 6
| relatives =
| nationality = Irish
| credits = RTÉ News at One
The Week in Politics
| agent =
| URL =
}}
Sean O'Rourke (born 22 May 1955) is an Irish journalist and broadcaster who works for the Irish public broadcaster, RTÉ. From September 2013 until his retirement in May 2020, he presented the Today with Seán O'Rourke show every weekday from 10:00am until midday on RTÉ Radio 1.
Career
An arts graduate from University College Galway, O'Rourke has previously worked for the Connacht Tribune, The Sunday Press and The Irish Press.
In 1989 he joined RTÉ News. For RTÉ he has presented Morning Ireland and This Week. In 1995 he moved to the News at One.
On television he has presented Today Tonight, Prime Time and The Week in Politics.{{cite web|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/news1pm/seanorourke.html|title=RTÉ News at One Profile: Sean O'Rourke|year=2009|publisher=RTÉ|access-date=2009-06-10}}
From 2013 to May 2020 he presented the popular weekday radio programme, Today with, as Today with Sean O'Rourke, being succeeded by Sarah McInerney and then Claire Byrne in that role.
In August 2020, O'Rourke apologised for his involvement in the Oireachtas Golf Society scandal.{{cite news |last=Doyle |first=Kevin |date=21 August 2020 |title=The event, the guests, the garda investigation – everything we know so far about the golf dinner that cost Dara Calleary his job |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/the-event-the-guests-the-garda-investigation-everything-we-know-so-far-about-the-golf-dinner-that-cost-dara-calleary-his-job-39467915.html |work=Irish Independent |access-date=22 August 2020 }} RTÉ announced that planned projects involving O'Rourke would not proceed.{{cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2020/0824/1161039-sean-orourke/|title=RTÉ confirms plans for Sean O'Rourke projects will not proceed|publisher=RTÉ News and Current Affairs|date=24 August 2020|access-date=24 August 2020}}{{cite web|url= https://www.thejournal.ie/sean-orourke-rte-2-5186740-Aug2020/
|title ='Clifden changed the landscape': RTÉ Radio 1 controller on why SOR's return was ditched
|date=26 August 2019|work=The Journal|access-date=27 August 2020}}
Awards
O'Rourke has won ESB National Media Awards: Radio Broadcaster of the Year 1997, NUI Galway Alumni Award for Arts, Media & Communications 2007 and 2008 PPI News Broadcaster of the Year.{{cite web|url=http://www.ppiradioawards.com/2008/winners_2008.asp#groupe|title=PPI Radio Awards 2008|year=2008|publisher=PPI Radio Awards|access-date=2009-06-10}} In June 2011 he was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Laws by his alma mater, NUI Galway.{{cite web|url=https://www.nuigalway.ie/about-us/news-and-events/news-archive/2011/june2011/nui-galway-honours-four-outstanding-individuals-with-honorary-degrees.html|title=NUI Galway Honours Four Outstanding Individuals with Honorary Degrees|year=2011|publisher=National University of Ireland, Galway|access-date=2019-12-17}}
Personal life
O'Rourke was born in Portlaoise, one of eight children of local school principal and hurling enthusiast Kevin O’Rourke.{{Cite web|url=http://www.laois-nationalist.ie/2013/08/13/laois-man-takes-top-radio-spot/|title=Laois Nationalist — Laois man takes top radio spot|access-date=2016-11-30}} The family later moved to Galway, where he was educated at Coláiste Iognáid.{{cite web|url=http://colaisteiognaid.ie/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Jes-invite-A4.pdf|title=the JES - 150 years of the Jesuits in Galway|website= Coláiste Iognáid}} He is married to Caroline Murphy and has six children, one of whom is a human rights lawyer, Maeve O'Rourke.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/i-dont-like-admitting-this-but-i-was-starting-to-question-my-enthusiasm-37273947.html|title=I don't like admitting this, but I was starting to question my enthusiasm|work=Irish Examiner|date=2 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180904223338/https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/i-dont-like-admitting-this-but-i-was-starting-to-question-my-enthusiasm-37273947.html|archive-date=4 September 2018|quote=One of the highlights of the summer was going to my daughter Maeve's conferring}} He is a practising Catholic.{{cite news|url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/features/this-much-i-know-seaacuten-orourke-broadcaster-312312.html|title=This much I know: Seán O'Rourke, Broadcaster|work=Irish Examiner|date=13 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150604142042/http://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/features/this-much-i-know-seaacuten-orourke-broadcaster-312312.html|archive-date=4 June 2015|quote=I’m a practicing Catholic. I feel I need to practice a lot more because I’m a long way from being perfect.}}
As of 2013, he was chair of NUI Galway's alumni association.{{cite web|url=http://www.nuigalway.ie/about-us/news-and-events/news-archive/2013/july2013/statement-from-dr-jim-browne-president-nui-galway-on-the-passing-of-colm-murray.html|title=Sean O'Rourke, Chair of NUI Galway Alumni Association|date=30 July 2013}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.rte.ie/news/news1pm/seanorourke.html RTÉ Profile]
{{RTÉ Radio 1}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Orourke, Sean}}
Category:Alumni of the University of Galway
Category:Writers from County Galway
Category:Writers from County Laois
Category:RTÉ newsreaders and journalists
Category:RTÉ Radio 1 presenters
Category:People from Portlaoise