Stephen Grimason
{{Short description|Northern Irish journalist (1957–2024)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Stephen Grimason
| birth_date = 27 March 1957
| birth_place = Lurgan, County Armagh, Northern Ireland
| death_date = {{Death date and given age|2024|4|28|67|df=yes}}
| nationality =
| children =
| occupation = Journalist
}}
Stephen Grimason (27 March 1957– 28 April 2024) was a Northern Irish journalist who was editor of BBC Northern Ireland.{{Cite news |last=Media |first=P. A. |date=28 April 2024 |title=Tributes paid to veteran Northern Ireland journalist Stephen Grimason |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/apr/28/tributes-paid-to-veteran-northern-ireland-journalist-stephen-grimason |access-date=6 May 2024 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} He was known for breaking the news of the Good Friday Agreement in April 1998.{{Cite news |date=28 April 2024 |title=Stephen Grimason: Fiercely competitive, but always a team player |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-66936562 |access-date=6 May 2024 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}
Early life
Grimason was born in Lurgan, County Armagh.{{Cite news |date=28 April 2024 |title=Former BBC NI political editor Stephen Grimason dies aged 67: ‘The audience trusted what he had to say’ |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/former-bbc-ni-political-editor-stephen-grimason-dies-aged-67-the-audience-trusted-what-he-had-to-say/a1216611882.html |access-date=6 May 2024 |work=BelfastTelegraph.co.uk |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}
Career
Grimason started his career working in local newspapers including the Lurgan Mail, the Ulster Star in Lisburn and Banbridge Chronicle.{{Cite web |date=29 April 2024 |title=Tributes paid following death of veteran Northern Ireland journalist Stephen Grimason |url=https://www.itv.com/news/utv/2024-04-28/tributes-paid-following-death-of-veteran-journalist-stephen-grimason |website=ITV News}} In 1992, he covered the Teebane bombing, being the first reporter on the scene.{{Cite web |last=Black |first=Rebecca |date=28 April 2024 |title=Tributes paid following death of veteran NI journalist |url=https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/tributes-paid-following-death-veteran-29074511 |access-date=6 May 2024 |website=Belfast Live |language=en}} He covered the Northern Ireland peace process.{{Cite web |date=28 April 2024 |title=Tributes paid following death of veteran journalist Stephen Grimason |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/tony-blair-northern-ireland-stormont-belfast-university-b2536053.html |access-date=6 May 2024 |website=The Independent |language=en}}
Grimason later worked as director of communications in the Northern Ireland Executive. He held this role from 2001 to 2016.{{Cite news |date=28 April 2024 |title=Stephen Grimason: Ex-BBC political editor who broke Good Friday deal dies |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-66923440 |access-date=6 May 2024 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}
In January 2024, he was awarded a Queen's University Belfast Chancellor's Medal alongside Ken Reid.{{Cite news |date=25 January 2024 |title=Journalists Stephen Grimason and Ken Reid awarded QUB medals |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-68101331 |access-date=6 May 2024 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}
Personal life
Grimason had four children and seven grandchildren.{{Cite news |date=29 April 2024 |title=Stephen Grimason: Funeral details announced for former BBC NI political editor |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/stephen-grimason-funeral-details-announced-for-former-bbc-ni-political-editor/a1113546110.html |access-date=6 May 2024 |work=BelfastTelegraph.co.uk |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}} In 2022, his younger brother Darryl Grimason died.{{Cite web |last=Murray |first=Gemma |date=22 December 2022 |title=Darryl Grimason: Tributes pour in after brother Stephen Grimason announces death of 'baby brother' |url=https://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/darryl-grimason-tributes-pour-in-after-brother-stephen-grimason-announces-death-of-baby-brother-3963276 |website=News Letter}} He was also television presenter for BBC Northern Ireland.{{Cite news |date=22 December 2022 |title=Darryl Grimason: Tributes paid after death of BBC presenter |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-64064186 |access-date=6 May 2024 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}} Grimason had a heart attack following the death of his brother.{{Cite web |last=Munro |first=Lucretia |date=28 April 2024 |title=Pioneering BBC journalist Stephen Grimason dies aged 67 after battle with cancer |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/pioneering-bbc-journalist-stephen-grimason-32689132 |access-date=6 May 2024 |website=The Mirror |language=en}}
Death
Grimason died following a long battle with cancer in April 2024, at the age of 67.{{Cite news |date=1 May 2024 |title=‘That’s Stephen Grimason’: Former BBC NI political editor ‘insisted on scripting’ funeral eulogy |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/thats-stephen-grimason-former-bbc-ni-political-editor-insisted-on-scripting-funeral-eulogy/a1422545355.html |access-date=6 May 2024 |work=BelfastTelegraph.co.uk |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}
References
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Category:People from County Armagh