The Irish are known for being great travellers. With a canny ability to deeply immerse ourselves in the cultures and institutions of the countries we inhabit. Why do you think so many American presidents claim their Irish heritage?
At the other end of the globe, Irish success stories abound in Australia, from AFL legend Jim Stynes to Qantas CEO Alan Joyce making it to the top of their adopted country’s “establishment”.
More recently, I unintentionally uncovered a modern example of how the Irish are projecting our soft power onto the world.
While on a trip to Thailand, I was surprised to see that four, yes FOUR of the international news channels I watched had Irish news reporters. (It rained a lot ok 😅☔)
So who are these international correspondents helping to promote Ireland as a modern, progressive country, while at the same time showcasing the dulcet Irish accent to the world.
Donie O’Sullivan, Correspondent at CNN, New York – 🐦 (@donie)
Donie O’Sullivan is a CNN correspondent covering the intersection of politics and technology. He has had a meteoric rise to fame, with several Late late show appearances and even a dedicated rte documentary on his story: Capitol Man.
O’Sullivan was born in Cahersiveen, County Kerry, Ireland. O’Sullivan has reported on a wide range of stories, including the 2020 US presidential election, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the January 6th insurrection at the US Capitol. Leading to being named one of the “Top 30 Under 30” in media by Forbes magazine.
Most recently he had a high-profile tiff with Elon Musk, resulting in a temporary ban on Twitter:
Catherine Murphy, Journalist at ABC News, Australia -🐦(@CathMurphySport)
Catherine Murphy is a sports presenter for ABC News and News Radio in Australia. She is originally from Cavan, Ireland, and began her career in the sports department of Ireland’s national broadcaster RTÉ. In 2006, she moved to Australia to work with Fox Sports, and in 2018 she joined the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Commission, their version of RTE or BBC).
Catherine has covered a wide range of sports during her career, including the Olympics, the Commonwealth Games, and the FIFA World Cup. She is also a regular presenter of ABC Radio Melbourne’s Breakfast and Drive programs and more recently the ABC News Breakfast. In a short space of time she has become one of the most recognizable and charismatic reporters in Australia.
Meabh McMahon, European Affairs Correspondent at Euro News, Brussels – 🐦 (@MeabhMcMahon)
Meabh is currently the European affairs correspondent for Euronews. She began her career as a reporter in Valencia, Spain, before moving to Brussels to work as a video journalist for EUobserver. In 2014, she joined France 24 as the Brussels correspondent, where she covered breaking news around the clock.
McMahon is known for her in-depth reporting on European and is a fluent speaker of English, Spanish, and French. Most recently she hosts ‘Bruxelles, je t’aime?’, Euronews’ weekend talk show in English & Spanish. Here she is interviewing some of Monaghan’s top entrepreneurs.
Tadhg Enright, Freelance Journalist, BBC and Euronews, London – 🐦(@TadhgEnright)
Are you really on holiday unless the BBC World Service is shown in your hotel room?
Tadhg is currently a presenter of business bulletins on the BBC’s award-winning News Channel as well as the Business Live programme on BBC World.
Born in Dublin, Ireland Tadhg graduated from University College Dublin with a degree in economics, before starting his career as a reporter for RTÉ News. He has accumulated 20 years of experience in broadcast news and is a proud Gaeilgeoir. Keep an eye out for him on your next work trip or holiday!
These Irish journalists are making a significant contribution to the global conversation, and they are helping to ensure that Ireland’s voice is heard around the world. Do you know any other journalists abroad that are flying the flag for Ireland, let us know.