Paddy O'Byrne (8 December 1929 – 4 December 2013) was an Irish radio broadcaster and actor who became one of the best-known radio personalities in South Africa."The death has occurred of Paddy O'BYRNE" (5 December 2013) RIP.ie 'End of Life Matters'
Early life
O'Byrne was born in Killiney, a suburb of Dublin, Ireland. He attended St Mary's College, Dublin, Castleknock College and University College Dublin, where he earned a degree in Legal and Political Science. In 1952, he was called to the Kings Inns. In 1954, he abandoned a legal career in favour of the performing arts, joining the George Mitchell Singers in London but had a "day job" working for an insurance company. During the summer season in Llandudno, he met and later married a singer and dancer from Dublin named Vicky Fitzpatrick. They had three children Jane, John (died 1980) and Dominic. He was the son of John O'Byrne, K.C. and Marjorie (née McGuire)."The late Paddy O’Byrne, a major radio name in two countries, dies in Mullingar" (11 December 2013) Westmeath Examiner
Career in South Africa
O’Byrne emigrated to the Union of South Africa in 1958. In 1961, he won a competition called The Voice of South Africa, thereby gaining a contract with the South African Broadcasting Corporation and a new career. As was commonly the case at the time, both among Irish actors abroad as well as many South Africans in the theatre and broadcast media, he used Received Pronunciation for his professional speaking voice.Emma Clarke (2 November 2007) The Power and Prejudices of Received Pronunciation Prof. David Crystal (March, 2007) Language and Time: RP and its Successors, BBC – VoicesStan Carey (8 November 2011) "RP and Dortspeak", Macmillan Dictionary blogPeter Roach (2001) British English: Received Pronunciation, School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies, University of Reading
In 1980, when the radio station Talk Radio 702 was launched in Johannesburg, he was the first announcer heard on it. He also worked for Radio Today and Radio Veritas, a Roman Catholic station, in Johannesburg and for Fine Music Radio in Cape Town. He also worked for the BBC on Radio 2 and Capital Radio in the United Kingdom, during the 1970s and 1980s.
He was also an actor, and narrated five films, while in South Africa. He was one of a series of actors who played the science-fiction character Mark Saxon in the original radio drama No Place to Hide, originally created by South African author Monty Doyle.
O’Byrne and his family moved to Mullingar in 2001, but he continued to do broadcasts for Irish classical-music radio station Lyric FM, and his programmes for Fine Music Radio were recorded there and transmitted to South Africa for broadcast. He retired in 2004."The #ConsideredView - RIP Paddy O'Byrne" (2013-12-05) EWN – Eye Witness News, South Africa
In 2010, at the MTN Radio Awards Gala, in Johannesburg, O’Byrne was honoured for his contribution to South African broadcasting, being named one of the inaugural inductees into the Radio Hall of Fame.
Narrator
He narrated two movies from The Gods Must Be Crazy film series, as well as Animals Are Beautiful People.
Death
Paddy O'Byrne died on 4 December 2013, aged 83, in Mullingar, County Westmeath, Ireland."Veteran broadcaster, popular actor O’Byrne dies" (6 December 2013) The Witness, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
References
External links
Obituary at Talk Radio 702, South Africa