29 July 2010
A Dingle man is to become the new editor of national newspaper The Irish Daily Mail. Conor O'Donnell (36) is to replace Paul Fields as editor of the newspaper this September. The son of retired Garda Sergeant Mossie O'Donnell has worked for the company since 2008. A keen GAA footballer in his day, Conor graduated from Griffith College before working with the Kerryman and the Irish Examiner. His appointment adds to the Dingle Peninsula's growing profile when it comes to writers, journalists and those involved in the national media. Dingle man Declan Malone is the editor of the Kerryman newspaper; other working journalists in the area include Michelle Crean (Castlegregory), a photo-journalist with Kerry's Eye, Sharon Ní Chonchúir (Baile na nGall) a freelance journalist with the Irish Examiner, Ted Creedon (Kerryman, Marine Times and Radio Kerry) and Marian O'Flaherty (online editor DingleNews.com, Kerryman, RTE 2fm, Ireland's Own, Foinse etc). Former footballer Dara Ó Cinnéide is a TV journalist with TG4, RTÉ and Raidió na Gaeltachta, along with writing for a number of publications. Seán Mac an tSíthigh is a news-reporter with TG4 also. Former Kerry footballers Dara Ó Sé and Páidí Ó Sé have columns with national newspapers. Kilquane's Dáithí Ó Sé, who has worked with TG4 and RTÉ, is now one of Ireland's leading TV personalities and will present the live global broadcast of the 2010 Rose of Tralee selection this August. Fellow Kilquane native Sineád Ní Churnáin is a children's TV presenter with RTÉ while Siún Nic Gearailt is one of RTÉ News' leading news anchors. This is only the tip of the iceberg; the number of those involved in the media, along with authors, poets, publishers and photographers on the Dingle Peninsula really is too vast a number to pin down.
