Marian was a ‘unique breed’: Longford native pays tribute to RTÉ colleague

Killoe native and head of RTÉ Radio One Tom McGuire spent over two decades working alongside the legendary broadcaster.

Barely a week on from Ms Finucane's unexpected death, Mr McGuire recalled how the radio presenter's husband John Clarke broke the news when calls to her mobile phone had gone unanswered.

“She had been at a friend's holiday in India and we had been making plans about her return on air the following morning,” he said.

“Normally the protocol is we would do a check call to go through a few things for the show.

“One of our producers tried ringing her at around 3pm but there was no reply,” he said.

When a further call was made later that same afternoon, Mr McGuire said it was then Ms Finucane's husband who informed them of the 69-year-old's passing.

He said the unanticipated nature of Ms Finucane's death allied to the fact the presenter worked with a “four or five” programme strong team made the tragic events of last Thursday all the more difficult to bear.

“On a Monday to Friday there would be more people around but on a Saturday morning the place (station) is very much quieter and so the support is that bit greater,” he added.

The former head of RTÉ editor of Current Affairs also recalled how he first came into contact with Ms Finucane the best part of 25 years ago.

“I remember I had been training as a radio producer since the mid 90s and when you are finished you are normally assigned a programme for your induction and that programme happened to be Liveline when Marian was presenting,” he said.

But it was in her hugely popular two hour Saturday and Sunday stints on the national airwaves that the duo's working relationship really thrived.

“On Saturday mornings, you would often have the likes of gardening and community based programmes.

“Marian saw an opportunity to do something and it (show) became very successful both commercially and editorially,” he added.

In terms of Ms Finucane's all round appeal as a broadcaster, Mr McGuire said it was his long time colleague's unique ability to allow her guests and interviewees time and the capacity to think which set her apart.

“She was a unique breed. Marian gave space for people to have a conversation when so much of radio these days is very frenetic, it was often the case where you had people actually wanting to come on Marian's programme because they felt they would get a fair hearing,” he said.

“She loved people's stories, that was one thing about her. Marian would sit people down and let them tell their stories, stories that meant something to people and stories that might not otherwise be heard but for Marian.”