Theo McDonald pays tribute to a multi-talented veteran of Irish broadcasting, his grandfather Michael Carroll, who died in September of this year.
A footballer, an actor, an RTÉ Radio Director, and a fluent Irish speaker - these are just a few descriptions of the man who passed away last week, Michael Carroll, otherwise known as my grandfather.
He was one of a kind. The life of the party. Charismatic and jovial, but also firm and strict. A man of deep faith and conviction who was not afraid to speak his mind.
My grandfather left behind a legacy that will outlast him. Beyond his three children and seven grandchildren, he served as RTÉ's Director of Programmes in the 80s, helping to shape the broadcaster's output at a time of flux and rapid advances in communication. He also starred in various RTÉ dramas such as Bachelor’s Walk, and Irish plays including Sean O’Casey’s Red Roses for Me.
Indeed, his sporting career as a player for Bohemians FC in the League of Ireland and Captain of RTÉ’s Cricket Club betrayed a competitive streak.
During his career, he oversaw the broadcaster’s extension of Radio na Gaeltachta and Cork local radio, the planning, development and launch of Radio (2FM) in 1979, and the introduction of FM3, including minority programmes such as classical music, all with a budget of around £15mn and a staff of up to 300.
Joining Radio Éireann, the precursor to RTÉ, in 1959, he quickly rose through the ranks at the broadcaster, beginning with his initial appointment as a Maintenance Engineer. By June 1960, he was elevated to Operations Engineer and eventually became Head of Presentation in September 1968. As the 1970s rolled in, he was appointed to a new role as Head of Presentation & Programme Administration.
By March 1980, he achieved the height of his career when he was promoted to Director of Programmes. This influential position saw him report directly to the Director General of RTÉ, and included having oversight of Radio 1, Radio 2, FM 3, Cork Local Radio, Radio na Gaeltachta and Community Radio.
Local radio was particularly important to him as he formulated the broadcaster’s response to the Local Radio Bill, which saw the then Minister for Communications seek to encourage more local radio stations amidst a rise in so-called "pirate" or unlicensed radio. This "illegal" form of radio, in the words of Communications Minister Conor Cruise O’Brien, saw the transmission of politically sensitive material beyond the scope of government regulation.
Examples included Margaretta D’Arcy’s Radio Pirate Woman, which sought to break taboos around rights for women and travellers. When Radio Na Gael launched, which specialised in traditional Irish music, RTÉ successfully applied for an injunction due to the pirate station’s name sounding similar to Radio na Gaeltachta.
It was amidst all these threats to the integrity of the national broadcaster that my grandfather had to navigate difficult commercial and communications decisions.
In 1981, he oversaw the decision to end sponsored broadcasting, which had allowed companies to advertise on air, sometimes as musicals or serials, following worries that RTÉ’s editorial independence was in jeopardy due to such programmes. Notable examples included Leo Maguire’s The Walton Programme.
Speaking at the time, my grandad mentioned that while, "sponsored programmes had a very good inning", he was "hopeful that in financial terms there won’t be any change and that people will adapt."
He was appointed to the Board of Radio Tara Ltd in 1987, a project aimed at broadcasting popular music and international news from Ireland into the U.K. on longwave, with the studio located in Dublin but transmitted from Meath, where the Hill of Tara is located.
Around 2001, he served as a director of Solas AM, alongside former RTÉ director general Oliver Maloney. The station operated not far from where he lived in the Stillorgan Divine Masters convent. It aimed to create a platform for open and rigorous debate on contentious topics related to religion. With a diverse set of directors including three Catholics, two Church of Ireland adherents and one Baptist, the station unfortunately failed to achieve an FM license, making the venture prohibitively costly. I still recall witnessing my grandad bumping into the former Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI) director who refused to grant the license at the time and shaking his hand, showing graciousness by not holding any grudges.
As mentioned, his talents did not end in journalistic production. He appeared in several productions, including doing voice-overs and as a supporting actor. From depicting 'The Father' in RTÉ’s Your Bad Self to a supporting role in Bachelor’s Walk, his studies at the Gaiety School of Acting really paid off. Adopting the stage name Michael Thornton, he was often so invested in his different roles that he would perform various songs and acts in front of my siblings and me in his living room. His fluency in Irish, having attended a Gaelscoil as a child, saw him conduct an Irish voice-over for a US TV documentary about the famine.
My grandad’s larger-than-life personality, ambitious nature, and willingness to stand up for his beliefs have rubbed off on me in many ways.
I will forever be indebted to his advice, wisdom and inspiration.
I will miss him dearly.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam
