LIAM Ó MURCHÚ, the veteran RTE broadcaster of the 1960s and 1970s, has died aged 86.

He was probably best remembered for the bilingual Trom agus Éadrom in the 1970s, which sought to combine the Irish language with a tradional craic agus ceol variety show.

Ó Murchú was born in Cork in 1929 and attended University College Cork, from whom he received an honorary degree in 2002

He stood once as a general election candidate, for Fianna Fáil in 1982, although he was not successful.

Leaving RTE in 1988 to form his own production company, he continued to occasionally contribute to the station as a presenter.

He was married to Margaret, who died before him, and had 8 children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Ó Murchú was this evening paid tribute by President Higgins, who described him as a “consummate professional, full of warmth and vitality”.

Throughout his career Liam worked tirelessly to promote the Irish language both in front of and behind the camera.  

What set him apart in the promotion of the language was his belief that the language belonged to everyone.

Sabina and I express our deepest sympathies to his eight children, his grandchildren, great grandchildren, his extended family and his friends.

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