{{Short description|Irish journalist, presenter and former newsreader}} {{about|the Irish broadcaster|the American sports broadcaster|Anne Doyle (sports broadcaster)}} {{Use British English|date=August 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}} {{Infobox person | name = Anne Doyle | image = | birth_name = Anne Catherine Doyle | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1952|01|30|df=y}} | birth_place = Ferns, County Wexford, Ireland | alma_mater = University College Dublin | occupation = {{Unbulleted list|Journalist|Presenter|Newsreader}} | credits = RTÉ News | partner = Dan McGrattan {{small|(2000–present)}} | years_active = 1978–2011 }} '''Anne Catherine Doyle''' (born 30 January 1952) is an Irish journalist, presenter and former newsreader.<ref name=here_is_the_news_leaving_for_certain/> She is best known as a long-serving newsreader for RTÉ, who anchored the broadcaster's main evening television news programmes, during her 33 years of service.<ref name=sign_off_her_last_news_on_christmas_day/>
==Early life== Born in Ferns, County Wexford. Doyle was the youngest in a family of five boys and two girls. Her father, John Doyle (1903–1975), worked most of his life as a farm labourer, while her mother was the former Elizabeth Kavanagh (1916–1979). Doyle was educated at the Loreto Convent in nearby Gorey and later at University College Dublin, where she was conferred with a Bachelor of Arts in English and History before later completing a postgraduate diploma in education.<ref name="TANS">{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/tv/theafternoonshow/2008/0520/annedoyle597.html |title=ANNE DOYLE – Newscasting Legend |work=The Afternoon Show |publisher=RTÉ.ie |accessdate=13 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100419081809/http://www.rte.ie/tv/theafternoonshow/2008/0520/annedoyle597.html |archive-date=19 April 2010 |date=20 May 2008 |url-status = live|df=dmy }}</ref>
==Career== ===Early career=== Doyle spent a year as an English and History teacher but later pursued her interest in books and became a librarian.<ref>[http://www.rte.ie/ten/2011/1225/doylea.html "Anne Doyle bids farewell to RTÉ."] ''RTÉ News'', Sunday, 25 December 2011.</ref> She later joined the Department of Foreign Affairs as an executive officer in the consular service.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/about/2003eng.pdf|title=RTÉ Annual Report 2003 (English version) | work=RTÉ News}} PDF file (size – 1 MB).</ref>
===Broadcasting=== Doyle joined the RTÉ newsroom in 1978 and read her first news bulletin on Christmas Day that year. She became a regular reader for bulletins on both radio and television news services. In 1983, she became one of four presenters for RTÉ One's early evening news, then known as ''Newstime''. The program was relaunched in 1988 as the ''Six One News'' with Doyle becoming co-anchor alongside Seán Duignan two years later.{{Citation needed|date=December 2011}} In 1992, Doyle was briefly suspended by RTÉ for refusing to cross picket lines during a technicians' strike.{{Citation needed|date=December 2011}}
Doyle became one of two sole anchors of RTÉ's flagship ''Nine O'Clock News'' in 1997, alternating with Eileen Dunne. In 2000, she was elected to represent RTÉ staff on the 14th RTÉ Authority.<ref>[http://tribune.maithu.com/article/2000/jun/25/no-more-tears-for-the-woman-in-the-know/ "'No more tears' for the woman in the know"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120509082710/http://tribune.maithu.com/article/2000/jun/25/no-more-tears-for-the-woman-in-the-know/ |date=9 May 2012 }} ''Irish Independent'', 25 June 2000</ref> The following year, she took over from Marian Finucane as co-presenter of ''Crimeline''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2000/1109/00110900014.html|title=New presenter of 'Crimeline'|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=9 November 2000|accessdate=13 September 2010}}</ref> In addition, she filled in for Finucane as presenter of RTÉ Radio 1's ''The Marian Finucane Show''.<ref>{{cite news|first=Maire|last=Kearney|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2001/0505/01050500219.html|title=Broadcast News|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=5 May 2001|accessdate=13 September 2010}}</ref>
In November 2011, Doyle announced she was seeking early retirement from RTÉ and had applied for a redundancy package.<ref name=here_is_the_news_leaving_for_certain>{{cite news|first=Alan |last=O'Keeffe |url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/herald/here-is-the-news-im-leaving-rte-for-certain-anne/27994187.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130217180036/http://www.herald.ie/news/here-is-the-news-im-leaving-rte-for-certain-anne-2939951.html |url-status = live|archive-date=17 February 2013 |title=Here is the news: I'm leaving RTÉ for certain – Anne: EXCLUSIVE: Iconic newsreader counts down days |newspaper=Evening Herald |publisher=Independent News & Media |date=19 November 2011 |access-date=19 November 2011 }}</ref> She presented her last RTÉ News bulletin at 8:50pm on Sunday 25 December 2011, 33 years to the day since her first bulletin.<ref name=sign_off_her_last_news_on_christmas_day>{{cite news|first=Cormac|last=Murphy|url=http://www.herald.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/after-33-years-rtes-anne-will-sign-off-her-last-news-on-christmas-day-2954722.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130217184930/http://www.herald.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/after-33-years-rtes-anne-will-sign-off-her-last-news-on-christmas-day-2954722.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 February 2013|title=After 33 years, RTÉ's Anne will sign off her last news on Christmas Day|newspaper=Evening Herald|publisher=Independent News & Media|date=6 December 2011|accessdate=6 December 2011}}</ref> The bulletin ended with a montage of Doyle's career with RTÉ featuring tributes from among others, Taoiseach Enda Kenny and broadcaster Gay Byrne.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/1225/doylea.html|title=Anne Doyle says goodbye after 33 years|work=RTÉ News|publisher=RTÉ|date=25 December 2011|accessdate=25 December 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Conor|last=Pope|author-link=Conor Pope|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/1226/breaking17.html|title=Doyle bows out as tributes pour in|newspaper=The Irish Times|publisher=Irish Times Trust|date=26 December 2011|accessdate=26 December 2011}}</ref> She has said that, following her broadcasting work, she wishes to study law and enter the legal profession.<ref>[http://www.independent.ie/national-news/anne-sets-her-sights-on-move-into-legal-world-2151707.html Anne sets her sights on move into legal world] ''Sunday Independent'', 25 April 2010.</ref><ref>[http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/independent-woman/celebrity-news-gossip/anne-doyle-seeks-to-take-redundancy-from-rte-2860860.html Anne Doyle seeks to take redundancy from RTE] ''Irish Independent'', 30 August 2011.</ref>
==In popular culture== Doyle has become part of Irish popular culture. Puppets Podge and Rodge frequently reference Doyle in their jokes, and the satirical comedy ''Bull Island'' also featured impersonations of Anne Doyle, including parodied news bulletins in which she would state "I am Anne Doyle. I am the news". She also has a long-standing association with Dustin the Turkey.<ref name=TANS />
==Stamp== Marking RTÉ's 50th anniversary in 2011, Doyle became the first Wexford person to appear on a postage stamp during her own lifetime.<ref>{{cite news|title=Anne stamp will mark RTÉ anniversary |url=http://www.newrossstandard.ie/news/anne-stamp-will-mark-rtx00c9-anniversary-2902202.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120905094930/http://www.newrossstandard.ie/news/anne-stamp-will-mark-rtx00c9-anniversary-2902202.html |url-status = dead|archive-date=5 September 2012 |accessdate=11 October 2011 |newspaper=New Ross Standard |date=11 October 2011 |first=Fintan |last=Lambe }}</ref>
==Personal life== Following a 17-year relationship with an electrician which ended in August 1996, Doyle had a much publicised relationship with Jim McDaid (later Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation). She met McDaid at a function in New York in late 1997, and the relationship ended acrimoniously after about six months.<ref name="Doyle Éireann">{{cite news|title=Doyle Éireann |url=http://www.independent.ie/unsorted/features/doyle-eireann-506685.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130217200303/http://www.independent.ie/unsorted/features/doyle-eireann-506685.html |url-status = dead|archive-date=17 February 2013 |newspaper=Sunday Independent |publisher=Independent News & Media |date=4 February 2001 |accessdate=13 September 2010 }}</ref>
She has been in a relationship with restaurant owner, Dan McGrattan, since the beginning of the 2000s.<ref>[http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/2003/07/30/story137772115.asp "Sum Leader offers up rich pickings."]{{dead link|date=May 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} ''Irish Examiner'', Wednesday, 30 July 2003.</ref><ref>O'Connor, Lisa. [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4161/is_20040829/ai_n12903914 "Who's your man Anne?"] ''Sunday Mirror'', 29 August 2004. {{Dead link|date=January 2012}}</ref><ref>[http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/news-gossip/anne-doyles-crop-of-fan-letters-475404.html "Anne Doyle's crop of fan letters."] ''Sunday Independent'', Sunday, 11 December 2005.</ref><ref>[http://www.independent.ie/unsorted/property/property-matters--mcgrattans--in-the-rare-ould-times-131153.html "PROPERTY MATTERS : McGrattan's – in the rare 'ould times."] ''Sunday Independent'', Sunday, 11 June 2006.</ref><ref>Hogan, Louise. [http://www.independent.ie/national-news/albert-tips-bertie-to-run-for-country-after-may-8-46656.html "Albert tips Bertie to run for country after May 8."] ''Irish Independent'', Thursday, 26 April 2007.</ref><ref>Egan, Barry. [http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/news-gossip/keane-to-make-mark-at-vip-style-awards-1303722.html "Keane to make mark at VIP style awards."] ''Sunday Independent'', Sunday, 2 March 2008.</ref>
In February 2012, she came fifth in a poll to find Ireland's most desirable Valentines.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/ten/2012/0211/thevoiceofireland.html|title=Bressie, Georgia top Valentine's Poll|date=11 February 2012|accessdate=11 February 2012|work=RTÉ Ten}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.rte.ie/ten/2010/0701/anndoyle.html Photo Gallery of Anne Doyle]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Doyle, Anne}} Category:1952 births Category:Living people Category:Alumni of University College Dublin Category:Irish reporters and correspondents Category:Irish women radio presenters Category:Irish women journalists Category:People from Ferns, County Wexford Category:RTÉ newsreaders and journalists Category:RTÉ Radio 1 presenters Category:Broadcasters from County Wexford