# Arthur Quinlan

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{{short description|Irish raconteur and print journalist with The Irish Times}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix          = 
| name                      = Arthur Quinlan
| honorific_suffix          =
| native_name               = Ardúr Ó Cúinnlóin
| native_name_lang          = Irish
| image                     = <!-- just the name, without the File: or Image: prefix or enclosing [brackets](/source/brackets) -->
| image_size                =
| alt                       =
| caption                   =
| birth_name                =
| birth_date                = {{birth date|df=yes|1921|01|15}}
| birth_place               =
| death_date                = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2012|12|22|1921|01|15}}
| death_place               =
| other_names               = Mr. Limerick <br/> Uncle Arthur
| citizenship               =
| education                 = B. A. English literature and history
| alma_mater                = [University College Dublin](/source/University_College_Dublin) (UCD)
| occupation                = Journalist
| years_active              = 1945–2000
| employer                  = ''[The Irish Times](/source/The_Irish_Times)''
| spouse                    = Vera Quinlan
| children                  = 3}}

'''Arthur Quinlan''' (15 January 1921 – 22 December 2012)<ref name=known_for_interviews>{{cite news|first=Frank|last=McNally|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/journalist-known-for-interviews-with-royalty-and-leaders-1.5615|title=Journalist known for interviews with royalty and leaders|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=29 December 2012|accessdate=14 May 2013}}</ref> was an Irish<ref name=tributes_paid_to_leader/><ref name=legend_dies/> raconteur and print journalist with ''[The Irish Times](/source/The_Irish_Times)''. Known for his interviews with politicians, royalty and film stars in a career spanning more than 50 years, he was widely regarded as a very important figure in his field, and was both the first Irishman to get a jet across the Atlantic Ocean to New York in 1958 and the only western journalist to have interviewed [Che Guevara](/source/Che_Guevara).<ref name=tributes_paid_to_leader/> Considered a "master of executing international scoops", his work was sent across the world.<ref name=legend_dies>{{cite news|first=Jimmy|last=Woulfe|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/legendary-journalist-arthur-quinlan-dies-92-217817.html|title=Legendary journalist Arthur Quinlan dies, 92|newspaper=Irish Examiner|date=24 December 2012|accessdate=24 December 2012}}</ref>

==Early life==
Quinlan came from [Dublin](/source/Dublin) but was raised in [Quin](/source/Quin%2C_County_Clare), [County Clare](/source/County_Clare).<ref name=rte_dies/> He attended [University College Dublin](/source/University_College_Dublin) (UCD), where he studied English literature and history and edited two student publications.<ref name=tributes_paid_to_leader/><ref name=rte_dies/>

==Journalism==
Quinlan began working with ''The Irish Times'' in 1945.<ref name=rte_dies/> He was formerly based at [Shannon Airport](/source/Shannon_Airport). Shannon is the most westerly airport in [Europe](/source/Europe) and an important fuel stop for both eastward and westward traffic. Quinlan would start up his 1939 Morris 8 and head for the airport, using it as an opportunity to interview those passing through.<ref name=tributes_paid_to_leader/> He interviewed every [United States President](/source/President_of_the_United_States) from [Harry Truman](/source/Harry_Truman) to [George H. W. Bush](/source/George_H._W._Bush) and many [Soviet](/source/Soviet_Union) leaders, including [Andrey Vyshinsky](/source/Andrey_Vyshinsky) and [Andrei Gromyko](/source/Andrei_Gromyko). {{citation needed|date=March 2015}}

He once said,<blockquote>"I interviewed many royals including [the Duke of Edinburgh](/source/Prince_Philip%2C_Duke_of_Edinburgh), [Princess Margaret](/source/Princess_Margaret), [King Michael of Romania](/source/Michael_I_of_Romania) and his mother (''[sic](/source/sic)''), [Queen Maria](/source/Princess_Marie_of_Edinburgh), [King Peter of Yugoslavia](/source/Peter_I_of_Serbia), King [Zog of Albania](/source/Zog_of_Albania), King [Ibn Saud](/source/Ibn_Saud), founder of [Saudi Arabia](/source/Saudi_Arabia), Emperor [Haile Selassie](/source/Haile_Selassie_I_of_Ethiopia) of [Ethiopia](/source/Ethiopia), [Queen Wilhelmina](/source/Wilhelmina_of_the_Netherlands) and [Queen Juliana of Holland](/source/Juliana_of_the_Netherlands) and that lovely couple [Prince Rainier](/source/Rainier_III%2C_Prince_of_Monaco) and his wife, the former [Grace Kelly](/source/Grace_Kelly)."<ref name=tributes_paid_to_leader/></blockquote>

When Captain Charles Lindbergh's son was kidnapped, Quinlan interviewed him. A 4 am interview with [George H. W. Bush](/source/George_H._W._Bush) on the Middle East left U.S. journalists perplexed as to why an Irish 'stringer' had managed to get hold of such a story.<ref name=legend_dies/>

Quinlan taught [Fidel Castro](/source/Fidel_Castro) how to make an [Irish coffee](/source/Irish_coffee) and was the only western journalist to have interviewed [Che Guevara](/source/Che_Guevara).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.irlandeses.org/quinlan.htm|title=Quinlan, Arthur – Interview with Che Guevara Lynch|publisher=Irlandeses.org|date=13 March 1965|accessdate=9 March 2015}}</ref> Guevara talked of his Irish connections through the name Lynch. He told Quinlan of his grandmother's Irish roots in [Galway](/source/Galway). Later, Che, and some of his [Cuba](/source/Cuba)n comrades, went to [Limerick](/source/Limerick) and adjourned to Hanratty's Hotel on Glentworth Street. According to Quinlan, they returned that evening all wearing sprigs of [shamrock](/source/shamrock), for Shannon and Limerick were preparing for the [St. Patrick's Day](/source/St._Patrick's_Day) celebrations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.scotsman.com/features.cfm?id=1413422003|title=The night Che Guevara came to Limerick|work=The Scotsman|accessdate=19 November 2011}}</ref>

In his 80s, he retired, declaring he had 'handed in his gun to ''The Irish Times'''.<ref name=tributes_paid_to_leader/>

==Awards and honours==
Quinlan was a "member of honour" of the National Union of Journalists.<ref name=known_for_interviews/> He was recognised in media circles as "Mr. Limerick"<ref name=rte_dies>{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/1223/arthur-quinlan.html|title=Journalist Arthur Quinlan dies aged 92|work=Raidió Teilifís Éireann|date=23 December 2012|accessdate=23 December 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Andrew |last=Carey |url=http://www.limerickpost.ie/index.php/navigation-mainmenu-30/local-news/5336-arthur-quinlan-dies-aged-92.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130217185735/http://www.limerickpost.ie/index.php/navigation-mainmenu-30/local-news/5336-arthur-quinlan-dies-aged-92.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 February 2013 |title=Arthur Quinlan dies aged 92 |work=Limerick Post |date=23 December 2012 |accessdate=23 December 2012 }}</ref> and "Uncle Arthur".<ref>{{cite news|first=Kathryn|last=Hayes|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/1224/1224328152699.html|title=Interviewer of famous world figures Arthur Quinlan dies at 92|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=24 December 2012|accessdate=24 December 2012}}</ref> In 1982, he successfully proposed that women be allowed to join Shannon Rowing Club, from which they had been banned.<ref name=tributes_paid_to_leader>{{cite news|first=Anne|last=Sheridan|url=http://www.limerickleader.ie/community/tributes-paid-to-legendary-reporter-arthur-quinlan-1-4616536|title=Tributes paid to legendary reporter Arthur Quinlan|work=Limerick Leader|date=23 December 2012|accessdate=23 December 2012}}</ref> The club's main slipway is also named "Arthur" in his honour.<ref name=legend_dies/>

==Death==
Quinlan died in Limerick in December 2012.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/1223/breaking5.html|title=Journalist Arthur Quinlan dies aged 92|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=23 December 2012|accessdate=23 December 2012}}</ref> A son and two daughters survived him.<ref>{{cite news|first=Sinead|last=O'Carroll|url=https://www.thejournal.ie/arthur-quinlan-died-728294-Dec2012/|title=Journalist Arthur Quinlan dies, aged 92|work=The Journal|date=23 December 2012|accessdate=23 December 2012}}</ref> His wife, Vera, died shortly before him.<ref name=tributes_paid_to_leader/> Among those regarding him with fondness were [Fergal Keane](/source/Fergal_Keane) of the BBC.<ref name=tributes_paid_to_leader/>

==References==
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Quinlan, Arthur}}
Category:1921 births
Category:2012 deaths
Category:Alumni of University College Dublin
Category:Irish Examiner people
Category:Writers from County Clare
Category:Writers from County Dublin
Category:Writers from Limerick (city)
Category:The Irish Times people
Category:20th-century Irish journalists

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Arthur Quinlan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Quinlan) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Quinlan?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.