Gay Byrne’s grandson has revealed the affectionate nickname he called the legendary broadcaster.
Cian O’Byrne, 18, said he misses the RTE legend every day, recalling how Christmas Eve used to be his favourite time of year. He recalled how he used to affectionately call the former Late Late Show presenter ‘RaRa’ as Cian struggled as a child to say the word ‘grandad’.
He said: “We do miss him. I suppose, we are a small family so… it’s a big void that was left when he passed away so yeah we do miss him a lot. We called him in the family 'RaRa'.
Read more: RTE legend Gay Byrne's daughter recalls 'mortifying' moment from teen years on Late Late Show
"It came from me not being able to pronounce grandad as a young child. It kind of stuck and that is how he was known in the house,” he told RTE Radio One.
Cian told how his grandad - who died in November 2019 - and his grandmother, Kathleen Watkins, gave him a lot of opportunities “that wouldn’t normally fall on your doorstep”. He said: “They’re great craic as well. I really enjoy spending time with them. Sunday was always their day. They would go into Howth and have dinner with us.”
The sixth-year student recalled how Christmas was a big deal for Gay. “He loved Christmas Eve especially. He loved around town on Grafton Street on Christmas Eve. I think it stemmed from when he used to do his own show, he worked hard in the build-up.
"He would do a two-hour radio show in the morning, he would take a quick coffee break, do another two hours to record so he could have that break off at Christmas. He would do the live show on Grafton Street and then he would go to Peter's Pub and have an Irish coffee and that would be Christmas officially started.”
Cian said he has “strong memories” of knowing Gay “as his grandad and “not as Gay Byrne”. “I didn’t know really what was going on….because he was on Lyric FM and I just thought he was the aul fella who did the Sunday afternoon stuff.
“It took me a while… it was only until he passed away that you see the impact that he had on different people. I knew he worked in TV but I didn’t know he was that big,” he added.
And with the Leaving Certificate fast approaching, Cian said he “wouldn’t rule out” a career in broadcasting or business as he prepares to fill out his CAO form next year. Cian is taking part in this Christmas’ Belvedere College Sleep-Out, which is now in its 39th year in a bid to raise money to help the homeless crisis.
Speaking about what he thought about Gay's reaction to the Sleep-Out, Cian added: “I suppose through our conversations, I think of Focus Ireland, the Peter McVerry Trust and Sister Stan and Peter McVerry and he interviewed them on the Meaning of Life. I actually do remember talking to him about them. He would say that they are what he would think are living saints with the work that they do. They have devoted their life.
“I think as a crisis it is growing and the numbers are surging every month, I think it is important that we do something. We are in the privileged positions that we are going through private education, that we use that privilege in order to combat or do our part.”
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