Throughout the years, there have been a number of presenters of RTE’s Six One News that we’ve become quite familiar with.
Particularly over the last two years with the outbreak of the pandemic and speeches from different Taoisigh, catching the Six One has been more important than ever for some.
Figures from TV audience research company TAM Ireland/Nielsen from 2021 show that the most-watched news and current affairs show from last year was the Six One News on January 5.
A whopping 798,000 viewers tuned in to get the latest on whether the government would close schools for the month of January as Covid cases exploded.
The show is currently co-presented by Caitríona Perry and David McCullagh, with a number of relief and weekend presenters filling in when needed.
Perry joined the Six One alongside the late Keelin Shanely in 2018, with McCullagh becoming a co-presenter in 2020.
Let’s take a look at some of those that anchored the Six One News before them and what they’re up to now.
Bryan Dobson
Dobson became co-presenter of the Six One in 1996 and worked alongside Anne Doyle, Una O’Hagan and Sharon Ní Bheoláin, who became his permanent co-presenter in 2005.
After 21 years on the Six One, Dobson left in October 2017 to join Morning Ireland, RTE’s early morning current affairs radio show.
Speaking at the time, Dobbo said: “I will greatly miss Six One News but there comes a time to move on and grasp new opportunities.
“Morning Ireland is the country’s most-listened-to radio programme with an audience that is highly engaged in the debates, arguments and discussions that make up the national conversation.
“I am hugely looking forward to joining the Morning Ireland team and playing my part in serving our listeners and in continuing to meet, and exceed, their expectations.”
Dobson now hosts the forty-five minute News at One on RTE Radio 1.
This show is an extended news bulletin, followed by a series of interviews and sports and business news. It also has a summary of stories from different areas around Ireland.
Sharon Ní Bheoláin
After working on a number of RTE News programmes, including the Irish bulletin, Ní Bheoláin became the full-time co-presenter alongside Dobson in 2005.
Following her time on the Six One, Ní Bheoláin became the host of Crimecall, RTE’s show highlighting unsolved crimes in Ireland, in 2018.
The same year, she became the co-anchor of the Nine O’Clock News. This role is shared between Ní Bheoláin and Eileen Dunne.
As well as that, Ní Bheoláin presents Leader’s Questions, which broadcasts every Wednesday and Thursday during Dáil term.
Anne Doyle
Joining the RTE newsroom back in 1978, Anne Doyle became a regular newsreader throughout both radio and television.
She became one of four presenters on RTE’s Newstime in 1983. This later became the Six One News in 1988, with Doyle becoming co-anchor alongside Seán Duignan two years later.
After her time on the Six One, she moved to the Nine O’Clock News in 1997 and shared the role with Eileen Dunne.
Doyle later became co-presenter of Crimeline, the early version of Crimewatch, and filled in for Marian Finucane on her show on RTE Radio 1.
Upon seeking early retirement from RTE in 2011, Doyle presented her final bulletin on Christmas Day that year, which was exactly 33 years to the day since her first bulletin.
At the end of the show, a montage of her career and tributes from Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Gay Byrne among others were broadcast.
In relation to the outbreak of the pandemic, Doyle said she had “no desire” to go back to work.
She told Ireland AM last year: “I have to say, I had great admiration for news services [during lockdown], they did a fantastic job. But you know, you do something, especially if you do it for a long time like I did, and then it’s over.
“I never had an urge to go back, I never wanted to go back. I had done it for a long time, it was time to move on and for somebody else to do it.”
Aengus Mac Grianna
Mac Grianna started working for RTE in 1987 when he was just 24 years old. He started off as a runner and moved into radio news reading two years later.
He eventually became a regular newsreader on the Six One and the Nine O’Clock News. In 2013, Mac Grianna went viral after he was caught unprepared on live TV. Later that year, he came second in Celebrity MasterChef Ireland.
Mac Grianna delivered his last broadcast on St Partick’s Day 2018 and now lives on an alpaca farm in Co Meath with his husband.
He is currently competing in the fifth series of Dancing With The Stars and is partnered up with pro Emily Barker.
Last week's dance had a nod to his RTE days, as it was based around the Anchorman films.
