PRESIDENT Michael D Higgins has led tributes to award-winning journalist and former Connacht Tribuneeditor John Cunningham, who has died after a short illness.
Mr Higgins described him yesterday as a “highly respected journalist and editor, who made a major contribution to people’s lives in the west of Ireland”.
“He will be remembered as someone who took a genuine interest in local events and represented all with balance and fairness,” he said.
Mr Higgins noted that his work in training young journalists at NUI Galway was “of immense importance and his contributions to RTÉ over the years, on regional events, were as enjoyable as they were incisive”.
Mr Cunningham (66), who was editor of the Connacht Tribunefor 23 years, also served two years as editor of the Waterford News and Star. A native of Tuam and father of four, he spent 18 years lecturing in the master's course in journalism at NUIG.
A former member of the Broadcasting Complaints Commission, the highly respected political commentator won a national journalism award in 1979 and an honorary degree from NUIG was conferred on him in 2006.
After he took early retirement in 2007, he continued to write for the newspaper under “The Deputy” byline, and was contributing up until last week.
Speaking in the Dáil, Taoiseach Enda Kenny described Mr Cunningham as a “gentleman who loved his job”, and “a person who understood, really, the changing face of Ireland and articulated that with great truth and courage”.
Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said Mr Cunningham was regarded as “one of the best local newspaper editors and columnists in the country”.
Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams also paid tribute to him in the Dáil, and expressed sympathies to his family.
Connacht Tribuneeditor Dave O'Connell remembered his "boundless enthusiasm for politics and journalism", which he "instilled in the next generation".
RTÉ Radio News at Onepresenter Seán O'Rourke, who worked with Mr Cunningham for a year at the Galway newspaper, described him as one of a generation of "leading national journalists" who ensured his newspaper was at the "cutting edge of technology" during his tenure.
NUIG president Dr Jim Browne described him as “an inspirational figure in Irish journalism”, who “fostered the talents of some of the leading figures in the worlds of Irish media and journalism”.
Mr Cunningham is survived by his wife Nuala and four sons, Shane, Ivor, Gary and Enda. His funeral takes place tomorrow at 11am in the Church of Christ the King in Salthill, Galway, after removal this evening at 6.30pm.