Reem El-Hassany: Irish-Iraqi presenter joins RTÉ News

Co-hosting kids' news broadcast news2day, the UL graduate has pursued pharmacy and teaching before her television debut yesterday

Tue, 07 Sep, 2021 - 14:30

Mike McGrath Bryan

As Ireland's population has grown and changed over the course of the past few decades, the onus has been on Irish media to reflect the makeup of the society it serves.

And while there's still progress to be made in many ways, announcements like the appointment by RTÉ of UL journalism graduate Reem El-Hassany point in that direction.

A first-time television presenter, Limerick woman El-Hassany will join news2day, the state broadcaster's news service for young people, following a callout to media and journalism grads earlier in the year.

Born in Iraq, El-Hassany has lived in Limerick since infancy, when her family moved to Ireland. Having studied pharmacy at the University of Hertfordshire in the UK, she worked as a pharmacist for a year before teaching English to young children in South Korea.

Returning home to study a Master's in Journalism at University of Limerick, the journalist sought to capitalise on experience in a variety of roles, from presenting a radio show in secondary school to working as a research assistant at her college’s student’s union.

She joins seasoned sportscaster Mícheál Ó Scannáil on co-presenting duties on the daily newscast, used frequently by teachers as a classroom aid and point of discussion.