Ryan’s friends recount concerns for his health

FRIENDS of Gerry Ryan have revealed their own concerns about the broadcaster’s health in the months before his death.

In a special documentary entitled Gerry, broadcast on RTÉ last night, many of Ryan’s friends as well as his children gave their first interview since it emerged that the controversial broadcaster had regularly used cocaine.

An inquest into Ryan’s death earlier this month revealed he had died as a result of an irregular heartbeat linked to his use of the illegal drug.

One of Ryan’s closest friends, businessman Harry Crosbie, claimed the late 2FM presenter was very lonely at the time of his death, despite his successful career and being in a new relationship.

“I knew he was in trouble. He was so stressed,” remarked the owner of the O2 arena, who said he could see the “corrosion” in his friend.

The entrepreneur said he recognised changes in Ryan following the death of his mother, Maureen, in 2006 and the separation from his wife, Morah, less than two years later after 26 years of marriage.

“It completely unsettled him — professionally, emotional and personally. . He was very, very hurt,” observed Mr Crosbie.

He also revealed his concerns about Ryan’s drinking habits and how he warned his friend about drinking too much alcohol which he believed was the result of the pressure and strain he was feeling in recent years.

“He lived life at 300 miles per hour all the time,” said Mr Crosbie. “He didn’t have a cut-off switch.”

Ryan’s radio colleague, Fiona Looney, said she had noticed how Ryan had become “much, more introspective and much less happy” in the last few years.

Another family friend, Fr Brian D’Arcy, admitted he was stunned at the news that cocaine had triggered Ryan’s sudden death last April.

“I had to pull into the side of the road. It was such a terrible way for a man with so much talent and giftedness to finish his life,” said the priest.

Although Fr D’Arcy described his late friend as “a phenomenal communicator” and “a fantastic father,” he said it was important to acknowledge the circumstances of Ryan’s death.

“We must also be careful to recognise there was a shadow side of his life. And anyone who is involved in the purchase of illegal drugs, in the consumption of illegal drugs is involved and is part of criminal activity.”

He continued: “That has destroyed so many people. And the saddest part is, it also destroyed one of the greatest broadcasters this country has ever known.”

Fr D’Arcy also alluded to the fact that Ryan was feeling enormous pressure as a result of the breakdown of his marriage.

Ryan’s partner at the time of his death, Melanie Verwoerd, a former ambassador for South Africa to Ireland and the current head of Unicef Ireland, did not take part in the documentary, although her name was acknowledged in the programme’s credits.

Dr Conor Farren, a consultant psychiatrist who was one of two medical experts interviewed by RTÉ who warned about the dangers of cocaine and how it can destroy families, said the broadcaster had been hit by a “double whammy” because of mixing cocaine and alcohol at the time of his death.

Ryan’s chequered relationship with RTÉ bosses was also referred to by a number of his colleagues including TV producer, Moya Doherty, who selected Ryan to co-host the Eurovision Song Contest in 1994. She admitted he had “an uneasy, abrasive” relationship with RTÉ.

Ryan’s widow, Morah, who spoke movingly about how she had fallen in love “the moment I set eyes on him,” also referred to his occasional difficulties with the station where he worked for almost 30 years.

“RTÉ was his family but from Day One there was tension,” said Morah. However, she believed that her husband had “got over” every argument he had with RTÉ management.

His son Rex, 21, remarked: “He was my life. I would not have functioned if it wasn’t for him.”

Rex, the second oldest of Ryan’s five children, also described the effect of his parents’ separation on his father. “It was tough for him. He missed us all a lot. I know that for a fact,” he observed.

Last night’s programme also catalogued Ryan’s colourful career on TV and radio with interviews with many of his friends and colleagues in RTÉ including Pat Kenny, Dave Fanning and the producer of his radio show, Siobhan Hough. Other contributors included Senator David Norris who described Ryan as “one of the quintessential voices of Dublin,” while U2 singer, Bono regarded his friend as “the nation’s shrink”.

The documentary said many of the stories that had emerged about Ryan following his inquest were “unproven” and “unprovable”.