President Higgins leads tributes to former RTÉ correspondent Jim Fahy

Jim Fahy on his last day of work for RTE in Galway City. Picture: Andrew Downes

Jim Fahy, RTÉ's former western editor, has passed away at the age of 75 following a short illness.

HE was the broadcaster's longest-serving regional correspondent when he retired from the post on New Year's Eve, 2011.

He is survived by his wife Christina, their children, and grandchildren.

President Michael D. Higgins led the tributes to Mr Fahy this morning.  

"The death of broadcaster and documentary maker Jim Fahy will be heard with sadness by viewers of RTÉ and those in the communities of the west of Ireland to which he brought for decades the television and radio crews of RTÉ."

He said Mr Fahy was "indelibly associated" with events across the West of Ireland for 38 years. 

"What he brought to his work was a high standard of journalism crafted in Tuam in a newspaper atmosphere that was steeped in respect for history. He delivered his reports in a restrained courteous way that reflected all of this and so much more – a respect for narrative that saw no tension between accuracy and elegance of form. There were many long pieces he crafted, including an early beautiful piece on the evacuation of the island of Gola," said Mr Higgins.

"On the occasion of Jim’s final day in RTÉ on 31 December 2011, I suggested that every single thing that happened in the west of Ireland - be it political, cultural or international – the first thing people would say to each other was ‘have you contacted Jim Fahy?’, thus as a politician serving the people of the west of Ireland I had the pleasure of a long association with him."

He remembered work Mr Fahy had carried out on the island of Montserrat, with Mother Teresa, 6, across Africa, Belarus, Haiti and his award winning documentary ‘Stories from the Twin Towers’ following the 2001 terrorist attack in New York, which won the gold medal for the best 9/11 documentary at the 45th New York Festivals Television Programming Awards in 2002.

"It will be as RTÉ’s voice of the west of Ireland that Jim will be most fondly remembered. He himself noted that the highlight of his broadcasting career was the more than 400 programmes he made for the ‘Looking West’ series between 1977 and 1984, featuring stories from those who had witnessed life in Ireland during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. While he might not have been so bold as to say it himself, he has already done that work through an archive for the future generations who will look back at life in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, with his reports providing a permanent record and testament of the people of the west of Ireland throughout those decades," added Mr Higgins.

'He selflessly gave his time to all who needed it'

Adi Roche, founder of Cork-based charity Chernobyl Children International, also paid tribute to Mr Fahy. 

"Jim Fahy was an ‘anam cara’ or soul friend to CCI for many years. He was a giant of a man who loved life, sailing, climbing mountains and having adventures who had a heart of gold which he shared generously with all those who knew and loved him. A committed family man who was devoted to his wife Christine and family but spread his generous heart far and wide to many just causes, Chernobyl being one of those who benefited," she said.

She said Mr Fahy "selflessly gave his time to all who needed it", and never refused to help anybody.

"Jim was a compassionate, sincere and wise person and my life has been richer for knowing him and our organisation has been made stronger for his input and guidance. There will be a huge void in all of our lives and we deeply mourn his death." 

Mr Fahy began his career in journalism with the Tuam Herald and made the move to broadcasting in the early 1970s.

RTÉ said he "catalogued the twists and turns" of life in the west of Ireland with his voice becoming "synonymous" with the region for many years.

For decades Mr Fahy covered a wide variety of stories from his Looking West radio series featuring accounts of life in rural Ireland during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, to his travels further afield reporting on the lives of people impacted by famine, war and poverty.

In the late 90s, he travelled to Somalia with former President Mary Robinson and was one of the first European journalists to arrive in New York after the 9/11 terror attacks in 2001.

For almost 40 years his domestic coverage included the campaign to build the airport in Knock, the controversial Corrib Gas project in Mayo and domestic and sporting events in the west of Ireland.

"Jim will be remembered as a gentleman, a true friend and a valued colleague," his family and friends wrote on RIP.ie this afternoon.

Mr Fahy's funeral mass will take place in the Cathedral of the Assumption, Tuam on Monday, January 17 at 12pm followed by burial afterwards in Kilbannon Cemetery.

In line with current Government advice and HSE guidelines, attendance will be limited to family and close friends only. 

However, the funeral will be streamed online .

Anyone wishing to offer condolences can do so via Rip.ie

Lastly, Mr Fahy's family has asked that anyone wishing to offer a donation to donate to The Galway Hospice or Chernobyl Children International.