-- Born in 1964, Tony O’Donoghue grew up on Magazine Road, Cork city. He worked in the music industry in the 1980s, managing the band Cypress, Mine!, running gigs for MCD and presenting The Rock Slot on RTÉ Radio Cork. In 1989, he did his first major sports broadcast, covering the Cork county senior hurling final between Sarsfields and Glen Rovers. He has since covered Olympics, World Cups and World Athletic Championships. He will be a presenter on RTÉ television for this summer’s European Football Championship in Germany...
...Michael Moore
I love any Michael Moore documentary. He speaks the truth. He shows America its ugly side, whether America is prepared to accept that or not. His documentaries are simple, but their messages are clear. The problem is the messages aren’t getting through. As Morrissey, post-Smiths, might say, “America your head’s too big/ Because America, your belly is too big.” True Romance I loved True Romance, a film from the 1990s scripted by Quentin Tarantino, starring Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette. That scene between Dennis Hopper and Christopher Slater is unforgettable. It’s a tragic/feelgood movie. It’s awful – there is so much horror and violence in it, but it’s also a love story, with a banging soundtrack...
...The Smiths
I've always loved The Smiths. “Punctured bicycle/On a hillside desolate/Will nature make a man of me yet?” I mean, just start with that line. You've got to admire it, and the melodies of Johnny Marr to go with the songwriting of Morrissey. Maybe Morrissey’s not everyone's cup of tea these days, but he’s an original. He captured a mood in northwest Britain, and, of course, people will say The Smiths are more Irish than U2...
www.irishexaminer.com
...Michael Moore
I love any Michael Moore documentary. He speaks the truth. He shows America its ugly side, whether America is prepared to accept that or not. His documentaries are simple, but their messages are clear. The problem is the messages aren’t getting through. As Morrissey, post-Smiths, might say, “America your head’s too big/ Because America, your belly is too big.” True Romance I loved True Romance, a film from the 1990s scripted by Quentin Tarantino, starring Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette. That scene between Dennis Hopper and Christopher Slater is unforgettable. It’s a tragic/feelgood movie. It’s awful – there is so much horror and violence in it, but it’s also a love story, with a banging soundtrack...
...The Smiths
I've always loved The Smiths. “Punctured bicycle/On a hillside desolate/Will nature make a man of me yet?” I mean, just start with that line. You've got to admire it, and the melodies of Johnny Marr to go with the songwriting of Morrissey. Maybe Morrissey’s not everyone's cup of tea these days, but he’s an original. He captured a mood in northwest Britain, and, of course, people will say The Smiths are more Irish than U2...
Culture That Made Me: Tony O'Donoghue of RTÉ on music, books, and great commentators
The Corkman was involved in his native city's music scene before he moved to RTÉ in Dublin
www.irishexaminer.com
