Tributes have poured in for respected RTÉ broadcaster and producer, Alf McCarthy, who passed away in his hometown of Cork at 73 years of age after a brief illness. Micheál Martin, the Tánaiste, expressed his deep sorrow at McCarthy’s death, noting his unique character as a narrator, broadcaster and actor. He acknowledged the broadcaster’s lively, warm and positive outlook on life that was simply contagious. He extended his sympathy to McCarthy’s family and friends during this difficult time.
Cork’s Lord Mayor Cllr Kieran McCarthy, who was well-acquainted with Alf McCarthy through their common passion for drama and the Everyman theatre, also honoured the beloved Cork personality. The late broadcaster was always enjoyable to converse with and was a brilliant performer and devoted community man, said Cllr McCarthy.
Alf McCarthy was nationally recognised for his role on RTÉ Radio 1’s ‘Late Date’, which he hosted until his retirement in 2015. He also gained recognition for his on-screen roles in ‘PM Live’ with Marty Whelan and Mary Kennedy in the late 1990s, and ‘Down Here with a View to Above’ in the 1980s.
Born into the well-known McCarthy stonemason family of Cork in 1950, McCarthy had a diverse career, working in various roles within Sunbeam, Irish Steel and managing Pizzaland on Patrick Street in Cork. He had spent some time working overseas as well.
In a recent conversation, he talked about how his family’s financial situation had declined after his father, Buddy Mac, injured his hand when a tombstone fell on it in 1957, resulting in a halt in the family’s income.
In 1979, his DJ career provided him an opportunity at RTE’s Cork Local Radio, ushering in a 36-year-long radio career. He shared with Linda Kenny in the Echo that radio had fascinated him since his childhood because it expanded his world, allowing him to explore places he could only imagine in his dreams.
In his early childhood years, he was a student at Sullivan’s Quay school in the heart of Cork city. However, due to his propensity to daydream, his parents decided to shift him to Capuchin College, a boarding school in Rochestown, Cork, with the objective of helping him concentrate on academics.
He attributed his affinity for the arts to his father, a stonemason by profession who also found popularity in Cork’s showbands as a band leader and saxophonist. Mr McCarthy’s local claim to fame was his contribution to Corkabout, the premiere current affairs and arts show on Cork Local Radio, for over twenty years. Nationally, he garnered recognition through the creation of satire and comedy series such as Bull Island, The Usual Suspects, and Shortt Circuit.
In addition, he lent his expertise in producing RTÉ documentaries like A Tale of Three Cities, The Cleggan Disaster, and Early Doors No More. An avid theatre enthusiast, he regularly performed at the Everyman theatre, joining forces with members from The Great Singalong Songbook.
Cada Performing Arts’ Catherine Mahon Buckley, arts presenter on Cork’s 96FM Elmarie Mawe and the former director of the Everyman theatre Patrick Talbot were among the key figures expressing their condolences on the Cork Theatrical Memories Facebook page. A shaken Mawe revealed their joint stage appearance for Burt Bacharach – A Celebration hardly ten days ago, while expressing difficulty in processing the sudden loss and sending sympathies to Alf’s loved ones.
Mr McCarthy called Dublin home for a decade plus, before deciding to return to Cork post retirement, where he resided in Rosscarbery in west Cork. Here, he hosted the ‘Later with Alf’ music podcast. Mr McCarthy’s survivors include his daughters, Sarah and Ruth, along with seven grandchildren.