Paddy Kielty and RTE's Late Late Show: Leading victims campaigner congratulates Northern Ireland comedian on landing job as host of iconic programme

A leading victims campaigner has congratulated Paddy Kielty after the comedian landed the job of hosting RTE’s iconic Late Late Show.
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By Philip Bradfield
Published 23rd May 2023, 15:53 BST
Updated 23rd May 2023, 15:56 BST

The Dundrum man, 52, will take over as host of RTE’s The Late Late Show from Ryan Tubridy as he steps down after hosting the Irish talk show for 14 years.

A versatile presenter, stand up comic and radio show host, Kielty is married to fellow TV presenter Cat Deeley, with whom he has two sons, James and Milo.

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He was only 16 when his father Jack Kielty was murdered by the Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF).

Dundrum man Patrick Kielty has been announced as the new host for RTE's iconic Late Late Show.Dundrum man Patrick Kielty has been announced as the new host for RTE's iconic Late Late Show.
Dundrum man Patrick Kielty has been announced as the new host for RTE's iconic Late Late Show.

He has since made a number of critically acclaimed documentaries about Northern Ireland and the murder of his father. Kenny Donaldson, Director of the South East Fermanagh Foundation, said: "We congratulate Patrick Kielty upon landing the Late, Late Show gig and we have some hope that through this role he can and will be a force for good, providing a voice for the marginalised, enabling northern voices to ask penetrating questions of the southern establishment that have essentially been censored up until this point".

"Patrick Kielty has been part of several initiatives in recent years examining the legacy of 'The Troubles.' He has been a voice of reason and has also been willing to challenge the 'Establishments' of both the UK and Republic of Ireland and the drift toward mainstreaming and normalising terrorism and other violence. He continues to suffer the same devastating loss as many across The SEFF family.”

Mr Donaldson said that previous host of the show, Gay Byrne, was a host "who understood that murdering your neighbour didn't make you more of a republican or more of a loyalist".

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He added: "We wish Paddy well as he sets about this new chapter in his life, and that of his family.”

In January there was a widespread outpouring of support for Paddy after he challenged public chanting of IRA slogans.

Speaking on RTE’s Tommy Tiernan Show, he explained, "...if you were asked to rejoin the Commonwealth and you saw the Northern Ireland ladies' [football] team up there singing they're ‘up to their neck in F****n blood’ and singing ‘The Sash,’ you'd sit there and think to yourself, 'Jeez, I'm not sure about that".

In response, host Tommy Tiernan acknowledged the logic of the argument.