Chai Brady
Larry Gogan
Photo: Extra.ie Veteran RTÉ broadcaster Larry Gogan has been remembered as a “terrific man” who had a “strong faith” after his death this week.
Well-known priest Fr Brian D’Arcy CP said he knew Larry very well, and met him when he went to Mass with his children in Mount Argus, Co. Dublin – where Fr D’Arcy was first appointed.
“Larry was one of the wonderful people in life, I genuinely never heard anybody say a bad word about him.
“Throughout the music, broadcast, journalism business I’ve never heard a bad word, he was an absolute gentleman, had a great attitude to life, a strong Faith right throughout his life, as had Florrie [Larry’s late wife] and he would always be there and in touch and if there was anything wrong he would ring and ask you,” said Fr D’arcy.
“Larry was a very solid good man in every sense of the word, a great family man, great broadcaster, a solid Christian and a man who had all his values right, he was a terrific man.”
Supporter
Born in Dublin in 1938 Larry worked in broadcasting for almost six decades and was best known for his work on RTÉ 2FM where he worked as a DJ for 40 years before moving to RTÉ Gold. He was a strong supporter of Irish music and won many awards from the music and broadcasting industries.
Fr D’Arcy had planned to anoint Larry after the funeral of another RTÉ star Marian Finucane on Tuesday, who died on January 2, when he heard he had passed.
“I made that arrangement with the family,” he said, “but he then slipped off quietly during the night at about 4am. It was expected but more suddenly than anybody thought it would have been, including myself.”
Larry has been ill in recent years and was predeceased by his wife. Fr D’Arcy added: “He would always be in touch with me to say the anniversary Mass for Florrie and I’d get the letter in early January, I just got it a few days ago.”
A tidal wave of tributes have been publicly pouring in from friends, journalists, politicians and many more since his death.