Just Joe: My Autobiography

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Joe Duffy is a household name in Ireland. As the presenter of RTÉ Radio One’s LiveLine program, he takes the pulse of the Irish nation every day, often delving into highly controversial topics. Whenever somebody wants to get something off their chest, the advice is often: "Talk to Joe." Writing with raw honesty, Joe here recounts his difficult upbringing in working-class Ballyfermot. He paints a poignant, heart-breaking picture of family life with an alcoholic father and hard-working mother. Joe writes with candor about his own brother Brendan, who has spent time in prison for drug-related offenses. Aspirations for a better life were rarely encouraged in Ballyfermot. Despite this, Joe was determined to escape to a different future. He became one of the first from his area to enter the hallowed hallsof Trinity College Dublin, where he developed a strong sense of social justice, eventually becoming President of the Union of Students in Ireland, and leading protests on campus highlighting access to education. After a stint working in the probation service, Joe eventually moved into a career in broadcasting, working first as producer and then roving reporter on The Gay Byrne Show, before finally finding his niche on LiveLine. The book highlights the major stories and controversies raised by the program, including child abuse and scandals in the Irish health service. It also deals with controversial issues such as the drug-related death in 2010 of Joe’s friend and fellow broadcaster Gerry Ryan. This is a riveting, deeply felt, and fascinating memoir which goes behind the public face of Joe Duffy to reveal a complex, passionate man.

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Joe Duffy is the presenter of Liveline, one of the most popular radio shows in Ireland. Brought up in the working-class Dublin suburb of Ballyfermot, he was one of the first people from his area to attend Trinity College Dublin, where he became a student leader advocating access to education and social justice. He went on to a successful radio career with the Gay Byrne Show on RTE Radio One, before in 1999 becoming the presenter of Liveline.