Kathleen Watkins | |
|---|---|
| Born | 17 October 1934 |
| Died | 7 November 2024 (aged 90) Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Education | Dominican College Sion Hill |
| Occupation(s) | Broadcaster, harpist, singer, author |
| Years active | 1961–2024 |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
Kathleen Watkins (17 October 1934 – 7 November 2024) was an Irish broadcaster, harpist, actress, singer and author. She was married to Gay Byrne from 1964 until his death in 2019.
In her early career, Watkins worked as a folk singer and harpist. She was the first continuity presenter to appear on RTÉ television when it was launched in 1961. She played Grace Gifford in the 1966 docudrama Insurrection. She hosted the Rose of Tralee in 1977, the only woman to do so until Kathryn Thomas began co-hosting in 2023. Watkins published three children's books and two poetry collections.
Watkins died in Dublin on 7 November 2024, at the age of 90.
References
- ^ Egan, Barry (10 October 2016). "'Myself and Gay are hanging in there - a drop of Guinness helps' - Kathleen Watkins". Irish Independent. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
- ^ a b "Kathleen Watkins, broadcaster and author, has died aged 90". The Irish Times. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
- ^ Flynn, Fiona (21 August 2019). "13 Things You Probably Didn't Know about the Rose of Tralee". Entertainment.ie.
- ^ O'Rourke, Evelyn (7 November 2024). "Writer and broadcaster Kathleen Watkins has died aged 90". RTÉ News. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
External links
- Kathleen Watkins at IMDb
- Kathleen Watkins discography at Discogs
