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John Creedon

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This article is about the Irish broadcaster. For the American businessman, see John J. Creedon.

John Creedon
Creedon on No Béarla in 2007
Born1958 (age 65–66)
NationalityIrish
Other names"Creedo"
OccupationBroadcaster
EmployerRTÉ
Known forBroadcasting, music, sport and Irish language passions, television appearances
PartnerMairead Heffernan
Children4

John Creedon (born 1958), also known as "Creedo",[1] is an Irish language enthusiast and veteran broadcaster with RTÉ Radio. Host of The John Creedon Show, weekday evenings 8-10pm on RTÉ Radio 1,[2] he has also filled in for Dave Fanning on The Dave Fanning Show.[3]

His profile in Ireland was raised by his participation in and eventual winning of the reality television series, Fáilte Towers in August 2008. Creedon has also served as a judge on The All Ireland Talent Show on RTÉ One and TG4's Glór Tíre. He has also presented multiple television series on RTÉ of him road tripping across Ireland showcasing Ireland's history, geography, along with some lesser known stories of the areas he visits.

Career

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Creedon's career began with an initial failed audition for a job on RTÉ 2fm, but he went on to twice top the Irish Singles Chart with his character, Terence the Cork hairdresser.[4] Terence was a frequent contributor to The Gerry Ryan Show in the early 1990s. Creedon won a Jacob's Award in 1992 for his RTÉ Radio 1 morning show, Risin' Time.

Over the years, Creedon has hosted shows on RTÉ Radio One at various times of the day. The Creedon Show (15:30)[5] was replaced by a programme hosted by Ronan Collins in 2006.[6] This change followed new radio chief, Ana Leddy's decision to move him on as part of widespread alterations across the station.[7][8][9] John also hosted Late Date on RTÉ Radio 1 for some time prior to his move to the current 8 to 10pm slot.

In August 2008 Creedon took part in the reality television series, Fáilte Towers,[10] a show that saw a group of well-known personalities attempt to run a hotel for a two-week period whilst earning money for charity. Creedon was proclaimed winner of the show on 17 August 2008. Creedon selected Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin as his charity for the show due to his personal involvement with the hospital in the past. In 2007, his granddaughter Lucie was born prematurely to his daughter, Katie, who suffered from kidney problems as a child. Lucie died eight and a half weeks later.[11] Commenting on the win, Creedon said: "The big fat guy never wins anything, this is great."[12] After his victory, he presented a show for the RTÉ Concert Orchestra[13] and partook in TG4 series Faoi Lan Cheoil where, alongside Oscar-winning actor Jeremy Irons and international and Premier League footballer Andy Reid, he learnt a new musical instrument over six months in preparation for a public performance.[14] Creedon was then a judge on The All Ireland Talent Show, representing the south of the country alongside Michael Healy-Rae and Sinéad Sheppard.[15] Judge Creedon warned fellow judge Dáithí Ó Sé to stop stealing acts from Munster, alleging that he invaded County Clare in series one and that he would be "answerable to me and to my gang" if he continued to persist.[16] After a short stint presenting Late Date, he was given his own 20:30 weekday music show on RTÉ Radio 1 in 2009.[17]

In 2011, Creedon hosted a television series called 'Creedon's Retro Road Trip' in which he retraces the route of the only holiday his entire family ever took. His family's two-week holiday took place in 1969 with his eleven brothers and sisters who travelled across Ireland with a borrowed caravan. Creedon recreated the trip over forty years later and explored how the country had changed.[18]

Creedon's next television series was titled 'Creedon's Cities' in which he visited the four major cities in the Republic of Ireland; Dublin, Galway, Limerick and Cork. The series aired in 2012.[19]

'Creedon's Wild Atlantic Way' aired in 2015. The series consists of 3 episodes showcasing points of interest along the Wild Atlantic Way.[20] Creedon travels along this tourist route in his 1960s VW campervan.[21]

Filmography

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Television
Year Title Role
1990s Review Of The Week Presenter
2001 Health Show Presenter
2007 No Béarla Actor
2008 Fáilte Towers Contestant
2009 The All Ireland Talent Show Judge
2011 Creedon's Retro Road Trip Presenter
2012 Creedon's Cities Presenter
2014 Creedon's Weather 4 Seasons In 1 Day Presenter
2015 Creedon's Wild Atlantic Way Presenter
2016 Creedon's Epic East Presenter
2017 Creedon's Shannon Presenter
2018 Creedon's Road Less Traveled Presenter
2019, 2021 & 2022 Creedon's Atlas Of Ireland Presenter
2024 Creedon's Musical Atlas Of Ireland Presenter

Critique

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After his turn on Fáilte Towers, journalist and RTÉ colleague Joe O'Shea described Creedon's personality as being that of "somebody who gives space to others and is not intent on sucking up all of the available on-screen oxygen".[22] In March 2008, it was to Creedon's radio show that befuddled Irish listeners turned when RTÉ shut down its 82-year-old medium wave service. Within hours of the shutdown, they were contacting John Creedon's RTÉ radio show, "wondering how they could tune in to the newfangled VHF – or “VHI’’, as one gentleman insisted on calling it".[23]

In an interview about his television series 'Creedon's Shannon' he talks of an old review of him that called him a "third rate presenter". While it did upset him at the time he recalls that his daughter Nanci told him "I’d rather be a third-rate presenter than a first-rate critic" a sentiment to which he says “I’ve kept that one in my back pocket, d’you know?”.[24]

Personal life

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“Death is not the opposite to life. It's the opposite to birth.”

Creedon's philosophical outlook as he reflected upon the death of his granddaughter.[25]

Creedon was raised with eleven siblings. He claimed in a 2008 Late Late Show interview that he once worked in a Penneys branch. He previously lived in Goatstown, Dublin, but now resides in Cork on a hill overlooking the city centre. His musical taste is eclectic, ranging from local band Fred to The Beatles, Nina Simone, Bruce Springsteen and Van Morrison. His record collection includes albums by Miles Davis and John Coltrane and selections from Americana, Eric Bibb, John Prine and the Handsome Family.[26]

An avid Irish language speaker, Creedon appeared on the first series of No Béarla, broadcast in 2007. He has spoken to the BBC about his search for his nation's favourite Irish word.[27] He supports his local football club, Cork City F.C., a League of Ireland team.[28]

One of Creedon's favourite memories is the visit of Pope John Paul II to Ireland in 1979. He described the Pope "landing that helicopter by himself in Phoenix Park in 1979" as "truly memorable".[29]

References

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  1. ^ Lynch, Declan (24 August 2008). "RTÉ's male broadcasters keep sending out all the wrong signals". Sunday Independent. Retrieved 12 September 2008.
  2. ^ John Creedon's profile at www.rte.ie
  3. ^ Tynan, Eithne (22 March 2009). "Radio Review, Eithne Tynan - It would make you want to spend a fortune on plastic crap..." Sunday Tribune. Retrieved 20 December 2009.[dead link‍]
  4. ^ "About John Creedon". The John Creedon Show. RTÉ Radio 1. Retrieved 4 January 2013.
  5. ^ Hurst, Greg (4 June 2006). "Radio: RTÉ sticks to the same old songs". The Times. London. Archived from the original on 16 June 2011. Retrieved 12 September 2009.
  6. ^ "There's blood on the studio floor". Irish Independent. 30 December 2006. Retrieved 12 September 2008.
  7. ^ O'Brien, Jason (26 May 2005). "RTÉ goes wild in major shake-up of schedules for Radio 1 and 2FM". Irish Independent. Retrieved 12 September 2008.
  8. ^ O'Brien, Jason (1 July 2006). "RTÉ orders second radio staff shake-up". Irish Independent. Retrieved 12 September 2008.
  9. ^ Khan, Frank (2 July 2006). "RTÉ fears mass radio defections". Sunday Independent. Retrieved 12 September 2008.
  10. ^ "13 Fáilte Towers celebrities announced". RTÉ. 25 July 2008. Retrieved 12 September 2008.
  11. ^ "Creedon up for more after Fáilte Towers win". Irish Examiner. 19 August 2008. Retrieved 12 September 2008.[permanent dead link‍]
  12. ^ "John is named Fáilte Towers winner". RTÉ. 17 August 2008. Archived from the original on 5 March 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2008.
  13. ^ "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly - A Tribute To The Wild West Archived 11 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine" - presented by John Creedon. RTÉ.
  14. ^ Kelly, Fiach (11 September 2008). "Banjos and pirates lead charge of TG4's new line-up". Irish Independent. Retrieved 12 September 2008.
  15. ^ "All Ireland Talent Show judges revealed". RTÉ. 13 November 2008. Retrieved 13 November 2008.
  16. ^ "Creedon warns Dáithí O'Sé over Talent Show". RTÉ. 18 August 2009. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
  17. ^ O'Farrell, Stephen; Noonan, Laura (18 August 2009). "Why Miriam is primed to do more on radio". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 11 January 2013. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
  18. ^ "CREEDON'S RETRO ROADTRIP ***New Series*** | RTÉ Presspack". presspack.rte.ie. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  19. ^ "CREEDON'S CITIES ***New Series*** | RTÉ Presspack". presspack.rte.ie. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  20. ^ "CREEDON'S WILD ATLANTIC WAY ***New Series*** | RTÉ Presspack". presspack.rte.ie. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  21. ^ "John Creedon take on the Wild Atlantic Way in epic roadtrip". www.irishexaminer.com. 23 July 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  22. ^ O'Shea, Joe (23 August 2008). "Failte Towers: So what do the critics say about the million people who watched it?". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 4 August 2012. Retrieved 12 September 2008.
  23. ^ "Why old Ireland is going up in smoke". Irish Independent. 31 March 2008. Retrieved 12 September 2008.
  24. ^ O'Keeffe, Donal (19 July 2017). "On the water with John Creedon". The Avondhu Newspaper. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  25. ^ The Late Late Show, 19 September 2008. It may be viewed here.
  26. ^ "At home with John Creedon". Hot Press. 19 January 2006. Archived from the original on 20 June 2012. Retrieved 12 September 2008.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  27. ^ "Highlights of Beginners' Blas". BBC. Retrieved 12 September 2008.
  28. ^ "In off the post: RTÉ star Morahan fashions undying gypsies' allegiance". Irish Independent. 20 August 2008. Retrieved 12 September 2008.
  29. ^ "Life Lessons: John Creedon". RTÉ. 1 September 2008. Archived from the original on 17 September 2008. Retrieved 12 September 2008.
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