Never Better My Life in Our Times

'Money is handy for doing messages' was a phrase the young Tommie Gorman heard from his father, growing up in Sligo in the 1960s. Struggle was never far away but their household had a surplus of love and warmth. From modest beginnings as a local reporter at the Western Journal, where his deadlines were dependent on the bus schedule, Tommie landed at RTÉ , taking up the post of North-West correspondent in 1980. Over the next four decades he became a familiar presence in Irish homes, known for his coverage of Europe and Northern Ireland, as well as his unforgettable interviews with controversial figures including Gerry Adams, Roy Keane, Ian Paisley and Arlene Foster. While revelling in his life as a journalist, he was also coping with the cancer diagnosis he received in 1994 and seeking ways to access life-saving treatments for patients who shared his rare form of the disease. In this insightful and generous book, Tommie takes readers behind the scenes and shares some of his memories from Sligo to Stormont, via Brussels and Sweden, as he recounts forty extraordinary years of Irish history from his front-row seat and looks at what may lie ahead for the island.

Tommie Gorman worked for RTÉ News and Current Affairs from 1980 to 2021 in a variety of roles, including European editor and Northern Ireland editor. He lives in Sligo.

Beginnings Sligo: early years The first job The north-west years Brussels Power and loss Living with cancer Love, sport and the Roy Keane interview Belfast Compromise and power The Queen and the changing of the guard Brexit The journey made and the road ahead Bonus years Acknowledgements Index