SEÁN O'ROURKE

Today was Seán O'Rourke's last day hosting Today with Seán O'Rourke on RTÉ Radio 1.

He'll be missed. I listened to his programme whenever I was around. He saved me from the clutches of the awful Pat Kenny. So what am I going to do now?

Anyway, his departure provoked me into wondering who I'd go on air with should the occasion arise.

Seán had been top of my list. He put in the graft and seemed very fair. He was confident in a laid back sort of way. He brought you his contributors rather than himself, not like the other fella. He listened but you were aware of his presence. And he asked the questions I'd have asked, almost as they were just forming in my head.

I'd go on with Seán Moncieff who is first class and deals well with a vast range of subjects. He is also brilliant at puncturing pomposity and appearing to take seriously some of his most outrageously way out (usually American) ccntributors.

I would not go on with Pat Kenny. I have read Betty Purcell on him, which just fortified me in my own opinion.

I'd steer clear of Mary Wilson & Ivan Yeates.

I have been on with both Myles Dungan and Patrick Geoghegan, both excellent broadcasters and I was completely at ease with them.

These are just a few thoughts that spring to mind as I pen this hurried farewell. A more comprehensive treatment would be for another day and further hunk of listening in the meantime to refresh my memory.

So, as I said, sad to see Seán 'Rourke go, he'll be missed.