O’Rourke set to take over the Arts and Media beat

RTÉ’S Evelyn O’Rourke has been appointed as its Arts and Media Correspondent following an internal competition. She takes over the role from Sinéad Crowley, who announced last July she would be leaving the broadcaster after 26 years to pursue a ‘new adventure’. Ms O’Rourke, pictured left, from Dublin, is currently a reporter on RTÉ Radio 1’s Today With Claire Byrne. An award-winning broadcast journalist for over 20 years, she has worked on a range of programmes in both English and Irish across RTÉ and TG4. On her appointment, she said: ‘I am delighted to be appointed as the RTÉ Arts and Media Correspondent at a time when Irish acting and writing talent is storming across the world stage, highlighting the boundless talent of our national creative industries. ‘I am really looking forward to exploring the wide range of arts and cultural stories in Ireland as well as examining and reporting on the ever-changing media landscape here and bringing those stories to our audiences. ‘I will hugely miss my colleagues on Radio 1 and the Today With Claire Byrne programme but am relishing the focus of my new role and RTE’s ongoing commitment to telling these important stories.’ As well as co-presenting the Irish Book Awards on television for many years on RTÉ One, Ms O’Rourke has also hosted and reported for RTÉ Radio 1’s arts programme Arena. Director of RTÉ News and Current Affairs Deirdre McCarthy said: ‘We are very pleased that Evelyn is joining the News and Current Affairs team as Arts and Media Correspondent. ‘This correspondency covers two hugely important sectors in Irish life.’