‘No serious thought given to what I will do next’
THOUGH he has had little time to reflect on his varied career, which started out locally with the Western Journal and Sligo Journal before his move to RTÉ in 1980, Mr Gorman says he ‘ hasn’t given any serious thought’ to what might be next.
He will, however, have more time to spend with his wife Ceara and family at their home near Ransboro.
And, though work may have required time away from Sligo sod, Mr Gorman says he always remained home in many ways.
“I never really left it in many respects. You always carry those values with you. It was a huge gulf to go to Brussels, to go from being a regional correspondent to being in Europe.
“What really helped was that Ray MacSharry was a European Commissioner, and here was somebody who had been in the cattle trade like my father was for a time, had the same values and spoke the same and had the same understanding of things, and here he was reforming the Common Agricultural Policy.”
Referencing one particular project he was involved in during his time with RTÉ, Mr Gorman says the idea stemmed from his days in St John’s NS in Sligo.“One of the most satisfying things and energising things I did during my time in Belfast was when we ran the All Island schools choir competition from there,” he comments.
“It was a really, really energising project because we got choirs from all sides - community schools to fee-paying schools - involved and the inspiration for that came from being involved in three-part harmonies in St John’s School.
“Those values constantly guided you and you never leave them behind. We grew up outside Markievicz Park, you never leave behind the stuff you learned in St John’s School, Summerhill College.”
Indeed, Mr Gorman’s prominence has only increased further in recent years as the decision of the UK to withdraw from the European Union presented great challenges and changes in the relationship between the two jurisdictions on this island.
In terms of major moments, the visit of Prince Charles to Mullaghmore in 2015 was also a key part in the development of the relationship between Ireland and the UK.
“When I was back in Belfast I was from what’s effectively part of the border region and there was no greater example of reconciliation during my time there than when Prince Charles came to Mullaghmore.”
On his love of Sligo, he simply concluded.“That has never changed. This is my home and always will be my home.”
He told Ryan Tubridy on the Late Late how his career had gone so quickly. “Driving into this place this evening, it was like when I came here for an interview . . .My mother and father drove me up in 1980, I just love this place. I have had a fantastic time. It has gone by too fast. It has gone by in a flash. I’m also very conscious that I’m getting older and if you are to be in any way true to how generous people in here have been to me, you have to acknowledge there’s another generation coming up.”