# 101-year-old ex R/O interview



## beedeesea (Feb 28, 2006)

Not sure if you folk on the Other Island can access the "Nationwide" TV programme on the RTE Player. Tonight's (Wed 3rd Sept) prog had an interview with a 101 year-old ex-R/O from Kerry, who served in the MN during the war.
http://www.rte.ie/player/ie/show/10320236/

Brian


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## RayL (Apr 16, 2008)

beedeesea said:


> Not sure if you folk on the Other Island can access the "Nationwide" TV programme on the RTE Player. Tonight's (Wed 3rd Sept) prog had an interview with a 101 year-old ex-R/O from Kerry, who served in the MN during the war.
> http://www.rte.ie/player/ie/show/10320236/
> 
> Brian


Thanks for that Brian - the link worked fine! What a great guy too!! He's more active than I am!

His name is Michael J. O'Connor and he is approaching his 101st birthday. Lives in Killarney. He followed a newspaper advert and trained to be a sparks for Marconi. In 1942 he was torpedoed north of the Canary Islands. Later served on a ship called S.S. Hatarana. After the war he got a job in the Aviation Radio Service Shannon.


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## ben27 (Dec 27, 2012)

good day beedeesea,sm.today,06:23,re:101-year-old,ex r/o interviewd.i tried your link.no joy.sounds like a fine man,all the best to him,regards ben27


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## beedeesea (Feb 28, 2006)

Sorry to hear that, Ben. If you go to http://www.rte.ie/player/ie/, does it tell you can't have access? I know that there are certain rights restictions in place, but it's difficult to ascertain who has access from where and when. (Which reminds me of the old joke about a certain gentleman who resided in Khartoum, and his nocturnal doings).

Brian


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## ben27 (Dec 27, 2012)

good day beedeesea,yesterday.23:43.#4.re:101-year old ex r/o interview.thanks for your reply.what is the joke about khartoum??regards ben27


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

I got into the site but the film clip wouldn't work unfortunately. Seem to be a few things that maybe don't work in other countries.

John T


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## tiachapman (Mar 25, 2008)

*101*

great bloke


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

R651400 said:


> Try it thru Google Chrome using freebie VPN Hola which will automatically switch your ISP country to Eire ...


Thanks. i'll give it a try.

John T


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## TOM ALEXANDER (Dec 24, 2008)

ben27 said:


> good day beedeesea,yesterday.23:43.#4.re:101-year old ex r/o interview.thanks for your reply.what is the joke about khartoum??regards ben27


Don't know about a joke, but there was an old limerick:

There was a young man from Khartoum 
Who took a lesbian up to his room:
They then had a fight about who had the right
To do what, and with which, and to whom. B\)


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## beedeesea (Feb 28, 2006)

That's the one I was talking about, Tom......just too shy and retiring to print it on here. In actual fact it was "a pansy who came from Khartoum".Wonder did Trotterdot succeed in accessing the Player?

Brian


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## Michael Kirwan (Mar 18, 2006)

*Sea Breezes Magazine*

Hi Brian,

Great to see Michael enjoying life at 100.

I have an article about him in next months (October) SEA BREEZES. It is about his voyage on the HATARANA. It was torpedoed off Portugal. All survived as the torpedo exploded in a cargo of tea.
Regards 
Mike


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## beedeesea (Feb 28, 2006)

Ta, Michael.

Brian


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## beedeesea (Feb 28, 2006)

A half-hour interview with Michael on the "Seascapes" programme on RTE Radio 1 on Friday evening. He describes his early life, going to the Radio College in Bridlington, joining Marconi, and his first trip to sea.

http://www.rte.ie/radio/utils/radio...ml#!rii=9:10323609:153:19-09-2014:&type=radio

Brian


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## maltesejohn (Sep 19, 2014)

*Oldest Radio Officer in the WORLD - follow the link*



beedeesea said:


> A half-hour interview with Michael on the "Seascapes" programme on RTE Radio 1 on Friday evening. He describes his early life, going to the Radio College in Bridlington, joining Marconi, and his first trip to sea.
> 
> http://www.rte.ie/radio/utils/radio...ml#!rii=9:10323609:153:19-09-2014:&type=radio
> 
> Brian


Great to hear this radio show. Thanks Brian... Michael is the oldest Radio officer in the world.. a great honour. 

from maltesejohn ex REO 1977- 1990


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## beedeesea (Feb 28, 2006)

Glad you liked it, John. Part two of the interview was on Friday 26th September:

http://www.rte.ie/radio/utils/radio...ml#!rii=9:10325912:153:26-09-2014:&type=radio

Brian


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## RayL (Apr 16, 2008)

I just looked through a boxful of old cuttings that I must have put in my loft more than thirty years ago and there was a P&O advert featuring one of their R/Os. The advert was entitled "ONE MAN "BRAINS TRUST" AT WORK", and the 'Strathnaver's' Chief R/O M.J. Murphy was shown tuning his receiver and listening intently on his headphones. The blurb said he had three assistants, and their work included answering all sorts of queries put to them by passengers. There is a line of medal ribbons visible on his uniform so it may be that he served in the war.


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