The Live Mike

16 WEDNESDAY 8 FEBRUARY 2012 EVENING HERALD NEWS By Claire Murphy THESE are the fresh-faced children quizzed by Twink for the Live Mike – 30 years ago. RTE put out a call to track down the children who were interviewed for the show in 1981. And some of the individuals have come forward after spotting their faces featured in the Herald. Maurice Byrne said that there was a huge buzz in his school, St Mary’s School, Belmont Avenue, Donnybrook, on the day when the RTE camera crew arrived. “I remember it vividly. We were in Ms Forde's class,” he said. “Twink was asking us questions about love. “She asked me if I would marry a woman if she was fat. “I said, ‘yes, if she had lots of money’.” A sheet metal worker by trade, Maurice said that a number of his friends emigrated, some of whom were featured in the TV show. “I would have been one of the cheekiest in the class. It was just before our communion, shortly after that I lost my front teeth. I got on alright in the end,” he said. “The teachers probably wrote me off but I've never been in trouble. I never made it to prison.” Maurice, who now lives in Blackrock, says that he keeps in touch with his classmates through Facebook. “A lot of people are scattered around Donnybrook,” he added. Lee Horan, who will be 40 in September, said he remembers the day in St Mary's well. “I was eight or nine in the snap. I remember she was asking us about school. We were asked different topics –I think I spoke about Hansel and Gretel because it was the book I was reading at that moment in the class.” EXPECTATIONS Lee is living in Longford now and said that life has more or less lived up to his expectations. “In primary school I was fairly well behaved but when I got to secondary school, it was a different story. “I did want to be a long distance driver, which I became. My father was in the haulage business. “I went all over the continent – to Algeria, Spain, France. But I got out of it – it was too many hours.” The Live Mike, presented by Mike Murphy, ran for several years from its first broadcast in 1979. Anyone who recognises themselves or their friends in the photos is asked to click on the Twitter feed @RTETV50, or log on to Facebook page, www.facebook. com/RTETV50, or contact the Herald. [email protected] By Claire Murphy ONE of the young boys filmed as part of the Live Mike series died tragically just months later, it has emerged. Little Kevin Waters passed away five months after this photo was taken. The schoolboy was knocked down by a coal lorry as he played in his home town of Newtownmountkennedy, Co Wicklow. His sister Helen Gregory said she instantly recognised her brother from the picture published in the Herald last Friday. “He was 7-years-old and in first class in St Joseph's Boys School. He made his communion shortly after this picture was taken,” she explained. Helen, who still lives beside the family home, said that there was huge excitement on the day that the RTE crew visited the school. “I'll never forget the day he told us Twink came,” she said. “He told us, ‘There was an awful smell of perfume off that lady’.'' Helen even recognised some of the other faces in the original line up from the school in Newtownmountkennedy, but has lost touch with a lot of them. Kevin and Helen's mother died four years ago, but their father John was thrilled to see the photo. “Daddy was delighted,” Helen said. “It was really nice to see it in the paper. We would love to see a clip of it again.” [email protected] That’s me! 80s Live Mike stars step forward... were you one? PAST PUPILS: Maurice Byrne (left) and Lee Horan (right) both recognised themselves in the Herald article Tragic Kevin (7) died just five months after the ground-breaking series Twink asked if I would marry a woman if she was fat. I said, ‘yes, if she had lots of money’.

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Heralds article on the Live Mike series with children from St Mary's School Donnybrook

Transcript of The Live Mike

16 WEDNESDAY 8 FEBRUARY 2012 EVENING HERALD

NEWS

By Claire Murphy

THESE are the fresh-faced childrenquizzed by Twink for the Live Mike –30 years ago.RTE put out a call to track down the

children who were interviewed for theshow in 1981.And some of the individuals have come

forward after spotting their faces featuredin the Herald.Maurice Byrne said that there was a

huge buzz in his school, St Mary’s School,Belmont Avenue, Donnybrook, on the daywhen the RTE camera crew arrived.“I remember it vividly. We were in Ms

Forde's class,” he said. “Twink was askingus questions about love.“She asked me if I would marry a

woman if she was fat.“I said, ‘yes, if she had lots of money’.”A sheet metal worker by trade, Maurice

said that a number of his friendsemigrated, some of whom were featuredin the TV show.“I would have been one of the cheekiest

in the class. It was just before our

communion, shortly after that I lost myfront teeth. I got on alright in the end,” hesaid.“The teachers probably wrote me off

but I've never been in trouble. I nevermade it to prison.”Maurice, who now lives in Blackrock,

says that he keeps in touch with hisclassmates through Facebook.

“A lot of people are scattered aroundDonnybrook,” he added.Lee Horan, who will be 40 in

September, said he remembers the day inSt Mary's well. “I was eight or nine in thesnap. I remember she was asking us about

school. We were asked different topics –Ithink I spoke about Hansel and Gretelbecause it was the book I was reading atthat moment in the class.”

EXPECTATIONSLee is living in Longford now and saidthat life has more or less lived up to hisexpectations. “In primary school I wasfairly well behaved but when I got tosecondary school, it was a different story.“I did want to be a long distance driver,

which I became. My father was in thehaulage business.“I went all over the continent – to

Algeria, Spain, France. But I got out of it –it was too many hours.”The Live Mike, presented by Mike

Murphy, ran for several years from its firstbroadcast in 1979.Anyone who recognises themselves or

their friends in the photos is asked to clickon the Twitter feed @RTETV50, or log onto Facebook page, www.facebook.com/RTETV50, or contact the Herald.

[email protected]

By Claire Murphy

ONE of the young boysfilmed as part of theLiveMike series diedtragically justmonths later, it hasemerged.Little Kevin

Waters passed awayfive months afterthis photo was taken.The schoolboy was

knocked down by acoal lorry as he playedin his home town ofNewtownmountkennedy,CoWicklow.His sister Helen Gregory said

she instantly recognised her brotherfrom the picture published in theHerald last Friday.“He was 7-years-old and in first class in St Joseph's

Boys School. Hemade his communion shortly after thispicture was taken,” she explained.Helen, who still lives beside the family home, said

that there was huge excitement on the day that the RTEcrew visited the school.“I'll never forget the day he told us Twink came,” she

said. “He told us, ‘There was an awful smell of perfumeoff that lady’.''Helen even recognised some of the other faces in the

original line up from the school inNewtownmountkennedy, but has lost touch with a lotof them.Kevin and Helen's mother died four years ago, but

their father John was thrilled to see the photo.“Daddy was delighted,” Helen said.“It was really nice to see it in the paper. We would

love to see a clip of it again.”