Martina Fitzgerald (Irish journalist)

Martina Fitzgerald is a political journalist and author of the bestselling non-fiction book, 'Madam Politician'.

Martina Fitzgerald
Born
Kilskyre, Ireland
NationalityIrish
Alma materUniversity College Dublin
OccupationAuthor and political journalist
Years active2001-present

Career

Fitzgerald was named as one of the most influential Irish journalists on Twitter in 2018.[1]

She worked for RTÉ News & Current Affairs for 18 years including as Political Correspondent from October 2013 to December 2018.[2][3]

From her base in Leinster House, Fitzgerald reported on all major political news stories in recent years including general elections in 2007, 2011 and 2016, as well as the marriage equality referendum in 2015 and Eighth Amendment referendum in 2018. Working on all RTÉ's flagship radio and television programmes including Morning Ireland and the Six-One News, Fitzgerald also reported from Japan and Tanzania as well as covering the death of John Paul II, the London Bombings and Brexit from Madrid and London.

During the three months of negotiations that led to the formation of the Fine Gael/Independent minority coalition in 2016, Fitzgerald was a near permanent presence outside Government Buildings and was subjected to two 'video bombs' while live on air.[4] [5] She was widely praised for her professionalism in continuing with her broadcasts but, based on security concerns, RTE changed its policy for on-street political reporting.[6]

RTE was widely criticised for not renewing Fitzgerald's contract as Political Correspondent in December 2018.[7][8] It was later reported that Fitzgerald had engaged lawyers[9] following which RTE reached a settlement with its former political correspondent.[10] [11]

Madam Politician

Fitzgerald is the author of 'Madam Politician: The women at the table of Irish political power', published by Gill Books in October 2018.[12] Former Supreme Court judge Catherine McGuinness launched the book in the National Library of Ireland.[13]

Fitzgerald's book was a No.1 bestseller[14] and received huge critical acclaim including being named Irish political book of the year in both the Sunday Business Post[15] and the Irish Mail on Sunday. Other favourable reviews noted: 'Whether you have no interest in politics, or are fully engaged, this is an essential read’ (Sunday Independent);[16] and ‘Fitzgerald’s fascinating work [does] not disappoint’ (Irish Examiner).[17]

The Sunday Times described the book as a 'highly readable digest' based on Fitzgerald's interviews with 17 of the 19 women have been appointed to cabinet positions in the history of the Irish state, 'with the missing two being the late Eileen Desmond and Constance Markievicz. The fact that Markievicz's immediate successor as a female minister was Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, with 60 years of all-male cabinets between them, is one of the more stark illustrations of the paucity of female representation in Irish politics.'[18]

Several well-known broadcasters praised the book including: ‘A fascinating read’ – Seán O’Rourke;[19] 'It's a great book, a great read’ – Ray D’Arcy;[20] and 'An absolute must' – Mark Cagney.[21] Former Irish Times editor - and former Progressive Democrat TD - Geraldine Kennedy criticized the book's title, and claimed that ‘by accident or design it does a disservice’ to the former ministers and presidents interviewed by Fitzgerald.[22] Kennedy's review was widely disparaged[23] including by Irish Times political correspondent Harry Magee who told the Irish Times politics podcast: ‘I fundamentally disagree with the review. I thought it was quite vicious, and the premise on which it was based was wrong... I think she [Kennedy] was over the top.'[24]

The hardback edition included endorsements from Emily O’Reilly, European Ombudsman, who described 'Madam Politician' as ‘a timely and important contribution to the contemporary reflection on women's historic and future place in Irish society and public life' while broadcaster Miriam O’Callaghan said it was ‘a compelling read that couldn’t be more timely.'[25]

Novelist Cecelia Ahern praised Fitzgerald’s book in social media postings in December 2018: ‘Whether you’re interested in politics or not, this is a fascinating informative read... Thoroughly enjoying it & feeling inspired by the journeys of these remarkable women, many of whom I’ve known & admired since childhood.’[26]

In interviews following its publication, Fitzgerald described the process of writing her book as 'gruelling and torturous.'[27]

Women in Public Life

Fitzgerald has spoken at numerous public events including at the Galway International Arts Festival about the role of women in public life and the 100th anniversary of Irish women receiving the right to vote.[28] She was one of the contributors to a special Irish Times supplement marking the historical significance of the 1918 general election for Irish women.[29]

She has also spoken about the importance of gender pay across all sectors not just in the media[30] and has supported the idea of companies having to publish their pay data.[31]

Personal life

Fitzgerald grew up in Kilskyre in County Meath.[32] She studied history and politics at UCD where she was Auditor of the Politics Society. She has a strong involvement with UCD including participating in the UCD Festival 2017[33] and the UCD Women in Leadership conference in 2018.[34] She is a member of the Editorial Board of UCD's alumni magazine, Connections.[35]

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gollark: Haskell.
gollark: Well, if we ignore the monad laws and write our own prelude...
gollark: So it'll work on strings.
gollark: With a custom Prelude we can overload `+` for no good reason too.

References
  1. https://www.newstalk.com/Most-influential-Irish-journalists-on-Twitter-revealed
  2. https://www.rte.ie/author/822899-martina-fitzgerald/
  3. "RTE appoints Fitzgerald as political reporter - Independent.ie".
  4. "Watch: RTE reporter keeps composure despite this foul-mouthed interruption - Independent.ie".
  5. "WATCH: RTE political reporter endures yet another interruption on live TV - Independent.ie".
  6. "RTÉ to move political reports indoors, following recent pranks on the street - JOE.ie".
  7. https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/television/minister-disappointed-and-annoyed-at-rt-decision-to-replace-martina-fitzgerald-in-dil-37606239.html
  8. https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/martina-fitzgerald-devastated-after-losing-rte-political-correspondent-role-37608113.html
  9. https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/lawyers-brought-into-wrangle-over-martina-fitzgeralds-role-at-rte-37630323.html
  10. https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/tv-radio-web/journalist-martina-fitzgerald-to-leave-rt%C3%A9-1.3739734
  11. https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/martina-fitzgerald-is-to-leave-rt-weeks-after-being-replaced-as-political-correspondent-37649537.html
  12. https://www.gillbooks.ie/politics-current-affairs/politics-current-affairs/madam-politician
  13. https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/the-bold-and-bleak-book-traces-women-in-public-life-37429034.html
  14. https://twitter.com/MartinaFitzg/status/1056099958246555649
  15. https://www.businesspost.ie/magazine/all-the-worlds-a-page-432766
  16. https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/books/book-reviews/jobs-for-the-girls-sexism-in-politics-37439262.html
  17. https://www.irishexaminer.com/archives/2018/1020/opinion/why-do-women-still-face-paternalismin-politics-473382.html
  18. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/review-madam-politician-the-women-at-the-table-of-irish-political-power-by-martina-fitzgerald-hqng8mgc6
  19. https://www.rte.ie/radio1/today-with-sean-o-rourke/programmes/2018/1012/1002716-today-with-sean-orourke-friday-12-october-2018/?clipid=102950916
  20. https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2018/1019/1005293-line-up-for-ray-darcy-show-revealed/
  21. https://www.virginmediatelevision.ie/404.php?page=/player/show/809/148758/
  22. https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/madam-politician-does-a-disservice-to-the-women-who-served-as-ministers-1.3668160
  23. https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/letters/in-defence-of-madam-politician-1.3679673
  24. ’https://soundcloud.com/irishtimes-politics/madame-politician-labours-next-moves
  25. ’https://www.gillbooks.ie/politics-current-affairs/politics-current-affairs/madam-politician
  26. https://twitter.com/cecelia_ahern?lang=en
  27. https://player.fm/series/1758480/221115105
  28. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGCqWlMa9b0
  29. https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/heritage/rules-of-the-game-are-still-different-for-women-politicians-today-1.3705705
  30. "RTE's Martina: 'Irish firms should reveal their stats on gender pay gap' - Independent.ie".
  31. https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/martina-fitzgerald-debate-over-gender-pay-equality-at-rté-an-issue-for-all-women-1.3166286
  32. "Meath Chronicle - Martina Fitzgerald is RTE's new political correspondent".
  33. "Navigating an uncertain future - UCD Festival".
  34. "Events". sisweb.ucd.ie.
  35. https://alumni.ucd.ie/magazine/
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