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Irish Examiner

'The voice of the people': Joe Duffy takes his final call on Liveline

Joe Duffy has said his last 'Hello. Good afternoon, you are very welcome to Liveline'. The - at times - emotional last show for the veteran broadcaster included a mix of comedic sketches and songs and even a performance by the Dublin Fire Brigade Pipe Band, as well as tributes from Micheál Martin and Michael D Higgins. The Dublin Fire Brigade Pipe Band at Joe Duffy's final farewell show. Picture: Andres Poveda The Taoiseach called him the 'authentic voice of the people' who 'kept us all on our toes over the years', while the president called him 'the voice of those on the margins' throughout his 'long and remarkable career'. After his familiar introduction at the start of the show, Joe was sung a rendition of the 1970s hit Thank you For Being A Friend by The Camembert Quartet. Show producer Brenda Donohue told him he had been 'more than a friend' to everyone on the show over the years before bringing on Caroline Davis of Caroline's Breast Care in County Carlow. She reminded Joe about how allowances for specialised bras for women who underwent a mastectomy were reinstated after women shared their stories on the show over two days last year. June Rogers at Joe Duffy's final farewell show. Picture: Andres Poveda Cork author Pete O'Toole was another of the former guests to appear. He thanked Joe for helping him sell his self-published books and for helping 'vindicate' him as a writer. Brenda interrupted the show to let Joe know 'we have a caller on the line'. It turned out to be the Taoiseach who told him: 'You were and are the voice of the people. You were authentic. You gave the people a platform and I think you never left your roots. Your working-class background stood to you. 'You had a unique capacity to mediate between the people and authority and allow them to tell their stories.' He added: 'Over the years, I can remember many a civil servant coming running into me in the afternoon saying, Liveline's gone mad. It's gone on fire. We've got to do this and that and the other. 'The one difference between you and social media, if I may say, is that you had balance on every show, somebody has got to give the other side of the story." Claudia Boyle performing on Joe Duffy's final farewell show. Picture: Andres Poveda He described the presenter as a wonderful platform for people, survivors of institutions, people who may not often get the opportunity. 'They just picked up the phone, they rang you, and you guided them through to tell their story. People will be forever in your debt.' He also referenced how the two met up during family holidays on Dunworley Strand, near Courtmacsherry, south west Cork. Paul Harrington performs 'Song of Bernadette' for Joe Duffy's final farewell show. Picture: Andres Poveda He said that he shared 'one of the best, great days' he and his wife Mary had with their seven-year-old daughter Leana before she passed away in 2010 at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London. 'You took some beautiful photographs of Leana in my arms and you sent them to me after Leana died and that's something Mary and I have always treasured," he said. Comedian Oliver Callan recorded a special episode of his show Callan's Kicks, featuring Joe taking calls from the likes of Bertie Ahern and Bono. The show came to an end with the reading of a letter from President Michael D Higgins which thanked Joe for his 'remarkable contribution to public life'. It was one that he had 'shaped with empathy, insight and an unwavering commitment to the voices of Ireland'. He said: 'Through your work, you have borne witness to the struggles and triumphs of the Irish people, often giving voice to those on the margins and creating a space in which silence could be broken and solidarity expressed, reminding us that behind every headline is a human story, reminding us too that our society is strengthened by the lived experiences of its people.' Joe Duffy: 'It's been a privilege.' Picture: Andres Poveda Before the show ended, Joe thanked everyone and said: "It's been a privilege." Joe Duffy joined RTÉ as a radio producer in 1989 and came to prominence as a reporter on the Gay Byrne Show. He presented programmes such as Soundbyte before taking over Liveline from Marian Finucane in 1998, attracting some 400,000 listeners to the phone-in programme. Read More RTÉ opens call for new presenters including Joe Duffy's replacement on Liveline