Charles Mitchel - decent man with no airs of a star

Back when RTÉ television was just coming of age – celebrating its 21st year on air in 1982 – two young students from journalism college in Rathmines headed out to Donnybrook with the ambition of producing a series of features on the station’s stars for their college newspaper.

The station had gone on air with a gala night from the Gresham Hotel on New Year’s Eve 1961 – 63 years ago almost to the day – with an opening schedule that encapsulated a time when Church and State battled for the hearts and minds of the nation.

Things kicked off at 7pm with the National Anthem, followed by a message from President Eamon De Valera, joined by Taoiseach Sean Lemass and Minister for Posts and Telegraphs Michael Hilliard.

But the real power flexed its muscle at 7.08pm when Archbishop of Dublin, John Charles McQuaid, celebrated benediction.

Stars to feature on that opening night included Siobhan McKenna, Micheal MacLiamoir, Jimmy O’Dea, Mary O’Hara, Tom and Paschal and Brendan O’Dowda.

And the world as they knew it would never be the same again.

Fast forward 21 years and the two lads, wet behind the ears from the College of Journalism in Rathmines, blagged their way past reception in search of the stars.

One of those students was me and the other was my friend, John Murray, who was to go on and enjoy a stellar career with the broadcaster, presenting a variety of news programmes, the Business Show, and his own morning show on Radio 1.

But back then, we were just two bluffers trying to come up with enough interviews to fill two pages in our little college newspaper, by dropping into what was truly the home of Ireland’s biggest stars.

The problem was that the real big names were nowhere to be found – or at least they weren’t going to get caught wasting time talking to mere students – but all was not lost; Charles Mitchel had all the time in the world to reminisce.

And boy was he a star.