Declan Hassett

Declan Hassett has now retired having spent 42 years working for the ‘Cork Examiner’, now the ‘Irish Examiner’, and has just published a book entitled ‘Make Them Laugh’, a history of the theatrical and dramatic societies in Cork. The recording begins as Declan talks about his young life and education. After leaving school, thinking that he had a vocation to become a priest, he spent 4½ years at Dalgan Park in Navan, headquarters of the Columban Fathers. He declares that he regretted neither going there nor leaving there! In 1962 he joined the ‘Cork Examiner’ as a journalist. He describes how he worked his way up in the ‘Examiner’ editorial department for 12 years, then moved to a position as Editor of the ‘Evening Echo’ for 10 years, and finally he was appointed as Arts Editor of the Examiner. He held this position until his retirement. His memories include the Editor’s lonely chair and the daily pressure of some of his memorable interviews, and he delights in his deep involvement in theatrical circles in his native city.