Paddy Murray

Patrick Thomas Murray (born 5 August 1954) in Dublin, Ireland is a journalist and writer.

Educated at Blackrock College, he attended University College Dublin for a year. While there he wrote and performed comedy sketch shows as part of a three-man comedy group, The Machine. His partners in The Machine were Brendan Martin and Billy McGrath. While the trio were writing and rehearsing sketches for a forthcoming show, another student knocked on their door to offer a sketch he had written. The student's name was Dermot Morgan, who later found fame as Father Ted. Murray and Martin were instrumental in giving Morgan his break on television when they introduced him to the producer and writing team of an RTÉ comedy series The Live Mike.

After leaving UCD, Murray went to study journalism at the College of Commerce in Rathmines, Dublin. His first job at the end of the course was with the Evening Herald in Dublin. Apart from a short time in the UK in the 1970s, Murray has been employed by Independent Newspapers or one of its subsidiaries for most of his professional life. He was Editor of the Sunday Tribune [ [http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=22034&sectioncode=1 Murray steps up to take editor's chair at Tribune - Press Gazette ] ] from 2003 until 2005.

His comedy writing credits include: Week Ending BBC Radio4, The Two Ronnies and Dave Allen at Large both BBC TV; The Live Mike, Late Late Show, Twink and many others. He has also written for stage, revue and stand-up comedians.

Murray continues to write a regular column in the Dublin paper, the Sunday World [ [http://www.sundayworld.com/columnists.asp?colID=17] ] under the name "Every day is Paddy's day". He also writes a [http://www.everydayispaddysday.blogspot.com] widely-read blog under the title "Paddy Murray: Ireland, the world and beyond". He describes himself as a "Partner, father, Christian, rugby fan, music lover, Irishman".

In 2005 he became a father when his partner Connie [ [http://www.everydayispaddysday.blogspot.com Paddy Murray: Ireland, the world and beyond ] ] gave birth to their daughter Charlotte.

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