‘An honour and a privilege’: RTÉ’s Caitríona Perry gives final Six One News sign-off

Ms Perry signed off for the final time ahead of her move to Washington DC, where she will take up a role with the BBC later this summer.

David McCullagh and Ms Perry have been co-anchors on the weekly news programme since 2018. Wishing his friend well as she ventures off to “pastures new”, Mr McCullagh said: “Caitríona, it has been a pleasure and we will miss you.”

“Thanks so much David,” Ms Perry responded.

“Thanks for being a wonderful co-presenter and also a wonderful friend as well. I'll miss you and all the team really a lot as well. Everyone in front of and behind the camera who keeps the show on the road.”

“And a really big thank you as well to you, our viewers, over the years and to those who sent me messages wishing me well, thank you for your kindness. It really has been an honour and a privilege to work for RTÉ News but a new chapter begins for me now. So, for one last time, that was Friday’s Six One News. From all the team, thanks for watching, have a great weekend and do take care. Bye, bye.”

Earlier this month, Ms Perry announced that she would be stepping away to take up an international role as chief presenter with the BBC based in the US capital. She was previously RTÉ’s Washington correspondent.

She shared a picture from a sunny Donnybrook on Twitter earlier today, and under the post she encouraged viewers to ‘tune in’.

“The sun is shining on the @rte campus for my last day of work. I’ll be presenting @rtenews #SixOne for the final time tonight, with @mcculld [David McCullagh. #tuneinlater,” she wrote.

In a statement announcing her departure, Ms Perry said she was leaving with "a mix of sadness and excitement".

“I have made great friends, worked with some incredibly talented people and had fantastic experiences and opportunities,” she said.

"I have reported from all over the world and had the chance to witness history in the making, particularly during my time as Washington Correspondent and as co-presenter of the Six One News.

"It was a tough decision to walk away from RTÉ. It is an institution in Irish life, but I have been offered an incredible opportunity.

"I wish to say a special thank you to the RTÉ audience, the viewers, listeners and readers who have afforded me the extraordinary privilege of being a public service broadcast journalist."

Ms Perry said she is “passionate” about world news and US politics in particular. Her replacement on the Six One News has yet to be announced.

“It is really exciting to get the opportunity to be at the forefront of the BBC coverage,” she added.

In a recent appearance on the Late Late Show, Ms Perry said her late friend, former Six One News co-presenter, Keelin Shanley would “be delighted” with her decision to leave the State broadcaster for a high-profile job with the BBC in Washington.

She said Ms Shanley’s death at start of the Covid-19 pandemic in February, 2020, was among the issues she considered when she made the life-changing decision to move her family to the US.

“When you have a close bereavement, when you have children, and the pandemic for all of us makes you sort of re-evaluate what matters to me and my family, what’s important to me, what do I want to do, what do I want to achieve, and what opportunities are out there while you still kind of have a bit of vim and vigour to take advantage of them,” she said.

Ms Perry’s departure comes six months after the retirement of Eileen Dunne, who worked with the broadcaster for over 40 years. Ms Dunne had signalled her intention to retire, but she shocked viewers, on November 19, when she signed off for the final time.

“This is my final bulletin after 42 years working for this wonderful organisation and I’ve only ever been as good as the people behind me… It’s been an honour and privilege, see you on the other side,” she said.

Ms Perry’s last broadcast coincided with Late Late Show host Ryan Tubridy’s final programme later on Friday evening.

His departures closes a 14-year run at the helm of long-running chat show, but Mr Tubridy will continue to host his RTÉ Radio weekday programme.

President Michael D Higgins, Andrea Corr, John Sheahan of The Dubliners and Sharon Shannon we all appear on tonight’s programme.

After months of speculation, it was recently confirmed that Mr Tubridy will be replaced by Co Down native comedian and broadcaster Patrick Kielty.