Donal Kelly
Irish journalist
About Donal Kelly
Lived 1938 – 2025 (aged 86–87).
Donal Kelly (1938 – 3 January 2025) was an Irish journalist and broadcaster, best known for his work with RTÉ News.
Life and career Kelly began his journalism career with the Donegal People's Press before later joining the Irish Press. He joined RTÉ in 1968. During his career, Kelly covered the conflict in Northern Ireland throughout the 1970s and 1980s as well as various international events. He succeeded Seán Duignan as RTÉ's political correspondent in 1988, later becoming political editor. In this role, Kelly covered several general election campaigns, as well as state visits by Nelson Mandela and Mikhail Gorbachev. He was one of the first presenters of The Week in Politics. Kelly retired in 2002.
Kelly died on 3 January 2025, at the age of 86.
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Important facts
People in Donal Kelly's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Donal Kelly's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Donal Kelly?
Irish journalist (1938–2025)
When was Donal Kelly born?
Donal Kelly was born in 1938.
When did Donal Kelly die?
Donal Kelly died on 3 January 2025.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Donal Kelly. https://biography.guide/donal-kelly/
MLA: "Donal Kelly." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/donal-kelly/.
Chicago: "Donal Kelly." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/donal-kelly/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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