'A trusted voice': Mayor of Limerick honours seasoned journalist Cathy Halloran

SEASONED journalist Cathy Halloran who has retired after almost 40 years at RTE has received one of Limerick’s top civic honours.

Ms Halloran, who lives on the city's northside, has made Limerick her home since 1993 when she became the national broadcaster’s Mid-West correspondent.

Prior to this, she worked for The Farmer Magazine and the Connacht Tribune in Galway.

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At City Hall, Mayor John Moran afforded the mother-of-one a mayoral reception, one of the most significant civic honours which can be given out.

Mayor Moran said: “As we’ve been thinking about people who’ve made a real and lasting impact on life in Limerick and the wider region, we didn’t have to look any further than Cathy. She has been a calm, trusted and honest voice reporting on Limerick for decades, putting into words our highest of highs, and, poignantly, describing some of our most difficult moments as a city and county.”

He said regardless of what kind of day it was for communities in Limerick, Ms Halloran was there. “Not just with a microphone, but with empathy, understanding and fairness. This mayoral reception is our way of saying thank you to Cathy for the years of dedication, the early mornings, the rush to meet broadcast deadlines, the tough stories and for always putting people at the heart of her work. I think I speak for all of Limerick when I say we’ll miss seeing her on our screens, but we’re grateful for everything she’s given us and look forward to what comes next after a much-deserved break,” added Mayor Moran.

Ms Halloran spoke of her own pride at the recognition.

“I’m genuinely humbled to be receiving a mayoral reception. It’s been the privilege of a lifetime to report on the stories of this region for over three decades,” she said.

The trust she has built up with the local community is not something she takes for granted, she added.

“Being recognised by the city I’ve come to call home is a huge honour. I’ve always believed that journalism is about people, truth and connection. I hope I did justice to that over the years.

“It is a progressive city and region, with a big story to tell and I am genuinely delighted to have been part of that over three decades,” she added.

The reception for Ms Halloran followed two sports-related ceremonies and a similar reception for Michael Benn last month.

He was grand marshal of the 2025 New York St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

Mayoral receptions in Limerick recognise and celebrate the contributions of local individuals, teams or groups to the community in Limerick.

Ultimately, Mayor Moran decides on who is honoured.