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SIXTH BID TO WE’RE PLUG FRAZER JUST By STEPHEN BREEN COPS have foiled an attempted hit on gangland target Michael Frazer. Members of the Garda Emergency Response Unit arrested two men, aged 34 and 38, last night at Tuesday, August 8, 2017 (50p NI) www.thesun.ie Continued on Page Six €1 €1 SEE PAGE 3 EXCLUSIEXCLUSIVEVE:: SON’SSON’S DJDJ TRIBUTTRIBUTEE By KEN SWEENEY Showbiz Editor THE son of br oad- casting legend Gerry Ryan has opened up for the first time about the heartache of losing his dad. Rex Ryan, 27, told how the pair used to get together for a sip of whiskey and to watch war movies before the radio and TV giant’s shock death in 2010. Actor Rex revealed to the Irish Sun: “I was a kid who enjoyed hang- ing around with his dad more than his mates.” Angela’s Full Story — Pages 4&5 Strictly hopeful REX: Murder rap . Molly Jason’s My dad ‘blood wants justice’ By MICHAEL HEWLETT JASON Corbett’s “blood speaks truth and screams for justice”, the jury in his US murder trial were told yesterday as prosecutors closed their case. His wife Molly Martens Gerry Pride . Corbett, 33, and her father Rex, left, Thomas Martens, 67, have and father denied the second-degree murder of the Limerick Gerry, right native in 2015. FIRST EVER FULL CHAT Full Story — Pages 6&7 4 ...............Tuesday, August 8, 2017 1RM 1RM Tuesday, August 8, 2017 ............... 5 REX: MY DAD GERRYGERRY RYAN’SRYAN’S SONSON ONON DEATHDEATH ANDAND ‘GREAT‘GREAT LIFE’LIFE’ OFOF IDOLIDOL By Like father, like son . Rex, left, Life and KEN SWEENEY follows in Gerry’s Showbiz Editor footsteps with his new podcast times of GERRY Ryan’s eldest son has opened up about life chat DJ with and without one of the greatest broadcasters this Picture: ROBERT DOYLE country has ever known. legend Rex Ryan was just 21 years GERRY Ryan became a old when his dad suffered a household name as a massive heart attack and died result of a TV and radio on April 30, 2010. career that spanned In a first in-depth public chat more than three decades. from any of the broadcaster’s family, Born in Dublin, Ryan the young actor recalls a “great life” studied law at University with a “great dad” who loved enjoy- ing a whiskey with his son as they College Dublin and sat together watching the movie Family ties . Gerry and his ex-wife Morah were hugely proud of their children Lottie, Rex, Bonnie, Elliott and Babette began working as an Saving Private Ryan. apprentice solicitor. He told the Irish Sun: “You always During his time at feel you want to tell someone you love college he kept his them one more time but if you had a interest in broadcasting great life with them, that’s irrelevant. alive by working part- It would have been a tragedy if I time in pirate and com- wasn’t talking to him when he died munity radio. but I got on so well with him. Having decided law “He was a great dad. We were always on the same page. wasn’t for him, Ryan “There was never anything forced started his broadcasting between us. I was a kid who career as a rock and enjoyed hanging around with my pop music DJ on pirate dad more than my mates. radio in Dublin, before “I am so grateful for the happy graduating to RTE Radio times we had and I am so proud of 2 to share a late night what he achieved with his limited You always want slot with Dave Fanning time on earth. and Mark Cagney. “There is that ridiculous word His obvious talent for ‘closure’. I don’t want closure. I talk radio landed him a don’t want to close anything. It hap- pened and I don’t think you ever slot on 2fm’s mid-morn- have a day where you think I am ing programme which cool with that. became known as The “It is always going to be what it Gerry Ryan Show, a slot was. The best way you can honour he held until his death someone who has died is to live 20 years later. your life with vigour and love. His presenting style “Dad wouldn’t want me to sulk. was considered by many He would want me to go out and to be that of a shock- embrace life like he did. I think my jock, and his show was whole family embraced that.” to say ‘I love you’ subject to several com- It was never difficult growing up the son of the country’s most fam- plaints to the Broad- ous radio DJ. casting Commission of Rex, 27, explained: “I think every- Ireland for his discus- one has different issues or problems sion of topics which whether their parents were public often included sex, bod- figures or not. ily functions and food. “ Ye s it was great he was success- As well as dominating ful but I always felt lucky because I Irish radio, Gerry got along with my dad.” boasted an impressive Gerry, held up as an inspiration TV presence, hosting by the BBC’s top earner Chris Evans, was the voice of 2fm and shows such as Secrets, also helmed TV shows including Gerry Ryan Tonight, one last time..but Tribute . Rex with sister Ryantown, Gerry Ryan’s Ryan Confidential and Operation Transformation. Lottie and dad’s pal Dave Hitlist, Ryan Confiden- He also fulfilled a lifelong dream tial and the first three when he sat in for old pal Pat series of Operation Kenny to present the Late Late Transformation. Show in October 2008. He married Morah Rex was in his final year in coll- I’m so At the Brennan in 1988 and ege when his dad was found dead they had five children at his home on Leeson Street in funeral, I together, Lottie, Rex, Dublin, where he was living follow- grateful for ing his split from wife Morah. Bonnie, Elliott and Gerry was just 53. The funeral — the happy went into Babette. Gerry and which was broadcast live on 2fm 16 Morah split in March years to the day since he presented times we survival 2008, something he Eurovision 1994 — was attended by I’m so proud of all described as “the most international stars Bono and Colin mode painful thing I’ve ever Farrell, and 10,000 people signed the shared done” in a newspaper book of condolences. interview that year. Speaking for the first time about He soon began seeing the day he died, Rex said: “That former South African whole day is a blur. I was at home, Ambassador to Ireland, the information was trickling through from loads of sources. Melanie Verwoerd. “When you hear that, your brain Gerry Ryan was found just doesn’t compute. It doesn’t dead after suffering make sense. Then after a while it cardiac arrhythmia at sinks in. his home on Leeson “Then the process of thinking Street in Dublin on April about what has happened begins. that he achieved 30, 2010. It’s no different to what anyone else Tributes immediately goes through when they lose some- poured in for the RTE one out of nowhere.” legend, with messages But with Gerry being such a ation to concentrate on the small then getting inside the head of morph into our dads and mums. able to just spew out what I was it in my head. I suppose showbiz the 1930s. His response to the news from the likes of Bono, loved national figure, the grieving and immediate things. well-known actors and personalities. I’m very happy with that.” feeling but I thought if I was honest and communications is the family was pure Gerry: “The Germans Ryan family had to share their last “That way you don’t get over- Rex is such a natural that listeners Rex admits he is blown away by people would connect with it.” business.” always had useless spies. I’ll try not former Taoiseach Bertie goodbye with the public as the whelmed and I didn’t get over- can be in no doubt they are listen- the reaction to his podcast which Asked if he wanted to bring his Although born the son of one of to follow in his footsteps.” Ahern and former Presi- funeral was a major media event. whelmed. That was a good lesson.” ing to the son of Gerry Ryan. first went up on iTunes last month. hit podcast to broadcasters such as the country’s biggest media stars, Son Rex recalls his dad’s delight dent Mary McAleese as Rex explained: “Anyone who has Rex has his dad’s talent for talk, He said: “I didn’t study my dad’s He said: “It came out of me rec- RTE Radio One or Newstalk, Rex Rex is as far from being a spoiled at the connection. He said: “Dad well as staff and friends to deal with a funeral knows your which he says comes naturally to radio show or anything like that. ommending things I loved to replied: “I haven’t sent it to anybody brat as possible. was like a child with that news. I at RTE. body goes into survival mode. You him. Known as a rising stage star, This is a natural thing. friends, and those friends told me I yet. I just wanted to let the podcast Modest, quiet and with impecca- can remember him saying, ‘you are are floating through everything.

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