Richard Downes

Prime Time Editor

Clinton believes it's a miracle Good Friday deal survived Brexit

Former US president Bill Clinton believes it is a "miracle" that the Good Friday Agreement survived the Brexit process.

Prime Time • 04 Apr 23

Prime Time tradition of deep reporting and analysis will persist

As Prime Time undergoes a refresh, with a new look and new presenters, Editor Richard Downes writes that giving audiences the facts will remain at the core of its mission.

Prime Time • 06 Apr 21

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly takes delivery of the first doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech jab

Richard Downes: Has Ireland lost its guile on vaccines?

Other EU countries have procured additional vaccines, while still remaining within the European Commission's programme, writes Richard Downes. Why hasn't Ireland?

Prime Time • 10 Mar 21

Who will the ultimate swing state swing to?

Richard Downes reports from Pennsylvania, one of a handful of states that will decide the election

Features • 30 Oct 20

The 'New Nationalists'

They call themselves nationalists. But the people we're talking about are different from the figures in our history. It's fair to call them 'new nationalists'.

Prime Time • 25 Jun 20

Aran Islanders voted to go into lockdown a week before the rest of us and will only open up again three weeks after the mainland

Jobs and livelihoods at stake on Wild Atlantic Way

Travelling along I get the stinky eye from many; who's your man flouting the rules? Well I'm not, this is deadly serious, tens of thousands of jobs and livelihoods are at stake, reports Richard Downes, on the Wild Atlantic Way.

Coronavirus • 02 Jun 20

Election predictions? Professors, psychics and others weigh in

There's a whole industry in analysing the polls and patterns of elections. And yet, to my frustration, as I called my deepest sources, few dared predict the outcome of Saturday's election. Answers were hard to come by.

Prime Time • 06 Feb 20

On The Trail: A Work Out for Sinn Féin in Galway

It's amazing what you can achieve in the gym when you've an excuse not to do exercise.

Campaign Daily • 28 Jan 20

On The Trail: Mart madness in Fermoy

Journalists, photographers, reporters and camera operators - and all the bull that comes with us lot - invaded a space more familiar to actual bulls on Tuesday.

Prime Time • 22 Jan 20

On The Trail: Do election slogans matter?

They can stick in our minds, good ones and bad ones: 'Yes We Can', 'Keep the Recovery Going', 'A Lot Done, More To Do'. Political parties can spend months - and serious money - choosing their election slogans. They can sink a campaign, or carry one.

Prime Time • 16 Jan 20