We were saddened to hear of the passing of Jane Carty. Founding Station Head of RTÉ lyric fm, Séamus Crimmins shares fond memories of Jane:
Jane was a remarkable person and an unforgettable colleague in RTÉ. She and I became producer colleagues in the 1980s...but we worked most closely and notably together in the FM3 years when we held joint responsibility for the service. It was a part time evening channel on a march and the expansion of FM3's output ultimately paved the way for the creation of RTÉ lyric fm. I can still recall Jane's joy when I was appointed Founding Station Head in 1998. She visited the station in the early years, stayed over to get to know the staff and joined us on one occasion for a set dancing night in Killaloe. She had a ball and often spoke to me later about how much she admired the young team.
Blessed with many gifts, she possessed energy, resilience, vision and determination in spades. I don't think I will ever meet her likes again. I have rarely met anyone with the passions for life and love of people which she enjoyed.
Jane was already a highly respected music producer in the 1980s. Known at home, of course, and widely abroad. She was famed internationally for her coverage of major European Music Festivals and interviews with the top musicians, including a Herbert von Karajan interview with Ian Fox. She organised and directed national competitions for choirs, singers, instrumentalists and composers and was the Founder/Director of RTÉ's Musician of the Future Festival. She was a noted adjudicator including for many years the Llangollen International Choral Eisteddfod in Wales and Jury Chairman at the Dublin Qualifying Round of the Dublin International Piano Competition and since their inceptions she was Chairman of the Veronica Dunne International Singing Competition and Artistic Director and Chairman of the Jury of the Irish Freemasons Young Musician of the Year Competition. Further afield she adjudicated in Hong Kong, at the Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition in Vienna and in the West Indies. Souvenirs from her travels often adorned her outfits and I often thought that her vivid descriptions of her clothes and accessories were as good as any geography lesson!
Above all it was her work in identifying and fostering emerging talent that Jane will be particularly remembered. This was her exceptional passion and I believe many musicians would agree that it is her outstanding legacy. The discovery of musical potential in young people excited her beyond measure.....she recognised the seeds of brilliance, devoted herself to finding every avenue to nurture and propel those seeds and in doing so she provided platforms for countless young musicians down the decades. Only a few weeks ago when I visited Jane she was excited to read through the entries for the Irish Freemasons Young Musician of the Year Competition in October.
Adjectives seem inadequate to sum up Jane so I will just end by recalling her friendship, her loyalty and her love, all of which ran very deep. She was unique.
With sympathy to Jane's family and all the music community, many of whom have rallied overnight to share recollections and stories. This for many people has been a consolation and a prompt to celebrate Jane's life which was blessed in so many ways.
Séamus Crimmins