John S. Doyle is married with two children and lives in Dublin, but also spends a lot of time in the northwest where he and his wife, a gardener, are planting a small wood.

After a BA from University College, Dublin, he studied law for a time before setting up In Dublin magazine with a few friends. In its heyday, In Dublin provided a way into print for himself and many others -- writers, cartoonists, photographers, illustrators and designers -- who perhaps only later realised that what they were doing was journalism. He subsequently worked as a columnist, television critic and sub-editor for various national papers; he has made two documentaries for Radio One.

John started presenting It Says In The Papers around the time that the Berlin Wall came down and Mary Robinson was elected president. He took a break during the boom years and the junior Bush presidency, and has returned in time to observe Obama and the green shoots of growth.

What he likes about reviewing the papers is that there is always great material, though he still misses the Irish Press. What he likes about getting up at 4.30 is the loud singing of blackbirds.