It's absolutely awful when someone passes away unexpectedly. Even more so when they were at the peak of their career. I'm sure she will be greatly missed by her family, friends, colleagues, and viewers.
Just unbelievably sad news. Keelin Shanley was a consummate professional - a proper, no-nonsense broadcaster.
There were rumours flying around about her absence from the Six-One, but this is just unfathomable. It's such a terrible shame because, as already mentioned, she was at the peak of her career with the prospect of being a long-serving anchor of the RTE News in the vein of Anne Doyle, Bryan Dobson and Eamonn Lawlor.
And, as she was able to show during the all-too-short-lived Morning Edition, she seemed like a really lovely person.
Really sad at this news and sympathies to family and friends, and those colleagues for whom a very busy weekend will now be tinged with grief.
The sad news today about Keelin Shanley's death really is a huge body blow to everyone working within RTÉ. A lot of Keelin's colleagues were meant to be on duty presenting a lot of news & sports coverage over the next few days.
Caitriona Perry is probably not going to be on our screens presenting the news this weekend after hearing about Keelin's death today. Also; Daire O'Brien was Keelin Shanley's former colleague on The Eleventh Hour on RTÉ Two a few years ago. He is scheduled to present the Ireland vs Wales match for the Women's 6 Nations at Energia Park in Donnybrook on RTÉ2 tomorrow. He probably won't do that either after he heard about Keelin's death today. I think Joanne Cantwell will be there as a deputy for Daire for tomorrow's match & Against The Head on Monday Night.
The RTÉ News bulletins are going to become very emotional events among the presenters later on tonight. I would say that it's sadness will equal the loss of former RTÉ Sports newsreader & reporter Colm Murray to motor neurone disease back in 2013.
I had become aware a few months ago through a friend of my sister who knew her that her cancer had returned and she was very ill, so I had been expecting today’s news but it’s still very sad. She seemed a lovely friendly person but was also a very talented journalist and broadcaster. No doubt she would have been one of the presenters on tomorrow’s election coverage. She wasn’t long in the biggest job of her career, the Six One News when her illness returned. Life can be so cruel. My deepest sympathies to her husband and children and everybody who knew her. May she rest in peace!
This death hit me like a bolt from the sky - I was not expecting to see this sad news today, totally shocked when I just checked the RTE News website tonight and saw it. Wow!
RTE have certainly been hit by many deaths of their colleagues recently. Ever since the passing of Gay Byrne in November 2019, we have lost Larry Gogan, Marian Finucane and now Keelin Shanley.
One thing I must comment on, and it's been evidenced again tonight by Eileen Whelan, Sinead Crowley and particularly Catriona Perry, is how unbelievably professional and composed RTE broadcasters - both on radio and television - have been when reporting on the passing of friends and colleagues.
It's testament to their character and dignity, and their respect towards their profession and to those whom they've lost.
RTE News come in for some fair stick at times, and on occasions rightly so - but you are right, you can't fault them on their professional responsibility when confronted with deaths of their colleagues.