TOM SAVAGE, THE veteran communications consultant and former RTÉ chairman has died.

The husband of Terry Prone and father of broadcaster Anton Savage was 76. He passed after a short illness.

Savage had been a Catholic priest before embarking on a lengthy career in RTÉ, presenting TV shows such as It Says In The Papers and Eyewitness To History. There, he was the founder and producer of Morning Ireland.

He was appointed Chairman of the RTÉ Authority in 2009.

RTÉ Director-General Dee Forbes said:

This morning we heard the sad news of Tom Savage’s passing after a short illness. Tom’s life and career intertwined with RTÉ over many years, as a reporter, producer, editor, presenter and ultimately as Chairman. He loved and had a passion for broadcasting, radio in particular, and beyond news and politics he was also huge sports fan. On behalf of RTÉ, I would like pass on all our condolences to Terry and Anton and his extended family. May he rest in peace.

Savage studied at Queen’s University Belfast. After graduating in 1968, he became Director of Social Welfare in the Archdiocese of Armagh, a post he held until 1972. Also in 1972, Cardinal William Conway appointed him to the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA). During the Troubles, he was the priest sent by Cardinal Conway to welcome the British troops into Northern Ireland.

He also worked as a communications adviser to former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds and his textbook on negotiations How To Get What You Want was published in 1999.

Savage joined Carr Communications in the mid-70s, before he and Prone established The Communications Clinic in 2008.

He was a lifelong member of Cooley Kickham GAA club in County Louth, played senior football for the county and won an All-Ireland junior medal in 1961. He also was a member of the first Queens University GAA team to win the Sigerson cup.