A personal tribute to a great reporter by Paul Murphy

Joe MacAnthony who died on 4th April last is remembered by journalists in particular as the reporter to broke the story on the Irish Sweepstakes scandal in 1973. It was a story without precedent and it shook Irish society to the core. Very simply, the McGrath family who ran Irish Sweepstakes, a huge gambling network which, ostensibly, had charitable purposes by trumpeting that the money collected would go to Irish hospitals but which underneath hid a pattern of corruption and greed.

MacAnthony, whose grandfather was an Italian Macantonio from Belfast, uncovered the truth about the Sweepstakes – 90% of the stake money collected through a huge network of agents, especially in the United States, went into the pockets of the McGraths. Even at that, the 10% given to the hospitals was taxed!

The McGraths could be described as a sort of Irish royalty, with deep and influential connections in Irish society. MacAnthony’s editor in the Sunday Independent of that time was Conor O’Brien. O’Brien had been a hugely successful editor of the Evening Press, part of the Irish Press group at Burgh Quay in Dublin. It was often said that the Independent recruited him merely to deprive the Press of his services and that he would be a “patsy” for the Murphy family who owned the Independent. They were wrong. O’Brien unleased MacAnthony on the Sweepstakes story. It took a long time to put together, involving research in Canada and the US and the resultant story written by
the reporter amounted to 8,000 words. He and O’Brien considered running it in two parts but decided instead to run it on one single Sunday, assuming that if the ran it in two sections the McGraths would get to the Murphys and the second section would never see the light of day.

Uproar-The McGraths were Furious

I was around on the Sunday the story was published. What followed was an uproar. The McGraths were incandescent with rage. Their friendship with the Murphys was sundered. So that was Joe’s first foray into real journalism. The second came in 1974. I was a reporter with Independent Newspapers, as was Joe. By sheer coincidence both of us had come across allegations of alleged corruption in the halls of Dublin County Council. I had been covering meetings of the council and was able to pinpoint instances of “unusual movements and relationships” between some councillors.

Rezoning of land by Corrupt Politicians

These involved councillors ganging together to propose the rezoning of land in Co Dublin. The land was mainly agricultural but a rezoning to residential or commercial status could increase the value of the land tenfold. A “club” was formed between developers and councillors in
which the councillors received kickbacks for their rezoning efforts. Joe and I spent several months investigating the shenanigans in the council and Conor O’Brien once again stepped into the jaws of death by risking publication. The story ran in the Sunday Independent under the rather tame heading ‘Conflict of Interests on Council” and a sub-heading ‘This Practice Must be Stopped’ (there was no Standards in Public Office at that time). Today, the practices of those councillors could be called corruption but the best that could be done at that time was to accuse them of having a conflict of interest.

Editor O’Brien was demoted

There were repercussions on a very personal level. That brave editor O’Brien was demoted to managing editor, a post which saw him banished to a room in the corner of Independent House in Abbey Street where his sole occupation was to sign reporters’ expense dockets. One of my colleagues, another outstanding journalist John Devine, told me that he used to go to O’Brien’s office to chat to him and relieve the terrible loneliness and rejection he must have suffered. O’Brien faded away and died aged 57.

MacAnthony Felt The Consequences Too 

MacAnthony didn’t come out of the story unscathed. He found journalistic work drying up. He was able to get a journalism contract with Rte and strangely, Rte paid him a salary for months on end but didn’t assign him any work. My suspicion has always been that Rte was commissioned by political sources to take on MacAnthony and then spancel him. He told me afterwards that he had received threats over the “conflict” story. He became unemployable in Dublin and had to up sticks with his wife Bairbre and children and emigrate to Canada. He spent 40 years working there and was employed at Canadian Broadcasting Company and was deeply involved in exposing malpractice in the police force and a tainted blood scandal. I got a message at that time saying “you’re next” but it came to nothing.

Navan Carpets Connection Then Carpeted!

The phrase “chequered career” often has certain connotations but Joe’s early career was tartan of various hues and patterns! He joined the Irish Army as a cadet but left after a disagreement with senior officers. He worked for six years in the library of the Irish Times but also became marketing manager at Navan Carpets. In his book “Professional Exile” (2024) he relates how he was able to work at the carpet factory but on a part-time basis worked on Rte’s Home Truths, a consumer programme. It was an investigative programme and hard-hitting but too hard-hitting on one occasion.

One evening he did a programme called “This is Your Right”, telling consumers that if they found fault with a product they should bring it back to the seller/shop. He advised them not to put up with that old schmooze about getting exchange for goods. “Demand your money back”, he advised. Joe said “Very unfortunately, Navan Carpets had just done a big deal with a dissatisfied customer who was persuaded to take more carpet rather than his money back. He saw me on television and immediately called them – without knowing I worked in Navan Carpets – and demanded his money back. So they gave me notice”.

Gay Byrne Offered Support

Joe related in his book how he was invited out to Rte afterwards to address some of the staff at lunchtime. He related his story and how he had been “carpeted”. They all commiserated with him and there was a lot of tut-tutting. Most of them drifted away. One guy came forward and told Joe that he knew Joe had a wife and family and things were not good for him. He said he had £1,000 in his budget and that Joe was welcome to have it if he did some work for him. That man was Gay Byrne.

Joe, I am absolutely certain that a heavenly red carpet was laid out for you when you got up there.
Rest in peace, friend.