‘A dream come true’ — Reporter who covered Creeslough explosion gets major new job at RTÉ as Eastern Correspondent

A reporter who covered the tragic Creeslough explosion has been named as RTÉ's new Eastern Correspondent. 

Samantha Libreri - who has covered hundreds of important national and international stories during her 20 year career - will now report and provide analysis on social, economic, cultural and political developments in the Eastern region including all of Dublin, parts of east Meath, north and east Kildare and north Wicklow. 

Commenting on her new role, Samantha said, "As someone who was born and reared on the northside of Dublin and who has lived and worked all my life in the capital, being appointed RTÉ’s Eastern Correspondent is a dream come true. 

"I hope to bring my 20 years of reporting experience to this new and expanded role to tell the stories of those who live in the commuter belts of Meath, Kildare and Wicklow while also keeping audiences up to date with the major developments in Dublin which impact on those who live, work in and visit the capital. 

"I have always been so proud to work for RTÉ and am delighted to be taking on this role at such a vital time for reliable, accurate and engaging journalism."

Libreri joined the RTÉ Newsroom in November 2000 and was initially employed as a runner while studying English and Sociology in UCD. She then went on to become a freelance radio and television journalist for RTÉ, while also working as Editor of Ireland’s largest student newspaper, UCD’s The University Observer. 

In 2005 she was appointed as a full time journalist for RTÉ News, and has gone on to present some of RTÉ’s flagship radio programmes including Morning Ireland and Drivetime. 

She has reported extensively on issues in the Greater Dublin Area in addition to major stories such as the Carrickmines fire tragedy, the controversy over expenditure at the FAI and the Creeslough Explosion. 

She has also reported internationally from Europe, the US, Africa and Australia on stories including the resignation of Pope Benedict, the Berkley balcony collapse and Ireland’s first appearance in a Women’s World Cup. 

In 2007, she won a Justice Media Award for her work on a year-long series on Road Safety with Charlie Bird and, in 2011 and 2012, she was named Transport Journalist of the Year for her reporting on Ireland’s transport infrastructure. 

Samantha - who is an avid reader, runner and Shamrock Rovers fan - is from Finglas in Dublin and is married with two young children. 

In December 2012 she wrote a book about her home place called 'Finglas: A People's Portrait', published by New Island Books. 

She will be taking up her new post in late May.