Dylan O'Neill
Verified
(He/Him)
As seen in:
Irish Examiner,
Irish Mirror,
Belfast Live,
Buzz.ie,
Dublin Live,
Today FM,
Reach PLC,
Irish Star US,
The University Observer,
Oxygen.ie
Covers:
Arts and culture, news, politics, film and television, book reviews.
Doesn't Cover:
I am open to covering all topics, but sports and motoring would be areas that I lack as much experience in as the topics mentioned above.
Musical theatre enthusiast & professional pun-maker. Pagination Journalist with @IrishTimes. Email: dylan.oneill@irishtimes.com.
Views my own. (He/him)
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
I was the Deputy Editor of the University Observer when it was in its 25th Volume.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
No.
How is social media changing news?
Social media allows journalists to inform and entertain readers away from the traditional print format of publications.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Betty Suarez
What does it mean to be a journalist?
You have a hand in shaping public debate, but you are responsible for ensuring the information and opinions you are based on facts.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Email
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Apart from Microsoft Office, I am also proficient in the Adobe Suite, including Premiere, Audition, Rush, Indesign and Photoshop.
What's your favorite social network?
Twitter, then Instagram.
Who do you wish followed you?
Deirdre Falvey from the Irish Times.
Why did you become a journalist?
I wrote short stories as a child and kept that going through college. Journalism is just story-telling with fact checks.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
I didn't have a high school newspaper.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
My investigation into the life of a third-level student living in Direct Provision in Ireland.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Write down your reaction to stories and look at why you feel that way to try and expand on it.
When's the best time to pitch you?
First thing in the morning.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
A story that really put the human experience first in reaction to a developing news story.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
Something that had the best of intentions but they hadn't the experience to consider the nuance of the story from other angles.
What's your favorite drink?
Cappuccino
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Pre-COVID, I found myself in one theatre or another. Nowadays, it's between going for a walk or making another cup of coffee.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
The Irish Times culture section regularly has important news on the arts sector and captivating reviews.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That it's a hobby.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.