John Coughlan, RIP

The death has taken place in Dublin of well known publisher and impresario John Coughlan, who was involved in Irish journalism, particularly the show business and travel sectors, for over 50 years.

Mr Coughlan (69), a native of Cork (ex pupil of PBC), who grew up in the Western Road, started his career with the then Cork Examiner as a reporter for four years but moved into the world of show business when he successfully launched Spotlight, Ireland's first dedicated music magazine.

Spotlight (renamed New Spotlight and then Starlight) provided a weekly update on all things entertainment in Ireland and across the world between 1963 and 1980.

Spotlight was mainly about the Irish showband scene, but it also embraced rock, folk, ballads and cabaret as these entertainment genres flourished in Ireland in the late 60s and 70s.

Regular contributors to the magazine included Pat Egan (beat and then rock), Larry Gogan (single reviews), Shay Healy (folk and ballad scene), Donall Corvin (interviews), and Julie Boyd (Boyd's Eye View). Regular photo contributors to the magazine included Roy Esmonde and Michael O'Reilly.

During that time he also ran many concerts throughout the country (bringing in a wide range of international groups and individual singers), solely and as joint promoter with others, and for many years ran weekly dances in both the Television Club in Harcourt Street, Dublin, and Cork's Stardust Ballroom, whose part owner, the late Murt Lucey was also an investor in Spotlight magazine.

Mr Coughlan forged an alliance with printing mogul Hugh McLaughlan's Creation Group and he was attributed with coming up with the idea to launch the Sunday World in which he was an investor.

Spotlight magazine was taken out in the crash of the Creation Group but he personally relaunched it as Starlight and the magazine continued to operate successfully for several years into the early 80s.

He went on to diversify into the field of travel and as he launched a successful independent annual guide entitled Holiday Ireland, featuring the best destinations available for Irish travellers world-wide - the last magazine was published shortly after he fell ill several months ago and he also provided a journalistic travel package for the Sunday Tribune which lasted for more than a decade.

He worked with his former employers in Cork, The Crosbie family, and his late father Stephen, to publish the best-selling photographic books entitled Picture That and Picture That Again.

Subsequently he joint ventured with Smurfit Publications Ltd to produce a similar photographic book called Memories, A Pictorial Celebration For Dublin's Millennium.

In his private life he was hugely interested in all things related to Irish, European and World history, he was a keen gardener and made great use of his large garden close to the sea in County Dublin, and he had a passion for travel, food and sophisticated cars.

He is survived by his wife Margaret, sons Johnny and Stephen, daughter Louise, mother Eileen (Cork), brothers David (Insurance Broker) and Barry (Irish Examiner Rugby and Travel journalist) and grand children.