Reader's Digest Select Editions

Martin O'Brien

Martin O'Brien is an Irish journalist, author, media/communications consultant and speech writer. A former Editor of The Irish News, he is the co-author of "In Good Time" - A Memoir by Harold Good with Martin O'Brien, which was published by Red Stripe Press (Dublin) in October 2024. He specializes in religious affairs and was Northern correspondent of The Irish Catholic until he started work on "In Good Time". He covered the election of Pope Francis for BBC Northern Ireland. He left the BBC on 31 March 2013, having been on the staff for 28 years, and has established his own business, Martin O'Brien Media, based in Belfast. As a freelance journalist he contributed to the coverage of the Lying in State of Pope Francis for BBC Newsline (TV), BBC Radio Ulster and UTV Live, in April 2025. Also, for The Irish News he extensively covered the Conclave which elected Pope Leo XIV while also contributing to the coverage on BBC Radio Ulster, UTV Live and Newstalk.