Northern Ireland

Journalist Dave Culbert dies after long illness

Journalist Dave Culbert
Journalist Dave Culbert Journalist Dave Culbert

ONE of the north's most-respected journalists, Dave Culbert, died yesterday following a long illness.

The father-of-three, who was in his fifties, worked in the media for more than three decades.

He held senior editorial roles in The Irish News, the Sunday News, the Sunday Life and the BBC's digital service.

Irish News deputy editor Stephen O'Reilly, who worked with Mr Culbert in the 1980s, said he was always cool under pressure.

"Dave was a very calm head in an often turbulent atmosphere," he said. "He was a good friend to all his colleagues."

Mr Culbert was deputy editor of the Sunday Life for several years in the 1990s.

Former Sunday Life editor Martin Lindsay, who worked closely with him, said he was an accomplished journalist.

"He was one of the best journalists I ever worked with," he said. "He was an extremely intelligent man. There were few things Dave didn't know.

"He was very cool under fire. He would never get flustered. And of course everything was done to the highest standard."

Mr Lindsay said he was also a "great family man".

Mr Culbert is survived by his wife Nuala and children Julie, John and Luke.

His funeral will be held on Thursday followed by burial in Roselawn Cemetery.