CNN producer covers US elections – from her home in East Galway

A former Connacht Tribune reporter leapt at the chance of scoring a job with the global TV channel CNN just as the US election was heating up.

Alas, Amy Croffey found herself unable to travel to take up the role of senior producer in the London office due to the Covid-19 restrictions.

But that did not thwart this enterprising hack from Killure Castle, between Ballinasloe and Ahascragh.

Juggling two lap tops, two phones and an iPad in her parent’s home, she threw herself into organising coverage of America’s most thrilling political contest for the company’s affiliates around the world.

“It was a fantastic experience to get to work with CNN in the most exciting time in their calendar,” she gushes.

“To do it from Killure Castle was something – there were no editors, no excitement in the newsroom but it was all hands on deck – you just jump in and do it.

“My job is to coordinate the live shots with reporters in the US for somebody in Israel or for the likes of Virgin Media in Dublin. I have to organise satellites, check that reporters are up to date with the latest developments, check their questions, write scripts.”

A very, very busy week it turned out to be for CNN’s latest recruit. Yet even when it was time to clock off, she found herself glued to those multiple screens through the night, so engrossing was the political drama that culminated in Joe Biden being declared president elect.

Not even rural broadband could put a stop to her gallop.

“Actually our broadband is not too bad at all – my dad runs his garden machinery business and my sister is doing her NUIG course and we’re all working from it.”

The 33-year-old hopes to take up her role in person early next year.

Read the full story – and profiles of other key election player with their Galway roots – in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now – or you can download the digital version from www.connachttribune.ie