Michael Dwyer (2 May 1951 – 1 January 2010) was an Irish journalist and film critic who wrote for The Irish Times for more than 20 years. He was previously in this role for the Sunday Tribune, the Sunday Press and the magazine In Dublin. Dwyer was central to the foundation of two film festivals in Dublin and served on the board of the Irish Museum of Modern Art until shortly before his death. He appeared often on the country's top radio shows, Morning Ireland and The Marian Finucane Show. He died after an illness on 1 January 2010. Early life and career Dwyer was originally from Saint John's Park in Tralee, County Kerry. His mother, Mary, outlived him. He had two sisters, Anne and Maria. As a young man in the early 1970s he took part in the Tralee Film Society, for which he provided notes to The Kerryman. At this time he was employed by the County Library in Tralee. He began working for In Dublin followed by the Sunday Tribune and the Sunday Press. Dwyer first travelled to the Cannes Film Festival in 1982 and attended every one until 2009, months before his death. In 1985, Dwyer co-founded the Dublin Film Festival and directed it until the mid-1990s. In 2002, he co-founded the Dublin International Film Festival, of which he was the chairman. In later life he served on the board of the Irish Museum of Modern Art. In the 1990s, he presented the film show Freeze Frame for public service broadcaster RTÉ. The show resulted from a friendship he had formed with Alan Gilsenan and Martin Mahon of Yellow Asylum Films. He was also known for his appearances on the radio shows, Morning Ireland and The Marian Finucane Show. The editor of The Irish Times Geraldine Kennedy, speaking after Dwyer's death, said he was an "enthusiastic advocate" of both national and international cinema and had once said he was "one of those lucky people in life who was able to pursue his interests and call them work". He had two cats, Fred and Ginger, to whom he spoke regularly as he admitted in an interview with actress Penélope Cruz after it emerged she did the same. Illness and death Dwyer became unwell after a trip to the Cannes Film Festival in May 2009. He took a break from writing for The Irish Times, returning in December