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Arts critic for regional newspapers dies at 73

A former journalist who was a renowned arts critic has died suddenly at the age of 73.

Ian Hill worked for the Belfast Telegraph, writing its ‘Man About Town’ column, while he also spent time as a freelance, but he died at home after suffering a suspected heart attack.

The paper has published an obituary, written by former colleague Eddie McIlwaine, paying tribute to his time in journalism.

It says: “Hill’s first taste of real journalism came in the early 1960s when he arrived at the Belfast Telegraph offices straight from Queen’s University where he had been studying dentistry and had been the editor of Gown.

“He joined the staff of a new BT tabloid called Ulsterweek of which I was news editor and immediately brushed away the traditional cobwebs surrounding the newspaper scene of that time with his articles about bodies like the Tourist Board and the Arts Council, which appeared to be immune from criticism but weren’t after all.

“After his spell on Ulsterweek, Ian became one of the original freelance writers around the Belfast scene at a time when freelance journalists were a complete novelty.

“In articles he wrote for the daily press, including the Belfast Telegraph, he managed to astonish and occasionally upset editors like the late Jack Sayers with his way-out comments on the establishment and its leaders.

“As he grew older, Hill’s love of the arts and the theatre became more apparent in his writings and he was always in demand for art and theatre reviews and for his opinions on the musicals and superstars that came to town.”

Ian returned to the Belfast Telegraph to write the Man About Town column and also spent several years working at the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, before returning to freelance journalism.

He had several books published about the local area and the arts.