Andrews initially worked as a journalist for the Irish Press, a newspaper highly aligned with Fianna Fáil. After emigrating to the United States in 1953, Andrews worked in television journalism, served as a US Army stenographer during the Korean War, and met his wife, Bernadette, in New York. Returning to Ireland, he joined RTÉ in 1961 as a presentation officer and later became a programme executive.
Both Andrews brothers backed George Colley in the 1979 Fianna Fáil leadership election. While David remained a staunch opponent of Charles Haughey and supported the leadership challenges against him in the early 1980s, Niall emerged as one of Haughey's most ardent allies. He believed Haughey was not only more capable than his rivals but also uniquely equipped to address Ireland’s pressing economic and social challenges, a view reinforced by Haughey’s strong republican stance. Todd Andrews, their father, was similarly an enthusiastic supporter of Haughey.[2]
During a 1983 leadership challenge, Niall Andrews led a pro-Haughey demonstration outside Fianna Fáil headquarters on Mount Street, Dublin, accusing the media of attempting to execute Haughey in a manner akin to the executions of the 1916 leaders. He was photographed near a placard reading "Don't Forget The Crown Of Thorns." These dramatic displays, coupled with his flamboyant wardrobe, cemented his reputation as an unpredictable maverick. However, his status as a political "character" also bolstered his appeal among Dublin voters.[2]
Andrews was elected to the European Parliament in 1984 for the Dublin constituency and decided to concentrate on European politics instead of domestic. As an MEP, Niall Andrews remained committed to the causes he championed as a TD, notably confronting British Conservative MEPs over the use of potentially deadly plastic bullets for riot control in Northern Ireland. At one stage, he publicly suggested that Fianna Fáil sever ties with the French Gaullists, their main allies in the European Democratic Alliance, deeming them too right-wing. However, he was swiftly pressured to retract the comment. Much of Andrews' focus in the European Parliament centred on his work with the Cooperation and Development Committee, where he was a persistent advocate for increased aid to developing countries. He argued that Europe bore a moral obligation to assist nations that had often suffered under colonial rule. A particular passion of his was improving access to primary education in Africa, and he even sought to persuade Charles Haughey to visit the continent to witness its challenges firsthand, though without success.[2]
In a September 1986 interview with Hot Press, Niall Andrews expressed controversial views, advocating for a clearer separation of church and state and proposing the legalisation of brothels on "hygienic" grounds, though he emphasised his personal disdain for prostitution. This provoked a sharp rebuttal from feminist journalist Nell McCafferty in her Irish Press column, where she detailed the exploitation and abuse of women in brothels linked to American military bases. She went further, insinuating that Andrews, as a former member of the US armed forces, had participated in such practices and referred to him as "a connoisseur of red-light districts." Andrews initiated a libel action against the Irish Press, and in June 1989, the case was settled out of court. The newspaper issued no admission of liability but agreed to pay undisclosed damages and cover Andrews’ legal expenses.[2]
Political views
Both Niall and his brother David Andrews were known for their liberal social stances within Fianna Fáil. Andrews opposed capital punishment, supported contraception and the decriminalisation of homosexuality, but adhered to party positions in Dáil votes. Economically, he criticised monetarism. Andrews criticised the justice system, contending that judges were disconnected from the realities faced by working-class defendants and lacked awareness of prison conditions. He also described traditional court practices, such as the wearing of wigs, as outdated and intimidating.[2]
Andrews was an outspoken critic of US foreign policy, especially during Ronald Reagan’s presidency. He denounced American actions in Latin America, protested outside the US embassy in Dublin, and undertook a fact-finding mission to El Salvador. In Northern Ireland, he condemned both IRA violence and the justice system's "institutionalised violence," opposed the Anglo-Irish Agreement, and advocated a pluralist republic to reconcile with unionists. He was among the first to champion the causes of the Birmingham Six and Guildford Four.[2]
Andrews remained critical of US foreign policy following the Cold War. He utilised his contacts in the Middle East to assist in securing the release of Western hostages held in Lebanon, including Brian Keenan and John McCarthy. He opposed the economic sanctions on Iraq implemented after the 1991 Gulf War, arguing they caused significant harm to civilians and deepened divisions in the region. Andrews frequently visited Iraq, organised humanitarian aid shipments, and opposed the 2003 invasion of Iraq.[2]
At the time of his death, he was involved in efforts to secure the release of the Miami Five: Cuban intelligence agents convicted of espionage in the United States in 2001. He also took an interest in the case of the Colombia Three; Irish republicans arrested in Colombia in 2001 and accused of assisting the FARC, a designated narco-terrorist organisation.[2]
