Michael presented his show on LMFM for 21 years and earlier this month, he won Gold at the IMRO Radio Awards for best Current Affairs programme on local radio.
He is survived by his wife Sandra, his son Luke, brothers, sister and extended family.
Last month, Michael revealed he had been diagnosed with a terminal illness.
He told his loyal listeners: “Regular listeners to the station will probably know that I have not been at work in over a month, about 6 weeks now. I know some people listening would like to know why.
“Well, I am not known to stand on ceremony so, I will cut to the chase. I am not well. I am actually very sick. I have cancer.
“And I am afraid to say that my diagnosis is terminal. It is an illness in other words that I will not be able to recover from.”
He faced that terrible diagnosis with enormous courage and told listeners: “I am not afraid. I am not devastated. I wish it wasn’t so, but it is – and this is not open to negotiation. It is not an argument I can win. In fact, there just isn’t any argument to be had.”
He added: “The time that I do have left will be precious and, do I want to use any of it being sad and looking on this as negative?
“Then I thought, I can choose to do that but I do have other choices. I can choose to be devastated or I could just as easily choose that instead of being devastated; to choose, whatever time life will yet offer me, to embrace life. Positively. Finding good, nice, positive things to focus on.”
He said: “The situation I am in now is actually a blessing of sorts as now, I am looking at things that might otherwise have passed me by and I am getting so much pleasure from some very basic, simple things. A smiling face or a kind word, a ray of sunshine, breathing fresh air.”
Sadly, the legendary broadcaster had very little time to experience those joys but he would have seen the warm tributes paid to him since his illness was announced.
Today, those tributes were added to by An Taoiseach, Simon Harris TD, who reflected on the Louth broadcaster’s passing and said: “I want to send my condolences to Michael’s wife Sandra, his son Luke, brothers, sister and extended family on the untimely passing of Michael.
“I also want to offer my sympathies to his colleagues at LMFM and indeed, his loyal listeners.
“For over 20 years, Michael has been a voice to the frustrations, the celebrations and curiosity of people across Louth and Meath.
“For those of us who sat opposite him, he has been robust and tough but never unfair.”
He added: “Michael is a loss to journalism, a loss to the people of Louth and Meath but most particularly his family and friends.
“Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam. May he rest easy.”
Louth Labour TD, Ged Nash who sat across from Michael many times in his studio said that Reade was one of the country’s fines broadcasters.
He said: “He was a truth-teller with a robust interview style that was always fair.
“His innate sense of social justice, fairness and decency informed his work, and we count ourselves lucky in Louth and Meath to have had a current affairs presenter of Michael’s curiosity and calibre at the mic of our flagship programme on our local station for the past 21 years.
“He truly was the voice of the North-East. He will be fondly remembered as a superb journalist and a professional to his fingertips.”
Deputy Nash added: “Most of all though, I will remember Michael as a great friend and I will miss him.
“My sincerest sympathies to his wife Sandra, his son Luke and his beloved colleagues in LMFM, especially his longstanding production team members and beloved colleagues, Maggie and Chris.”
Tánaiste, Micheál Martin added his tribute to the LMFM broadcaster, saying: My deepest condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Michael Reade, a broadcaster who made an incredible contribution to the people of Louth and Meath.
“A firm but fair interviewer, Michael’s show on LMFM was essential radio for more than two decades on the issues that mattered most to his listeners.
“I always enjoyed my interviews with Michael and appreciated his courtesy and respect.
“He faced his final days with typical courage and dignity. Michael’s passing is a great loss for public service broadcasting.”
