RTE Radio in the 70's/80's vs Today

Going Forward · 22-06-2012 11:30pm #1

I have happy memories of listening to Mike Murphy before heading off to school and Gay Byrne on the days I feigned sickness.

Today the morning schedule seems crammed full of politics, Morning Ireland, filler, then Today with PK.

As far as I remember the in depth news and politics was kept until 1pm, and there was little else until 6pm.

We are no doubt better informed, but does anyone else hark back to what seemed like a slightly more ignorant but enjoyable listening experience in the morning?

And no, dont bring back Dear Frankie et al!

coylemj · 22-06-2012 11:46pm

Going Forward wrote: »

does anyone else hark back to what seemed like a slightly more ignorant but enjoyable listening experience in the morning?

In those days there was no choice so we had to listen to dear old RTE. It was the RTE Radio program controller who decided what we listened to, today it's the listener who decides.

The nearest thing we have nowadays to the Valerie McGovern/Mike Murphy/Music on the Move programmes is the Ronan Collins show from 12 to 1 but if you strip out the Angelus and news headlines at 12, the various ad. breaks, the Nuacht at 12:30, the weather forecast at 12:50 and the few minutes in between he gives over to Joe Duffy for his plug, I doubt if he's on for more than 30 minutes, money for old rope.

Fuzzy Clam · 22-06-2012 11:56pm

Ah, the memories of listening to O'Donnell Abu......

mike65 · 23-06-2012 12:01am

Not really, I remember Harbour Hotel and the sponsored hour and that Radio 1 was barely out of bed at 8 am.

Sorry for the diversion but I just found this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrmxOphTtAU

wouldn't happen how!

EchoO · 23-06-2012 9:38am

Fuzzy Clam wrote: »

Ah, the memories of listening to O'Donnell Abu......

http://vimeo.com/625589

Brings me back every time I hear it.

clappyhappy · 23-06-2012 9:46am

Good old pascal Mooney on at night time with "keep it country" . Used to love getting up before 6.30 to make my granny a cup of tea, putting on the radio listening to that loop tune they played before the sea weather forecast. Happy memories. Not keep it country, hated that.

sudzs · 23-06-2012 9:48am

Anyone remember the "Dear Frankie" programme?? I think it was sponsered by Jacobs...

I definately remember Harbour Hotel!

And vague memories of "Let's go, with the Glen Abbey Show!!!

EchoO · 23-06-2012 9:55am

sudzs wrote: »

Anyone remember the "Dear Franie" programme?? I think it was sponsered by Jacobs...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRwgPeDK0GY

Sunnyisland · 23-06-2012 10:01am

The kennedys of castle ross, harbour hotel,gaybo. and I started to listen to live line with marianne in late 80,s :-)
I also remember when Joe duffy started to be in gay byrne radio show,playing up his Ballyfermot roots and how he was one of the common people :-)

Also did not Frankie byrne become an alcoholic and had a long affair with frank hall,she should have taken some of her own advice the poor woman.

padd b1975 · 23-06-2012 7:48pm

EchoO wrote: »

http://vimeo.com/625589

Brings me back every time I hear it.

Still played at 5.30am.

The News at 1 used start at 1.30!

bob50 · 23-06-2012 11:17pm

coylemj wrote: »

In those days there was no choice so we had to listen to dear old RTE. It was the RTE Radio program controller who decided what we listened to, today it's the listener who decides.

The nearest thing we have nowadays to the Valerie McGovern/Mike Murphy/Music on the Move programmes is the Ronan Collins show from 12 to 1 but if you strip out the Angelus and news headlines at 12, the various ad. breaks, the Nuacht at 12:30, the weather forecast at 12:50 and the few minutes in between he gives over to Joe Duffy for his plug, I doubt if he's on for more than 30 minutes, money for old rope.

Yes we also had the pirates RAdio Dublin Big D ARD great music

bob50 · 23-06-2012 11:18pm

realies wrote: »

The kennedys of castle ross, harbour hotel,gaybo. and I started to listen to live line with marianne in late 80,s :-)
I also remember when Joe duffy started to be in gay byrne radio show,playing up his Ballyfermot roots and how he was one of the common people :-)

Also did not Frankie byrne become an alcoholic and had a long affair with frank hall,she should have taken some of her own advice the poor woman.

Yeah i think she became a lush as the yanks would say

bob50 · 23-06-2012 11:23pm

For me i prefered radio eireann as it was called then Mike Murphy in the morning was great the the Liam Nolan hour which was originally an hour long from 11 to 12 but it ran from 11 to 12.30 in the afternoon the sponsored progs like "lets go with the glen abbey show"

cml387 · 23-06-2012 11:24pm

For many years Radio Eireann was a pretty sad collection of sponsored programs of no merit whatsoever.

Gradually as the sponsored programs were removed during the 1970's the quality improved.

It's difficult to believe now but Radio Eireann went off the air altogether in the mornings and afternoons right up to the end of the 60's.

Going Forward · 24-06-2012 12:18am

realies wrote: »

The kennedys of castle ross, harbour hotel,gaybo. and I started to listen to live line with marianne in late 80,s :-)
I also remember when Joe duffy started to be in gay byrne radio show,playing up his Ballyfermot roots and how he was one of the common people :-)

Also did not Frankie byrne become an alcoholic and had a long affair with frank hall,she should have taken some of her own advice the poor woman.

I remember Gay taking Joe under his wing, so to speak, painful.
Gay obviously felt he himself was coming across all bourgeoisie and had to relate better to the common man. And housewife.

Didnt Joseph do well for himself though?

Going Forward · 24-06-2012 12:21am

bob50 wrote: »

For me i prefered radio eireann as it was called then Mike Murphy in the morning was great the the Liam Nolan hour which was originally an hour long from 11 to 12 but it ran from 11 to 12.30 in the afternoon the sponsored progs like "lets go with the glen abbey show"

Mike was the best, YOWSA YOWSA, Lannigans Ball ha ha!!

sligojoek · 24-06-2012 1:32am

Going Forward wrote: »

Mike was the best, YOWSA YOWSA, Lannigans Ball ha ha!!

And "Eric the Awful"

coylemj · 24-06-2012 12:24pm

Frankie Byrne played nothing but Frank Sinatra records on her programme which as a previous poster has pointed out was sponsored by Jacobs biscuits.

At one stage in the 60s or 70s Sinatra came to town to play a gig and was holed up in the Gresham Hotel. Frankie Byrne let it be known to the local promoter that she would love to meet the man and when told that it might be possible, she plonked herself in a seat in the lobby of the hotel and waited I think for the guts of two days. Now bear in mind that she worked in PR and was a glamorous middle-aged lady so we're not talking about screaming Westlife fans. Nevertheless, the great man complete twat refused to meet her.

squonk · 25-06-2012 3:48pm

Love reading through this thread. I have some memories of the Glen Abbey Show when I was small (late 70's I guess) and Paschall Mooney's show. Christ that was one awful show. When did Frankie Byrne's show go off the air? I remember Brendan Grace doing impressions of the show which were very funny but I don't remember the show itself. Mind you, if it was personal issues, my mother might not have had it on when I was around as I was very small.

Going Forward · 25-06-2012 8:01pm

But getting back to the point, is there too much politics/talk today compared to back then, anyone?

It feels like there is, but at the same time, I wouldnt like to forfeit Morning Ireland or PK for muzak, without a good personality guiding it, and I dont mean the likes of Hector, Bazz, Tubs etc!!!!!!

How about PK playing a bit music to balance things out a bit?

mike65 · 25-06-2012 11:03pm

Ha! Its a moan of several radio regulars (myself included) that the second hour of Today with Pat Kenny/Myles Dungan is infested with musical guests.

Anyway there's a hour (minus all the bits) of essentially quintessential RTE cardigan music from 12.00.

bijapos · 26-06-2012 12:41pm

Anybody remember a programme on the radio around 3 p.m for kids in the late 70's? I just remember they always played "The Wheels on the Bus go round and round....." all the time.

Sort of Bosco or Playschool for the radio.

EchoO · 26-06-2012 2:14pm

bijapos wrote: »

Anybody remember a programme on the radio around 3 p.m for kids in the late 70's? I just remember they always played "The Wheels on the Bus go round and round....." all the time.

Sort of Bosco or Playschool for the radio.

Was it - "Knock at the door"?

Greenman · 26-06-2012 2:49pm

I liked Valerie Mc Govern.:)

Yakuza · 26-06-2012 3:02pm

Going Forward wrote: »

Mike was the best, YOWSA YOWSA, Lannigans Ball ha ha!!

The Annagassan war cry? I've vague memories of it, but I was only a chisler in the seventies

coylemj · 26-06-2012 5:52pm

squonk wrote: »

When did Frankie Byrne's show go off the air? I remember Brendan Grace doing impressions of the show which were very funny but I don't remember the show itself. Mind you, if it was personal issues, my mother might not have had it on when I was around as I was very small.

It was broadcast in the middle of the day in the 60s and 70s so the material was suitable for all ages, no smut in good old Catholic Ireland.

It gave rise to jokes down in the pub: 'Dear Frankie, I'm going out with a man with a wooden leg, should I break it off?'.

Alfasudcrazy · 12-01-2015 3:27am

Dear Frankie was on from 1:15pm to 1:30pm each weekday. I know as it used to take me 15 minutes to cycle home from school in the early to mid 70's for my dinner and just as I would come in the door it started. I loved the Sinatra tunes she played.

I used to feel nauseous and faint when Pascal Mooney's keep it country would come on - in the factory I used to work in. Must have been before 2FM or perhaps it used to be on on 2FM - on Friday nights if I recall.

Loved Gay Byrne on music on the move too and later on his morning show which I missed most of the time as I used to be at school or work.
Valerie McGovern was good on music on the move too - think she took over after Gay.

gammygils · 12-01-2015 4:00am

Pascal Mooney's Keep It Country used to be on 2fm then Radio 2 early 80's
from 8-10 Tuesdays and Thursdays if I remember correctly.
Used to switch over to Radio Luxembourg for them 2 hours while doing my homework!
I loved Valerie McGovern voice on the radio when I was little. She did Morning Ireland for a while in the late 70's. Loved the music she played.
Thought she was fantastic.
I remember Music On The Move being presented by Brendan Balfe and later
by Vincent Hanley. Loved it
Also remember listening to Night Bus with Pat Kenny occasionally around 11 at night in bed if I managed to get hold of my Dad's transistor without him noticing.

Aaah! Memories

cml387 · 12-01-2015 11:49am

Alfasudcrazy wrote: »

Dear Frankie was on from 1:15pm to 1:30pm each weekday.

Fridays only.

RTE Radio in the 70's/80's vs Today

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