The official Christmas FM thread

3 Owls in a Coat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121013822#Comment_121013822

Thank you! That's me - 3 Owls in a Trenchcoat - one of these days I'll be found out but in the mean time I'll fake it 'til I make it!!

Loughc

So strange having no charity partner announcement to look forward to, will we hear from ChristmasFM at all on the runup?

DvB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121055175#Comment_121055175

No a peep from them since Paddys day & the sound of Ireland thing finished. Whilst once or twice that has happened, normally theres 1 or 2 random ones earlier in the summer or early autumn, but nowt this year.

Declan A Walsh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121055892#Comment_121055892

The Halloween station will probably come up again.

pigtail33

Do the DJs on the online version usually start straight away after the Hallowe'en one, or is there a bit of a break? I can't remember from previous years.

Loughc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121056274#Comment_121056274

Bit of a break, DJs pop up sporadically between Nov 1st and go-live. I think they use it as test runs in and out of the studio.

DvB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121056298#Comment_121056298

yeah, last couple of years they've gone live online from Nov. 1st IIRC. THink in 2020 it was to test the remote DJ'ing and it kinda stuck. Hope they keep doing it TBH as I enjoy dipping in & hearing the DJ's, i'm usually all 'classicalled' out at that point 😀

Declan A Walsh

Dan McDermott, the station manager for Christmas FM for the last few years, was presenting this morning on 8Radio.com. It is on a temporary license run on FM at the moment. The next two presenters on 8Radio after him have also presented on Christmas FM in the last few years: Anne-Marie Walsh and Jenny Ridyard. It is on various frequencies in a few cities around Ireland. Its Dublin frequency is 105.2 mhz, the same one used by Christmas FM for the last seven years.

Edit: At the risk of going even further off on a tangent (!), it looks like Jennie is married to the same John Connolly who presents a brilliantly eclectic program on RTE Gold called ABC to XTC.

DvB

12 weeks today to lift off for Christmas FM for 2023!!

Declan A Walsh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121072656#Comment_121072656

Will it add more FM frequencies this year? It was almost nationwide over the last couple of years!

DvB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121072855#Comment_121072855

Must be pretty close to full coverage at this stage, though I do remember losing it when driving to Westport (West of Strokestown) & Donegal Town last year.

PaulT21

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121072917#Comment_121072917

Definitely available in the Donegal Area (around 105.5 if I remember correctly)but it's a pity that they don't automatically switch frequencies as you travel the country like the normal stations do. Still, looking forward to its return🎅😀🤶

DvB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121073648#Comment_121073648

Pretty sure It changes frequency for me automatically when driving around the country, just no coverage in those areas so nothing to change to unfortunately.

Smell the glove

Signal in Waterford don't be great for me. Can be hit or miss because it's competing with beat 104 and opentempo FM.

marno21

Mayo, South Tipp and Waterford are the biggest population areas left that have no coverage but can be covered with 1 FM transmitter

Then again, for a temporary non profit station the level of coverage they have gotten to is remarkable

DvB

They must be the easily the most successful temporary station the country has ever had, given the coverage & number of consecutive years they've been broadcasting its a phenomenal achievement.

Long may it continue.

In fact, before I head to Sligo later this morning I may just treat myself to some classical.

Loughc

ChristmasFM dropped this on their socials today to mark 100 days to go.

Loughc

So it seems their news was applications are now open for a child to Switch Christmas On.

I checked it's only for Under 10's so my application got denied.

DvB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121126277#Comment_121126277

Saw that earlier, what a great prize though!!

Was wondering if my 2 12yo's would pass for 9??? 😉

10 weeks tomorrow is launch day!!

Loughc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121126620#Comment_121126620

Visions of Only fools and horses when they win a holiday and Rodney has to pretend he's 14.

Wow only 10 weeks to launch, not going to lie I got so excited when I saw the ChristmasFM socials posting stuff again instantly got me in the mood for the classics.

DvB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121126732#Comment_121126732

Yeah have to admit I got a tingle of excitement myself when I saw their socials updating again... I'd checked in on them a couple of times throughout the year but since St. Patricks day & the sound of Ireland promotion they'd been totally dormant, seeing activity again tells me its getting close!!

DvB

Here's the instagram post.

DvB

WFH for the morning & went to stick on some Christmas FM classical only to discover its offline and wont load... shame as its a little too early for the normal stuff. I've dropped them a message so hopefully it wont take too long to get back up & running.

DvB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121128589#Comment_121128589

WFH again today & i can confirm classical is back up & running. Even the last played list is up to date!!

DvB

8 weeks to launch day.

Loughc

A dj slot on ChristmasFM online tomorrow at 3pm. Testing is starting early it seems.

Smell the glove

A bit early for me but nice for anyone who feels like a pick me up!

ClaudeVercetti

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121215777#Comment_121215777

Raging I've a meeting everyday at that time, otherwise I'd be well up for tuning in!

DvB

I'll be on site from 2-3pm today, raging, would love to have been able to listen in. Still, just 7 weeks to full launch day & I suspect the DJ's will start online in Early November again this year too. So not long to go at all!

pigtail33

I've just had a meeting scheduled for 3pm. I was looking forward to hearing this. Hopefully the meeting won't take long.