Brendan Balfe

Tapes · 18-02-2011 9:22pm #1

Why has no other radio station given him a job ?

Bard · 18-02-2011 11:06pm

Tapes wrote: »

Why has no other radio station given him a job ?

He's 65 years old, and retired last September - I dunno, I'm thinking maybe he's not looking for a job?

Tapes · 18-02-2011 11:49pm

Bard wrote: »

He's 65 years old, and retired last September - I dunno, I'm thinking maybe he's not looking for a job?

www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio-veteran-balfe-looks-for-new-job-after-rte-falls-2342875.html

Bard · 18-02-2011 11:59pm

I sit corrected... but reckon only stations that he's applied to could answer your original question...

Why do you think no-one's taken him on?

Tapes · 19-02-2011 1:24am

Bard wrote: »

I sit corrected... but reckon only stations that he's applied to could answer your original question...

Why do you think no-one's taken him on?

I dont know why a station like 4fm wouldnt give him a weekend gig, he is a very well known broadcaster to the over 45+ aged listeners.

Bard · 19-02-2011 11:43am

Seeing as 4fm slimmed down their workforce recently, presumably they can't afford to take people on at the moment... and they're not the only ones, unfortunately.

Oracle · 19-02-2011 2:10pm

Maybe he could go the independent production route and produce shows or segments for radio.

ford fiesta · 21-11-2013 11:09pm

Has Brendan found any radio work lately?.

I notice that he no longer produces the Gay Byrne show on Lyric, this (And The Irish Voice series released on CD and given a re-run) was his only connection with RTE since he left in 2010.

July Rain · 22-11-2013 12:09am

I was never a fan of Balfe, He always came across as up his own arse to me. I guess he wasn't liked very much at RTE either because its very unusual for RTE not to make room somewhere in their radio schedule for dinosaur broadcasters.

mrsdewinter · 22-11-2013 12:22am

ford fiesta wrote: »

Has Brendan found any radio work lately?.

I notice that he no longer produces the Gay Byrne show on Lyric, this (And The Irish Voice series released on CD and given a re-run) was his only connection with RTE since he left in 2010.

I guess he's just enjoying his retirement. He worked for long enough - can't blame him for taking it easy after a long career.

mrsdewinter · 22-11-2013 12:23am

July Rain wrote: »

I was never a fan of Balfe, He always came across as up his own arse to me. I guess he wasn't liked very much at RTE either because its very unusual for RTE not to make room somewhere in their radio schedule for dinosaur broadcasters.

Wow. Bitter much?

ford fiesta · 22-11-2013 12:38am

At the time, he wasn't ready to give up..

http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/radio-veteran-balfe-looks-for-new-job-after-rte-axe-falls-26681696.html

mrsdewinter · 22-11-2013 9:35am

ford fiesta wrote: »

At the time, he wasn't ready to give up..

http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/radio-veteran-balfe-looks-for-new-job-after-rte-axe-falls-26681696.html

You know that article is three years old? You know that people are allowed to change their minds?
Personally, I miss his work on the radio but perhaps BB has adjusted to life in retirement, perhaps he has a few side projects that will see the light of day soon (fingers crossed), or perhaps he has enough self-awareness to leave the stage to the next generation.
He's a private individual, so - to be honest - he doesn't owe me (or any of us) any answers.

bureau2009 · 22-11-2013 11:14am

I wouldn't have been a big fan of Brendan Balfe but he had a great knowledge of music, showbiz and radio history that could have been put to good use behind the scenes.

He did get a gig producing Gay Byrne's Sunday show on Lyric FM for the October 2012 to March 2013 season.

Speaking of Gay Byrne's show - if you're into radio listen to it on Sundays and hear the master at work. He's 80 next year so this might be your last chance to catch a legend at work.........

foxtrot101 · 26-07-2014 4:57pm

Balfe's new series, "30 days", started today. Good to hear him back on the radio.

AlekSmart · 26-07-2014 11:47pm

foxtrot101 wrote: »

Balfe's new series, "30 days", started today. Good to hear him back on the radio.

And VERY good it was too....excellent format,particularly the News Headlines from the era.....New Licencing Hours.....2 Pm to 5 Pm on Sundays .....My pal nearly choked....."WHA.....Turn dah up...didja hear that.....:eek: :eek: :eek: ???? ".

All told a very slick and well presented programme...hope the remainder will be as good.....and given Brendan Balfe's track record I've every confidence...a man who knows what the wireless is for

sligojoek · 27-07-2014 12:58am

I heard most of that today and enjoyed it. I just assumed it was a repeat.

Rock Solid · 27-07-2014 2:06am

Hes gone with 567MW !

phelixoflaherty · 29-07-2014 1:28pm

Info please on where I can listen to it.

Searched RTE, No joy

phelixoflaherty · 29-07-2014 1:33pm

Found it . Saturday about 13.00

You'd think they were trying to hide it. No info when one clicked on link

foxtrot101 · 29-07-2014 2:37pm

phelixoflaherty wrote: »

You'd think they were trying to hide it. No info when one clicked on link

Yeah, that struck me too. I was trying to find a web page, or promo piece, to link to in my op but couldn't find anything. Strange.

Welsh Megaman · 29-12-2014 5:35pm

'30 Days' back on Radio 1 this week 4-5pm!

Good show today (December 1980), looking at May 1998 tomorrow.

thesandeman · 31-12-2014 12:28pm

Listened yesterday. Brilliant. That's the type of show that Radio 1 is made for.

Oops69 · 31-12-2014 1:41pm

This is a good show , the only issue I have are the reenacted 'news' with Ken HAmmond , much as I liked Ken as a news reader in his day , theses snippets are to be frank , a bit crap.

Greenman · 01-01-2015 9:46pm

Thought this might be of interest.

http://www.rte.ie/ten/reviews/books/2007/1101/445719-balfeb/

I for one liked BB, great radio voice.

When I lived in Dun Laoire I used to see him from time to time, always very civil.

Plus this.

http://www.rte.ie/radio/utils/radioplayer/rteradioweb.html#!rii=9%3A10358357%3A0%3A%3A

Cliff Walker · 29-08-2016 10:03am

A tin pot Dublin station offered him Sunday afternoons but he was disgusted when he was told his wages would be 70€ for 3 hours and kindly refused.

mrsdewinter · 29-08-2016 10:06am

Cliff Walker wrote: »

A tin pot Dublin station offered him Sunday afternoons but he was disgusted when he was told his wages would be 70€ for 3 hours and kindly refused.

Good for Brendan!! As long as people continue to accept those conditions, employers will think they can get away with it.

Broadcastonfm · 29-08-2016 1:08pm

mrsdewinter wrote: »

Good for Brendan!! As long as people continue to accept those conditions, employers will think they can get away with it.

Maybe that's the reality - nobody is going to match Montrose wages

29-08-2016 3:52pm

He's doing a series of stage shows in the National Concert Hall where he recounts his career in RTE and all the stars he met, or was friends with.

Nothing against the man, but I never warmed to him. I heard him promoting his NCH show on RTE last week and I can't say it changed my mind. Link below, I'm sure some people would love this kind of thing.

https://www.nch.ie/Online/Brendan-Balfe-06Sep16

Declan A Walsh · 29-08-2016 5:52pm

Cliff Walker wrote: »

A tin pot Dublin station offered him Sunday afternoons but he was disgusted when he was told his wages would be 70€ for 3 hours and kindly refused.

Which station was it?

ford fiesta · 29-08-2016 10:11pm

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

He's doing a series of stage shows in the National Concert Hall where he recounts his career in RTE and all the stars he met, or was friends with.

Nothing against the man, but I never warmed to him. I heard him promoting his NCH show on RTE last week and I can't say it changed my mind. Link below, I'm sure some people would love this kind of thing.

https://www.nch.ie/Online/Brendan-Balfe-06Sep16

He did that show in smaller theatre's i think late last year/earlier this year..

ford fiesta · 29-08-2016 10:53pm

Cliff Walker wrote: »

A tin pot Dublin station offered him Sunday afternoons but he was disgusted when he was told his wages would be 70€ for 3 hours and kindly refused.

maybe these are the voice tracking rates for dublin stations, which i presume was the case offered for brendan

Losty Dublin · 30-08-2016 12:09am

Declan A Walsh wrote: »

Which station was it?

No offence, Declan, but based on the money it's fairly obvious what tin pot station it was, and there aren't a lot of tin pot stations on air in Dublin.

Broadcastonfm · 30-08-2016 6:57am

Losty Dublin wrote: »

No offence, Declan, but based on the money it's fairly obvious what tin pot station it was, and there aren't a lot of tin pot stations on air in Dublin.

Might be obvious to you Losty but not me , care to share with the group and for what it's worth that is pretty close to standard fee in Dublin from what I understand

Brendan Balfe

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