Donal Broughan RIP

redtelephone

RTE Radio 1 Presenter Donal Broughan passed away suddenly over the weekend. I'm sure many on this forum will be genuinely saddened to hear this. He was Saturday's Weekend on One presenter, and had a unique and popular early morning show. He will be missed. RIP.

http://notices.irishtimes.com/13125676

HeidiHeidi

I was really saddended to hear this today. He had the most unusual and eclectic taste in music - his Saturday morning show really was something different, in this age of homogeneous stuff.

RIP.

JonathanAnon

Cathal Murray mentioned this earlier while he was covering for Ronan Collins (who apparently hurt his leg last week and is currently on crutches)..

Unshelved

So sad to hear about this - I really enjoyed his show on Saturday mornings. He had a lovely speaking voice. Dreadfully sad for his family. RIP.

Carrigman

I was shocked to hear of the death of Donal Broughan. His show at 6:30am on Saturdays was a joy to listen to. He had a most interesting choice of music and thanks to him I have discovered numerous artists that I otherwise would not have heard of.

He will be sadly missed.

win2one

Donal's show was certainly worth setting the alarm clock for 6.a.m. As has already been stated his choice of music was in my opinion the most eclectic of any of the presenters on rte, irreplaceable.
My condolences to his family.

SEPT 23 1989

Sad news RIP

dixiefly

That is terrible news. I hadnt heard that.

I really liked that show and had recommended it to a lot of people that likes different musical styles.

Sincere condolonces to the family. Anyone know what age Donal was?

Edit. No mention on the RTE website though the weekendonone page seems to be blank.

real rocker

Carrigman wrote: »

I was shocked to hear of the death of Donal Broughan. His show at 6:30am on Saturdays was a joy to listen to. He had a most interesting choice of music and thanks to him I have discovered numerous artists that I otherwise would not have heard of.

He will be sadly missed.

The music was always more important than the presenter but still Donal was a perfectionist in regard to continuity links, economy of words & his genuine enthusiasm for his radio presence.
My sympathies to his family, friends and broadcasting colleagues.
May he rest in peace

padd b1975

RIP

Gen.Zhukov

My god, I'm shocked at this news.

I played in a band with Donal in the eighties (The Temps). Lovely bloke and a great singer too.

Rest in peace Donal.

Pat James

Saturday mornings just wont be the same,Donals choice of music was always interesting to say the least, and his presentation was so smooth and easy to listen to. In these days of tight formats it was so refreshing.
So thanks Donal,going to miss you,my thoughts are with your family.

Skwol

Sincerest condolences to Donal's family. I did not know him, but i have listened to the weekend on One for years. His professionality, voice and wonderful taste in music was an inspiration and was the best thiing about RTE. He will be greatly missed.

bureau2009

Recently I'd been meaning to post something here about Donal Broughan. I was going to say that he was possibly RTE's most talented (but under used) music presenter.

Every song on his Saturday morning show was very carefully selected. Every song was introduced perfectly. Clearly his show was a labour of love, he had high standards, he put everything into it and it showed.

His sudden death is shocking to us but he leaves behind a great legacy.

dixiefly

No mention on the RTE website. That's surprising. I know the programme was on at an obscure time but I would have expected some reference at this stage.

87lk00

Shocked to hear of this, only heard about this today. Saturday mornings stuffing weetabix into a childs mouth will be a poorer place now that I wont have him to listen to. RIP Donal

yiddo59

Very sad news.

Condolences to his family and friends

R.I.P.

DublinKev

Only heard this awful news this afternoon when Cathal Murray mentioned it while filling in for Ronan Collins.

I didn't hear Donal as often as I would have liked to, due to the early hour of his show, but anytime I did, I marvelled at his fantastic selection of music and relaxed smooth presenting style. He really was a marvellous presenter, reminded me in many ways, particularly in his musical taste, of the great Bob Harris.

A real loss, RIP Donal and my condolences to his family.

flat6

I was in college with Donal - very sad news. Apart from his encyclopedic musical knowledge, he was also a talented singer.

R.I.P.

Francis H Murphy

Such was the magic of his show that I set my alarm for 6.00 am on Christmas eve when normal people sleep. I am shocked at the news of his death. Saturday mornings will never be the same without his fantastic, ecclectic taste in music. His shows were an inspiration.

To the family and friends I am saddened and shocked for your loss.

Francis H Murphy

Only heard this awful news tthis morning.The world is now a sadder place. His radio shows were a joy .
Sincerest condolences to his wife & children.

Daverk

How sad! RIP Condolences to family

Francis H Murphy

From the Irish Times Saturday 31st Dec 2011




Donal Broughan: DONAL BROUGHAN, who has died aged 55, was the presenter of one the best music programmes on Irish radio, The Weekend on One , broadcast by RTÉ on Saturday mornings from 6 to 8am and attracting more than 85,000 listeners.
One of many tributes posted on the internet described Broughan as a “joy to listen to”. Another stated: “Clearly his show was a labour of love, he had high standards, he put everything into it and it showed.”
His friend Rev Ian Poulton said: “Donal was a polymath, wide ranging and diverse in his competencies; reflecting on mediaeval philosophy at one moment and 1960s rock music the next; delighting in the natural world and then turning to DIY. Whatever he did, he did it meticulously. His Saturday morning RTÉ radio programme was never a gathering together of a few records; every item was researched and prepared with care.”
Writer and journalist Declan Lynch wrote: “It wasn’t just that he had abnormally fine taste in music, it was the coherence of his sensibility which was most impressive, the unique aesthetic at work, the way he could make it seem that there was a common thread between the Tulla Céilí Band, Joy Division and Iris Dement, and that he alone had spotted it.”
Philip Boucher-Hayes joined RTÉ on the same day as Broughan. He said his colleague had been gifted with a “stunning voice”, and described him as a “clever, well-read, warm engaging broadcaster” whose work was informed by “insight and perspective”.
Born in Dublin in 1956, he was the son of Paul Matthew Broughan and his wife Gertrude (Gerry) (née Gannon). His father worked for Teagasc and the family moved from Rathdowney, Co Laois, to Athy, Co Kildare and then to Foxrock, Co Dublin.
He attended Oatlands College, Stillorgan, where he displayed a strong independent streak and was often frustrated by teachers’ responses to his questions. Once, with arms outstretched in exasperation, he asked a teacher, “But why?” only to be told, “Look, Broughan, you’ll learn ‘why’ next year.”
He studied botany, zoology and geology at University College Dublin and graduated with a BSc in 1977.
Growing up, he enjoyed the music of Little Feat, Bad Company and Yes. In the 1970s he was drawn to the Dublin music scene. Vocalist with the six-piece Noise Boys, the first band to play the Dandelion Market in Dublin, he is reputed to have upstaged Ian Dury and the Blockheads at a gig in the Olympic Ballroom.
Also in 1979, he fronted The Defenders, a band formed to raise funds for Heat magazine in order to defend a libel action. Charles O’Connor, Eamonn Carr and Johnny Fean of Horslips were part of the line-up at a memorable National Ballroom gig, and Steve Rapid of the Radiators from Space made a guest appearance.
Later he joined The Temps, originally a three-piece soul outfit which became a Mod revival band known as The Real World. The band’s first demo was aired on Dave Fanning’s radio show in June 1984.
He worked for the agricultural training body Acot, the Geological Survey of Ireland and Freebird Records. He also was a lorry driver in Britain and a sub-editor at The Irish Times. In 1991 he joined Options radio productions which led to work with Anna Livia radio, and he joined RTÉ as an announcer/presenter in 1993.
Programmes he presented include J azzology, Nights at the Turntable and Playback. He began presenting The Weekend on One in 2006. Having mastered the guitar, he continued to play music for his own enjoyment with Tim McStay of the Noise Boys and they held gigs at the Red House and JJ Smyths.
He married Karina Wallis in 1990, and they eventually settled in Derrycouch, Stillbrook, Mountrath, Co Laois. He enjoyed gardening, walking and cycling. Poetry gave him much pleasure and RS Thomas was one of his favourite poets. While music was his great passion, greater still was his passion for his family. He will be missed.
Karina and their sons Ruaidhrí and Conall survive him.


Well said:mad:
Donal Broughan: born September 4th, 1956; died December 19th, 2011.

ChunkyLover54

So sad to hear this.

He had such a warm voice and his taste in music was indeed very eclectic. He would play a soothing classical or folk tune one moment and then seemlessly switch to a band like The Pogues or The Doors ("I always felt Robby Krieger was one of the more underrated guitarists" I remember him say once)

I recall several times listening to his show while still in bed and suddenly sitting up to jot down the name of some song or artist that he just played and introduced me to.

Condolences to his family at this sad time.

essdee

Interesting coincidence. Earlier this week I was going through some old tapes of radio recordings and I came across this recording of a programme on jazz music presented by Donal Broughan. I had forgotten ever recording it. The programme was the first in a series of a 5-week summer filler. I am not sure what year it's from but it must have been some time in the 1990s.

It was recorded on a C60 tape so there is a break between side 1 and side 2.

It features Donal's clear diction and intelligent, sparse comment on the music. Enjoy.

Side 1: http://essdee.podbean.com/2012/01/11/nights-at-the-turntable-side-1/

Side 2: http://essdee.podbean.com/2012/01/11/nights-at-the-turntable-side-2/

cwgatling

^^ Thanks for putting that up, great stuff.

HeidiHeidi

I have the radio playing via Sky on the telly. The info for RTE Radio 1 this morning 14/1/12 reads "The Weekend on One, Donal Broughan presents a music mix....etc etc"For shame.

zorba the greek

I think it`s a shame that RTE have so much talent,and in the same breath,can be so banal and uninteresting, so much lack of talent,that the likes of Donal R.I.P.,Ronan Collins,John Creedon,Lillian Smith,Alf McCarthy to name but a few aren`t nurtured and given more time on the airwaves.
I`m really surprised that the likes of the BBC (who are experiencing difficulty finding the right dj for the right time slot also) haven`t taken them away and let them at it.
On a side note,isn`t there really such a lack of good radio choices,particularly at night?
R.I.P Donal.

Francis H Murphy

Cathal Murray's Sunday Rise essential to this list . He now broadcasts 6.00-8.00 am on Saturday & Sunday . Well worth setting the clock for ...a joy for old people who remember LP's yet still hang around our ever dwilndling record shops

Pat James

Quality Radio
Cathal Murray's Sunday Rise essential to this list .

To try and add this here is to me an insult not only to Donal but to all of us who took great joy in listening to him no offence to Cathal but he aint a patch on or ever will be close to Donal as a broadcaster so please remove your post.

Thanks.

stinkbomb

Pat James wrote: »

Quality Radio
Cathal Murray's Sunday Rise essential to this list .

To try and add this here is to me an insult not only to Donal but to all of us who took great joy in listening to him no offence to Cathal but he aint a patch on or ever will be close to Donal as a broadcaster so please remove your post.

Thanks.

I think that's very harsh. I know Donal was a once off but Cathal Murray acknowledged when he took over that he couldn't do what Donal did and nor should he try to. I think he's doing a fine job though playing some really good stuff and deserves to be supported. I always try and listen to them on the rte player at some stage during the week and in my opinion they are indeed among the best shows on Irish radio at the moment.

My condolences to Donal's family and friends on their tragic loss.

Splinter

Pat James wrote: »

Quality Radio
Cathal Murray's Sunday Rise essential to this list .

To try and add this here is to me an insult not only to Donal but to all of us who took great joy in listening to him no offence to Cathal but he aint a patch on or ever will be close to Donal as a broadcaster so please remove your post.

Thanks.

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Splinter