Paul Claffey and other giants of rural local radio

The Parish Priest.

There isn't a single thread here about any local radio show outside the Dublin or cork market...Anyway Fair play to Paul Claffey, a real legend of Irish radio, I recently turned into Mwr for the first time in years and his show and the whole station is exactly the same as it was 25 years ago, it's good that local Irish radio hasn't been taken over by Australian radio consultants, sadly tho I'd say in a few years time when local giants like Claffey are retired, local radio will go to pot and end up sounding like poor mans Atlantic 252, just like uk local radio.

Fr Tod Umptious

I remember when Midwest first appeared as a pirate in 1986, and as you say it has not changed a bit since.

Not my cup of tea by any means but it's very popular so fair play to them.

As for local radio ledgends down here is Kerry it had to be Radio Kerry sports broadcaster Weeshie Fogarty, who unfortunately has been off the air for about a year due to illness.

The Terrace Talk show is not the same without him.

statto25

Havent heard Claffey in years. Is he still ringing up auld wans with prank phonecalls?

Jimmy Bottlehead

I don't think it's necessarily a good thing that MWR haven't changed in over a quarter of a century. It's the same tired, clapped-out maudlin crap that was there when I was a child.

To be honest, I think adhering to a model of radio that doesn't update itself or make itself relevant to new audiences is at high risk of hitting a tipping point once the grey-hairs who find it amusing die off.

wnolan1992

Will echo the Weeshie Fogarty mention. My Dad's an ardent Cork man, but he'll happily listen to Radio Kerry whenever Weeshie's on.

The only person I can think of that I'd elevate to the "legend" level would be Jimmy Reidy on C103. He's been an ever present throughout my life as my mother always listens to him, and my grandmother used to love "Round the Fireside". He's definitely not my cup of tea, it's radio of a bygone era (seriously, he asked listeners to send the answers to a competition in on a postcard last Saturday) but he knows his audience and doesn't try to be something he's not.

ford fiesta

Quite a large number of the on air presenters and non-on air staff have been with Mid West since it became licensed in 1989 and Claffey and a few others like Gerry Glennon and Chris Carroll have been with the station since the pirate days when it was indeed called Mid West or MWR.
I see no harm in their format having little changes since then. It certainly has tamed down on playing Country and Irish all day over the past 10 - 15 years anyway, if that's the format the previous posters are referring to.?

Expunge

Is Mr. Claffey an owner of Mid-West radio?

Would he have lasted as long in the slot if he wasn't?

padd b1975

statto25 wrote: »

Havent heard Claffey in years. Is he still ringing up auld wans with prank phonecalls?

Brides to be on the morning of their wedding was another thigh slapper.

His show is now a two hander with Gerry Glennon who is a far superior broadcaster in my opinion. Claffey seems to be off air more often than on in recent years.

The station itself is comfortably the most listened to in the region and is one of the most popular nationally in terms of percentage.

Kinda hard to argue with a bottom line like that in fairness.

PhoneMain

Jimmy Bottlehead wrote: »

I don't think it's necessarily a good thing that MWR haven't changed in over a quarter of a century. It's the same tired, clapped-out maudlin crap that was there when I was a child.

To be honest, I think adhering to a model of radio that doesn't update itself or make itself relevant to new audiences is at high risk of hitting a tipping point once the grey-hairs who find it amusing die off.

I'd disagree with you in that I feel Mid West caters for an older market. In that I mean, I'm in my 30s, would rarely have listened to Mid West but now I'm coming around to their music. I'm not a massive country and western fan but they play a lot of 70s, 80s and 90s gold that isn't catered for by other stations. Plus, they're local, so it's nice to hear local issues from time to time.

However, some of their on air habits still drive me soft. For example, something like this:

"Text in here from Mary in Westport who's looking for Beautiful Day by U2. I'm sorry, we won't get that one on today". Sometimes they don't even say they're not going to play it. If they're not going to play a particular song, then don't mention the fecking thing FFS!

padd b1975

PhoneMain wrote: »

I'd disagree with you in that I feel Mid West caters for an older market. In that I mean, I'm in my 30s, would rarely have listened to Mid West but now I'm coming around to their music. I'm not a massive country and western fan but they play a lot of 70s, 80s and 90s gold that isn't catered for by other stations. Plus, they're local, so it's nice to hear local issues from time to time.

However, some of their on air habits still drive me soft. For example, something like this:

"Text in here from Mary in Westport who's looking for Beautiful Day by U2. I'm sorry, we won't get that one on today". Sometimes they don't even say they're not going to play it. If they're not going to play a particular song, then don't mention the fecking thing FFS!

Alf Mccarthyitis it's known as.