Gareth O’Callaghan

JoeA3

Here's another brilliant little video I came across today, not featuring Gareth, but his colleague at the time, Tony Fenton, back in the heyday of "The Hotline".

There's great nostalgia in this clip, remember the great jingles Tony used to have - I used to love these meaty intro jingles to that show! Why don't radio shows do jingles like this anymore? Most of 2FM / Today FM imaging sounds utterly lame nowadays. Is that what the "morketing" people want now?

This also features a very youthful looking Daire O'Brian, long before he became a household name in the UK...

https://www.rte.ie/archives/2016/0919/817529-the-hotline-with-tony-fenton/

ford fiesta

great clip there of Tony. at his peak there..and before 2fm had a competitor in radio ireland/today fm

AwaitYourReply

ford fiesta wrote: »

great clip there of Tony. at his peak there..and before 2fm had a competitor in radio ireland/today fm

2FM did indeed have a national competitor some years before Radio Ireland/Today FM. Following the shut down of pirate stations across Ireland you had the launch of Century Radio (also "Century 100" and "Century FM) in September, 1989 and it remained on air until November 1991. It's star performer was former RTÉ Radio 2 DJ, Marty Whelan who hosted Century Radio's Breakfast Show and "Marty's Golden Years". Terry Wogan was one of a number of investors in Century and he used record a show which would then be broadcast on Saturday mornings on the station. If memory serves me correct Claire McKeon first arrived on the national scene with "The Phone Show" on Century and she later appeared on RTÉ television for a short period. I think John Saunders was like Marty's sidekick who presented sports bulletins at breakfast time and they shared some banter in between news, traffic & sport. Declan Meehan & Bob Gallico did a drivetime show too as far as I recall. "The Biggest Jukebox in Ireland" was another popular show on the station and I think much of it's concept was revived when Simon Young (and later John Clarke) gave us "Ireland's Biggest Jukebox" on Sunday mornings some years later on 2FM. Century Radio was only on FM in Dublin, Cork & Limerick cities although; it also went out on AM>Medium Wave of 1143kHz as well. Ireland would have to wait until 1997 before RTÉ had a national competitor again in the form of Radio Ireland/Today FM.

RTÉ News report on Century Radio launch 4th September, 1989

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bu30mgMMRkw

https://www.rte.ie/archives/2016/1118/832757-century-radio-closes/

Just three days prior to this also saw the launch on 1st September 1989 of another radio service called: "Atlantic 252" on 252kHz Long Wave which was a joint venture between RTÉ and Radio Luxembourg.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhFgd9uK15k

https://www.rte.ie/archives/2015/0928/730803-atlantic-252-one-year-on/

AwaitYourReply

JoeA3 wrote: »

Here's another brilliant little video I came across today, not featuring Gareth, but his colleague at the time, Tony Fenton, back in the heyday of "The Hotline".

There's great nostalgia in this clip, remember the great jingles Tony used to have - I used to love these meaty intro jingles to that show! Why don't radio shows do jingles like this anymore? Most of 2FM / Today FM imaging sounds utterly lame nowadays. Is that what the "morketing" people want now?

This also features a very youthful looking Daire O'Brian, long before he became a household name in the UK...

https://www.rte.ie/archives/2016/0919/817529-the-hotline-with-tony-fenton/

It's a great clip of Dara O'Briain & Tony Fenton!

Tony Fenton's enthusiastic broadcasting style first caught my attention way back on RTÉ Radio 2 in the mid-1980's when he used deputise for Gerry Ryan on "Lights Out" at the weekend on Sat+Sun nights from 10:00-12Midnight. The theme music used on "Tony Fenton's Hotline" had been used previously as a background theme on "Lights Out with Tony Fenton" and he also had another theme he used also play entitled: "The Headache" for a regular feature item on that show if I recall. Fenton's show used then give way to "Night Train" with Mike Moloney as Mike used host that show on weekends as Mark Cagney did Night Train on weeknights and of course in those days RTÉ Radio 2 was required to close down as a station each night at 01:50am sharp! And if you think that was early, RTÉ Radio One used close at one stage at 11:45ish - prob 11:48am after late news & national anthem played out! No such thing as 24hrs broadcasting at RTÉ Radio+Television in those days! The relaunch of 2FM around March 1989 probably saw the station go 24hrs and they were all live shows as far as I recall too. RTÉ Radio One then extended their closing time to about 12:45ish before it eventually ran through the night too as the new independent commercial radio stations usually stayed on air all night. RTÉ TV started going right through the night from around 1995/6 or thereabouts. Ah happy days

Declan A Walsh

AwaitYourReply wrote: »

2FM did indeed have a national competitor some years before Radio Ireland/Today FM. Following the shut down of pirate stations across Ireland you had the launch of Century Radio (also "Century 100" and "Century FM) in September, 1989 and it remained on air until November 1991. It's star performer was former RTÉ Radio 2 DJ, Marty Whelan who hosted Century Radio's Breakfast Show and "Marty's Golden Years". Terry Wogan was one of a number of investors in Century and he used record a show which would then be broadcast on Saturday mornings on the station. If memory serves me correct Claire McKeon first arrived on the national scene with "The Phone Show" on Century and she later appeared on RTÉ television for a short period. I think John Saunders was like Marty's sidekick who presented sports bulletins at breakfast time and they shared some banter in between news, traffic & sport. Declan Meehan & Bob Gallico did a drivetime show too as far as I recall. "The Biggest Jukebox in Ireland" was another popular show on the station and I think much of it's concept was revived when Simon Young (and later John Clarke) gave us "Ireland's Biggest Jukebox" on Sunday mornings some years later on 2FM. Century Radio was only on FM in Dublin, Cork & Limerick cities although; it also went out on AM>Medium Wave of 1143kHz as well. Ireland would have to wait until 1997 before RTÉ had a national competitor again in the form of Radio Ireland/Today FM.

RTÉ News report on Century Radio launch 4th September, 1989

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bu30mgMMRkw

https://www.rte.ie/archives/2016/1118/832757-century-radio-closes/

Just three days prior to this also saw the launch on 1st September 1989 of another radio service called: "Atlantic 252" on 252kHz Long Wave which was a joint venture between RTÉ and Radio Luxembourg.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhFgd9uK15k

https://www.rte.ie/archives/2015/0928/730803-atlantic-252-one-year-on/

I remember listening to Atlantic 252 on its first day, but not the launch - 6am was too early for me! I remember Century Radio's launch and practically all of what was said there. I'm pretty sure that the presenter of The Biggest Jukebox was Robbie Irwin. He certainly presented a request show on Sunday afternoons.

It was interesting that Gareth did not stray into the commercial radio sector until later in the '00s with Galway Bay FM. My previous question still stands. What were the pirate(s) he was with after Radio Dublin and before Radio Nova?

AwaitYourReply

Declan A Walsh wrote: »

I remember listening to Atlantic 252 on its first day, but not the launch - 6am was too early for me! I remember Century Radio's launch and practically all of what was said there. I'm pretty sure that the presenter of The Biggest Jukebox was Robbie Irwin. He certainly presented a request show on Sunday afternoons.

It was interesting that Gareth did not stray into the commercial radio sector until later in the '00s with Galway Bay FM. My previous question still stands. What were the pirate(s) he was with after Radio Dublin and before Radio Nova?

Atlantic 252 had most DJs with quirky names like: Robin Banks, Sandy Beech, Dusty Rhodes (later 2FM), Charlie Wolf (later Cork's RedFm late night talk show host of Cork Talk's Back and lately commentator on US political stories) Henry Owens from Cork (real name Henry Condon R.I.P.)

Unfortunately, not sure of Gareth's involvement in the local pirate radio scene in Dublin as it's not a part of the country I grew up in. I first recall Gareth from his 2FM days since 1989 onwards. Although; the photo on below article would appear to be a youthful looking Gareth from what I understand is Sandymount Community Radio.

http://www.newsfour.ie/2014/02/pirate-days-in-dublin/

Indeed RTÉ 2FM's former show "Ireland's Biggest Jukebox" did cause some controversy a number of years back. A reminder of the story is courtesy of Irish Independent via below clip:

https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/radio/rte-objects-to-former-2fm-boss-john-clarke-hosting-irelands-biggest-jukebox-show-on-radio-nova-31404811.html

Like I said I believe the now defunct station Century Radio called it "The Biggest Jukebox in Ireland" as far as I recall. My first memory of Robbie Irwin as a broadcaster is from his Century Radio days but I'm not too sure if Robbie was a presenter of that particular programme. Perhaps it was someone like Liam Quigley or Joe Harrington but to be honest I'm not certain. I wonder if there any official radio guide listings out there to confirm Century Radio schedule of programmes with synopsis. That said, I've found Robbie Irwin to be excellent - he had such presence & command of his brief whether it was news, sports or music. I had not realised he retired from RTÉ and would regard him as a consummate broadcaster.

If you listened to Century Radio, these jingles are bound to bring back memories.

http://aircheckdownloads.com/CenturyIreland.htm

The photos attached to below Irish Indo news article are worth viewing:

https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/2fm-radio-station-still-cominatcha-after-35-years-30316876.html

MikeyTaylor

AwaitYourReply wrote: »

Atlantic 252 had most DJs with quirky names like: Robin Banks, Sandy Beech, Dusty Rhodes (later 2FM), Charlie Wolf (later Cork's RedFm late night talk show host of Cork Talk's Back and lately commentator on US political stories) Henry Owens from Cork (real name Henry Condon R.I.P.)

Unfortunately, not sure of Gareth's involvement in the local pirate radio scene in Dublin as it's not a part of the country I grew up in. I first recall Gareth from his 2FM days since 1989 onwards. Although; the photo on below article would appear to be a youthful looking Gareth from what I understand is Sandymount Community Radio.

http://www.newsfour.ie/2014/02/pirate-days-in-dublin/

Indeed RTÉ 2FM's former show "Ireland's Biggest Jukebox" did cause some controversy a number of years back. A reminder of the story is courtesy of Irish Independent via below clip:

https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/radio/rte-objects-to-former-2fm-boss-john-clarke-hosting-irelands-biggest-jukebox-show-on-radio-nova-31404811.html

Like I said I believe the now defunct station Century Radio called it "The Biggest Jukebox in Ireland" as far as I recall. My first memory of Robbie Irwin as a broadcaster is from his Century Radio days but I'm not too sure if Robbie was a presenter of that particular programme. Perhaps it was someone like Liam Quigley or Joe Harrington but to be honest I'm not certain. I wonder if there any official radio guide listings out there to confirm Century Radio schedule of programmes with synopsis. That said, I've found Robbie Irwin to be excellent - he had such presence & command of his brief whether it was news, sports or music. I had not realised he retired from RTÉ and would regard him as a consummate broadcaster.

If you listened to Century Radio, these jingles are bound to bring back memories.

http://aircheckdownloads.com/CenturyIreland.htm

The photos attached to below Irish Indo news article are worth viewing:

https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/2fm-radio-station-still-cominatcha-after-35-years-30316876.html

The Century jingles are quite similar to the 2FM ones introduced around the same time.

JoeA3

MikeyTaylor wrote: »

The Century jingles are quite similar to the 2FM ones introduced around the same time.

They do actually. Very similar to the early '90's 2FM sound. Probably the same production company.

Infoanon

JoeA3 wrote: »

They do actually. Very similar to the early '90's 2FM sound. Probably the same production company.

Both Jam but 2 different packages - the century package was previously heard on Energy 103 and was initially made for Q107 .

Going a bit of topic there - Gareth afternoon shows were loosely based on the Steve Wright afternoon shows on BBC Radio 2

AwaitYourReply

MikeyTaylor wrote: »

The Century jingles are quite similar to the 2FM ones introduced around the same time.

In my opinion, I think the jingles produced for Century Radio were almost a carbon copy of SKY Radio from that time.

Take a listen to SKY Radio jingles from 1989 here:

https://soundcloud.com/marcmannetje/sky-radio-1989

I gather these jingles were produced in Dallas, TX USA but open to correction.

Then the re-brand from Century Radio > "Century FM" involved new jingles which are not as impressive in my opinion.

https://soundcloud.com/good-time-oldie/century-fm

Unable to source jingles following it's final re-brand as "Century 100" but the station was only on air from September 1989 - November 1991 and things got desperate in those final months by all accounts.

ford fiesta

Footage here at 33:11 of Gareth (Tony Gareth) in Nova studio, Herbert Street in 1983. He talks about his early days and mentions Dadio Dublin, ARD and Radio Leinster.

Great footage.

Declan A Walsh

AwaitYourReply wrote: »

Unfortunately, not sure of Gareth's involvement in the local pirate radio scene in Dublin as it's not a part of the country I grew up in. I first recall Gareth from his 2FM days since 1989 onwards. Although; the photo on below article would appear to be a youthful looking Gareth from what I understand is Sandymount Community Radio.

http://www.newsfour.ie/2014/02/pirate-days-in-dublin/

Indeed RTÉ 2FM's former show "Ireland's Biggest Jukebox" did cause some controversy a number of years back. A reminder of the story is courtesy of Irish Independent via below clip:

https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/radio/rte-objects-to-former-2fm-boss-john-clarke-hosting-irelands-biggest-jukebox-show-on-radio-nova-31404811.html

Like I said I believe the now defunct station Century Radio called it "The Biggest Jukebox in Ireland" as far as I recall. My first memory of Robbie Irwin as a broadcaster is from his Century Radio days but I'm not too sure if Robbie was a presenter of that particular programme. Perhaps it was someone like Liam Quigley or Joe Harrington but to be honest I'm not certain. I wonder if there any official radio guide listings out there to confirm Century Radio schedule of programmes with synopsis. That said, I've found Robbie Irwin to be excellent - he had such presence & command of his brief whether it was news, sports or music. I had not realised he retired from RTÉ and would regard him as a consummate broadcaster.

If you listened to Century Radio, these jingles are bound to bring back memories.

http://aircheckdownloads.com/CenturyIreland.htm

The photos attached to below Irish Indo news article are worth viewing:

https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/2fm-radio-station-still-cominatcha-after-35-years-30316876.html

Re Century Radio:
Liam Quigley hosted the afternoon weekday show during his time with Century. It wasn't him. I'm pretty sure Robbie Irwin is the host in question.

Now back on topic:
Some of the jigsaw pieces have been filled for me now in relation to Gareth O'Callaghan's pirates after Radio Dublin and before Radio Nova. We have ARD and Radio Leinster and, apparently, Sandymount Community Radio. It appears that SCR was around from 1982 to 1983 and we know that Gareth left Radio Nova for Sunshine Radio in the early part of 1983. So either, he joined Nova later than I would have thought or he doubled up on Nova and SCR, the latter being my hunch.

Ursus Horribilis

Am I dreaming or was he with Treble T R at some stage? I was only a kid at the time so it could be an unreliable memory.

ford fiesta

Gareth due on the Tubridy show tomorrow

AwaitYourReply

ford fiesta wrote: »

Gareth due on the Tubridy show tomorrow

I heard the live interview this morning.

If you read the article in today's Online edition of the Irish Examiner, included is a photo of both Gareth & Ryan together in the RTÉ Radio Studios.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/entertainment/death-doesnt-scare-me-i-just-dont-want-to-die-gareth-ocallaghan-talks-about-msa-diagnosis-865037.html

Listen back to the full interview of Gareth O'Callaghan speaking to Ryan Tubridy on RTÉ Radio 1 on Tuesday 28/08/2018 below here:

https://soundcloud.com/rte-radio-1/the-ryan-tubridy-show-gareth-ocallaghan

Very sad to listen to Gareth this morning. He's such a pro. I wish him all the best in the future. It's not going to be easy by the sound of it.

padd b1975

inthehat wrote: »

Very sad to listen to Gareth this morning. He's such a pro. I wish him all the best in the future. It's not going to be easy by the sound of it.

He sounded OK to be honest.

ford fiesta

padd b1975 wrote: »

He sounded OK to be honest.

What is ahead of him will be far from OK

JoeA3

He was due to come back this week to do a few last shows but still hasn’t afaik.

Ursus Horribilis

After hearing what he said in the interview with Tubridy, I could understand if he decides not to do those shows. It was a nice interview but very sad. He's doing well to be putting on such a brave face at all. There are some horrifically cruel illnesses out there. I hope he manages to make some happy memories for himself and his loved ones.

Welsh Megaman

Gareth’s final show this afternoon

Kevwoody

Just heard a promo for Love Songs with Owen Larkin, Sundays from 8am.
I wonder will he get Gareth's weekday slot?
Genuinely don't know if I'll be able to tune in later knowing it's his final show. Wouldn't be an emotional person but literally grew up listening to the man, and have 4fm on nearly every day.

Water John

Running until 6, great songs.

MikeyTaylor

Welsh Megaman wrote: »

Gareth’s final show this afternoon

It won't be the same without him, but I absolutely understand his decision.

RockDesk

Kevwoody wrote: »

Just heard a promo for Love Songs with Owen Larkin, Sundays from 8am.
I wonder will he get Gareth's weekday slot?
Genuinely don't know if I'll be able to tune in later knowing it's his final show. Wouldn't be an emotional person but literally grew up listening to the man, and have 4fm on nearly every day.

I'm the same but I know I'll kick myself in the future if I don't hear him signing off.

PropJoe10

Wish him the best. Great broadcaster and lovely voice for radio. God bless him.

chuckles30

He's doing a fantastic show - but I have a lump at the back of my throat here in the office listening to the songs.  Just as well  I will be back home for 6!!

Welsh Megaman

RockDesk wrote: »

I'm the same but I know I'll kick myself in the future if I don't hear him signing off.

He said on Niall Boylan’s show that he’ll be signing off for the last time just before six, then music straight thru till seven.

Infoanon

A great last show - a class act - radio will be a poorer place with Gareths absence from the airwaves

magicray

I really enjoyed his show this afternoon, I will really miss him I listened in most afternoons and every Sunday

I hope his health stays good for a while so he can enjoy life a bit