RTE 1970s presenters currently on RTE

ford fiesta

Can you think of any radio presenters who presented "on air" in RTE radio during any part of the 1970s that are on RTE radio schedules with their own shows in 2024 ?

Those presenters who can say I was on RTE nearly 45 - 55 years ago

I am including those that moved away from RTE for a period of time

I am excluding repeated programmes that feature deceased or retired presenters (such as on Radio 1 extra digital channel)

Here is my list of where they are now on RTE radio:

Aine Hensey on R Na G

John Bowman on Radio 1

Marty Whelan on Lyric

Dave Fanning on RTE Gold and 2FM Bank Holidays

Ronan Collins on RTE Gold

Michael McNamara on RTE Gold

Possibly Philip King on Radio 1 (He presented shows on Radio 2 in the early 80s, not sure about the 1970s ??)

Expunge

A good few "bed blockers" on that list, in my opinion.

I wouldn't miss any of them (except Aine Hensey) Surely other talent should be getting a look in to those gigs at this stage.

Shan Doras

John Bowman is very unique because he's been on the schedules since 1962, 62 years and counting.

ZaK23-54

Marty Whelan has got to be congratulated for endurance and agility on Radio.

Have you heard his breakfast show on Lyric with an excellent mix of Classical and Contemporary. He plays Steely Dan, Gerry Rafferty The Beatles etc.segued to Mozart Beethoven etc

Lyric is growing it audience - it is more popular in Dublin than 2FM

I

Expunge

Yes. Lyric is growing it's audience by not being Lyric.

The classical content in his and other shows is pitiful for those who want to listen to a publicly funded classical/specialist and arts service.

Fair play to Whelan (and the rest) for their endurance but everyone on that list is being paid from public/licence fee money.

Regardless of their talent, it looks like a well funded retirement gig for those on the 'inside'.

It's wrong, in my view.

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122569877#Comment_122569877

In terms of the classical content I’d totally agree- there’s a limited playlist on a continual loop. - there’s nothing innovative about that station when it comes to its classical music output

ZaK23-54

Assuming the likes of Marty Ronan and Micky Mac were not RTÉ staff / so they can stay on the payroll forever as they do not have an RTÉ pension.??

Expunge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122570262#Comment_122570262

Id say so. Contracted, rather than employed but I believe all that has to change because of recent employment status judgments in the courts and the Workplace Relations Commission.

Don't know for sure.

ford fiesta

Bowman on sunday seems to never take a break, there's nobody deputising for John either. He's on every sunday.

Expunge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122572135#Comment_122572135

Again, there's no question that Bowman's a fine broadcaster and an archive show is something RTE should be doing. But, in my view that's a show that badly needs a production re-set.

I'm hearing the same long clips year after year. A glance at the calendar will suggest what's coming up.

Anniversaries of WB Yeats, Sean O'Casey, Jimmy O'Dea/Maureen Potter, Micheal MacLiammoir etc. You can almost set your watch by it. It's only briefly interrupted by a death - like Edna O'Brien.

I understand that Bowman is also the producer and works with an archivist/librarian. This is a very good example of where the torch needs to be passed, in my opinion, to a fresh set of eyes and ears.

Declan A Walsh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058367026/rte-1970s-presenters-currently-on-rte

I have been reading this thread with interest. Many of the 1970s voices have retired and/or (sadly) passed away.

Some from the 1970s are still broadcasting, but are attached to the commercial sector, e.g. Pat Kenny - Newstalk, Jim O'Neill - East Coast FM and * Declan Meehan - East Coast FM. Sean Bán Breathnach left Raidió na Gaeltachta as recently as 2022 but has continued with tv work.

As far as I can see, the listed people are the only remaining RTE 1970s presenters currently on RTE radio. I don't think Philip King's radio career goes back to the 1970s, but I could be wrong.

*Declan Meehan first left Radio 2, as it was then, about a year after its launch and re-joined the pirates! He did later turn up on Millennium Radio and briefly 2FM.

Chun the Unavoidable

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122572999#Comment_122572999

I'd enjoy it as it is, when john bowman stops doing that show it will disappear like the GAA results service on sunday evenings when Sean Og stopped. Everyone assumed someone would take over, RTE thought otherwise. The saturday and sunday 8am onwards slot is a nice nod to the past shedules of Radio 1.

ford fiesta

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122574552#Comment_122574552

You can add programmes such as Mo Cheol Thu with Ciaran MacMathuna, Failte Isteach with Donnacha O'Dulaing, O'Brien on Song with Jack O'Brien, Theatre Nights with Kevin Hough to that list. Sadly these shows were not continued in their style and some of these presenters passed away a few years after their shows ended.

In fact the mid to late 00s saw big changes to the Radio 1 schedule with the loss of many arts, radio plays, religious shows and documentaries that would be broadcast in the middle of the day, in other words there was less politics and music on Radio 1. Currently, on a typical 24 hour weekday there are 11 hours of full music shows (including RTE Gold on Overnights)

I am sure when John Bowman finally retires or passes away, his slot will be replaced by a TikTok influencer with a roving microphone or something.

RINO87

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122576648#Comment_122576648

Seeing those shows listed reminded me of another one from the 90's that was likely dropped when the presenter moved on.

Sunday nights, big band music..."In the mood" I think it was called. I have no recollection who the presenter was however.

I recall switching between that and Jon Kennys Metal Show on 2fm when I really should have been asleep for school the next morning!

Expunge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122577093#Comment_122577093

The legendary Judge and DJ, Conor Maguire is the man you're thinking of….

He attended the Nuremburg War Trials as young man, with his father, according to this:

Successful barrister, judge, Europhile and RTÉ radio DJ – The Irish Times

Sadly, you're right about all these perfectly fine specialist programmes being retired along with the presenter and replaced with something different or inferior. I suspect that Bowman's will go the same way.

There are a few exceptions - Ceili House, Country Time and Playback survived the "getting rid" of Treasa Davison.

Declan A Walsh

Anyway, going back to the OP, I take it that there were no others forgotten about that are still with RTE.

ford fiesta

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122577724#Comment_122577724

I thought about it a good bit when originally posting and unless they are some on R Na G I may have missed, I don't think so.

The 1970s is a long time ago.

However most of my list were from the original Radio 2 schedule which came on air in May 1979.

Can you imagine the same question being asked in the 1970s: "RTE 1920s presenters currently on RTE" ? 😀

ford fiesta

Of those mentioned in my first post, if you listen to them today they are instantly recognisable voices that have not changed since. Their voices have not changed, weakened or faltered. Michael McNamara is as clear as he always was.

Expunge

Pat Kenny!!

How did we not mention Pat?

Not only was he on air in the 70's, he was probably a household name even back then.

There's a guy with a voice still in pristine condition.

Shan Doras

I wonder when did the last presenter who joined in the 1940s leave the airwaves? Gay Byrne and Val Joyce joined in the 1950s and Gay had a weekly show on Lyric as recently as 2016

Declan A Walsh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122578282#Comment_122578282

I mentioned Pat Kenny in my first post! I gave him as an example of someone from the 1970s that is still on the radio but is no longer with RTE - namely Newstalk.

Expunge

Sorry, yes you did. I missed it.

Declan A Walsh

I see in the Lyric FM thread that presenter Evelyn Grant will no longer be a regular presenter, but will turn up from time to time. I am not familiar with her, but I looked her up out of curiosity and found that her radio career started with RTE's Cork Local Radio. I cannot find when she started with the latter. Is it possible that she goes back to the 1970s and that we have another name for the current list?

Shan Doras

Here is John Bowman on the schedule 62 years ago

JohnFalstaff

Peadar Ó Riada has been broadcasting his show 'Cuireadh chun Ceoil' on RnaG since the 1970's and still broadcasts every Friday evening.

GSF

what’s all the Do; Do; in that schedule mean?

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122578748#Comment_122578748

Ditto. Another sponsored segment in the case of the big run of them.

Would have been something like a radio play serial or a few songs wrapped with sponsor names. Died off in the 70s/80s albeit radio shows still often have sponsors; but for multi-hour shows.

ZaK23-54

Is Micky Mac who did the 2FM dance show for years in the 90’s ..the same Michael Mc Namara that was on Radio in the 70’s?

Thought Micky was his son - someone said he had a son working in Radio

Still sounds as young as ever on. RTÉ Gold!

RINO87

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122579097#Comment_122579097

That's him ya! His son Conor does Prem League commentary for BBC 5 radio, sometimes crops up on match of the day, and the international feed

Declan A Walsh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122579097#Comment_122579097

Yes, Micky Mac and Michael McNamara are one and the same! His son is Conor McNamara.

ford fiesta

Michael is one of the few long term 2FM presenters that were with 2FM for many years (Michael was with 2FM for 20 years) that never had a weekday slot I would also include Simon Young, Peter Collins and Lorcan Murray. There are others.

Although they all filled in for weekday shows.

thejuggler

I never remember Mickey Mac filling in on weekday 2fm ( but it may well have happened). Always remember him as a weekend afternoon jock. Oldies on Sunday afternoon. It was a big shift of pace taking on the dance show in the early 90s (taking over from Simon Young RIP). From what I know his family ran a PLC third level college in Limerick for many years - maybe that was his 9-5 job. He did a stint on Lyric when it launched IIRC marking another remarkable change of focus. Musical worlds colliding. Lorcan Murray did a similar 180 degree shift - he is still at lyric 25 years later.

Losty Dublin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122579877#Comment_122579877

Mickey Mac, as he was sometimes called on air, had been nightclub DJing for years before he took over the show from SY. If anything he was a better fit for the show.

ford fiesta

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122579910#Comment_122579910

Michael was a club / community centre type DJ (as most radio presenters were back in the day) but when he took over the Dance Show from Simon Young in 1993, he has since admitted he was not into dance music of the 90s and ripped off a lot of his show from Pete Tong on BBC Radio 1 - Michael was more 70s / 80s disco.

Yes his family ran the HSI college in Limerick and this was taken over by Griffith College in 2011. He spent his week working there while at 2FM and I believe he still works at Griffith College in a marketing capacity

Declan A Walsh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122578457#Comment_122578457

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122578659#Comment_122578659

So, is Evelyn Grant another name for the list or did she first get involved with RTE after the 1970s?

It looks like Peadar Ó Riada is an addition to the list anyway.

Expunge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122580634#Comment_122580634

I don't think Evelyn was broadcasting on RTE Cork in the 1970's. Not till the late 80's or even early 90's, I'd say

ford fiesta

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122580982#Comment_122580982

I would agree and I only heard her being on Lyric FM - I think she was part of the original line up in 1999.

Slightly off topic - does anyone remember the RTE station "FM3" ? This was the pre cursor to Lyric FM and ceased broadcasting on 30 April 1999 - the day before Lyric came on air. It broadcast mostly classical music on the RTE R Na G network, from 1984. Here is an early schedule from 1985:

Declan A Walsh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122581268#Comment_122581268

I remember FM3. Unlike Lyric FM, it was a part-time service and shared frequency space with Raidio na Gaeltachta (which must have been part-time too at the time!).

RINO87

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122581268#Comment_122581268

"Music for Middlebrows" that's ringing a bell, did that appear on R1 at some point? Or maybe I just remember hearing promos for it..

GSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122581403#Comment_122581403

such a patronising title for a programme

ford fiesta

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122581467#Comment_122581467

those were the times. there is nothing wrong with it as a title for a programme for music that is accessible for listeners not hugely into classical music who take a passive interest. are you easily offended?

Chun the Unavoidable

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122581467#Comment_122581467

middlebrow music was a popular phrase back then. I'd forgotten about FM3. there were similar opt-outs on R1 for cork services as well i think

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122582102#Comment_122582102

Latterly, RTE Radio Cork was a separate station instead of an opt-out.

The ILRs in Cork did not like being the only ILRs with a PSB rival; as RTE's Dublin station closed before Capital opened.

thejuggler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122582102#Comment_122582102

Yes there were optouts on Cork FM And AM transmitters on weekdays from 11am- 1pm and 2.45-6pm ish for Cork local radio (later called Cork 89FM) Main presenters were Alf McCarthy RIP and Steve Bolger. There may have been programmes at weekends too. These ended in 1999

Shan Doras

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122578758#Comment_122578758

Re Sponsored programs, my memory is that sponsorship of shows, sports news etc etc wasn't a thing at all on RTE Radio 1 & 2fm all during the 1990s but started to creep in around 2002, first for 2fm and then Radio 1 some years later.

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122586604#Comment_122586604

Yeah, I don't remember any in the mid/late 90s anyway.

Whereas from the 20s to 60s they made up much of the daytime schedule; and were entirely controlled by the sponsor rather than just being a sponsor tag on a 'normal' show

Expunge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122586695#Comment_122586695

Amazing that. Also, I believe a lot of those old sponsored programmes were made in various studios in Dublin city centre and then supplied to Radio Eireann for play out in Henry Street.

thereiver

Theres no reason someone has to stop presenting due to age if his health is good and he is interested in music or current affairs .in the bbc presenters used to start on radio 1 and move to radio 2 as they got older.You can tell when a presenter is interested in modern music and has a wide knowledge of music from the 80,s ,90,s and onwards.Ken bruce is a great presenter he has a show on greatest hits radio and a tv show pop quiz popmaster .presenters build up skills over decades and you can be a dj in old age it does not require great physical dexterity.if your voice is in good nick theres no reason to stop broadcasting.Pat kenny is probably the best radio presenter on irish radio at least in the area of current affairs.

i think Melvyn Bragg has been presenting on uk tv and radio since the 70s .in our time is a great podcast it covers science history and culture through the ages

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122586967#Comment_122586967

That concept is only recently dead (if it is actually dead?) - Dusty Rhodes firm supplied sponsored pre-packaged shows with a sponsor to ILRs in the 00s and 10s; think it was Corona sponsoring a reggae mix by The Man Ezeke (who died a few years ago) that I remember as one of the later options.

Chun the Unavoidable

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122586695#Comment_122586695

are there any of those shows on the RTE archive I wonder, many an old listing has "2.30 Sponsored" - i assumed it was always just a music show with an american Tv type intorduction - "the anal prolapse hour - presented to you by realmex, you put it on your arse!"

Ted222

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122579877#Comment_122579877

Mickey Mac definitely did some weekdays in the early days. I distinctly remember seeing him broadcast from the RDS studio during the Horse Show in the early years of radio 2.