The Late Date RTÉ Radio 1

Late Date it was a show I used to really like, my favourite presenter was Alf Mcarthy, I thought he played great music which really suited the hour of the night and I thought it was a better format when the book on one used to start immediately after the news compared to now it starts at 11.25

Lilian smith was also a great host at the weekends

Cathal is excellent, used to fall asleep to it midweek but now listen to it on headphones on the Web the next days; as said, FOB is horrifically self-indulgent, you would know he has strong family connections in RTE - even when he fills,in for Creedon on his absences, the shows are dull

Got to say I agree with all here. Cathal is fantastic, as is Ray when he stands in, always has an interesting selection. Have not heard much of Nadine.

Fiachna is absolutely insufferable...as was said it just seems like you are gatecrashing a party of him and a few of his mates all blowing smoke up each others holes. This carries over to when he fills in for Creedon. The same bunch of people all texting in and chatting to each other via a radio show. Same music, same people....

On that note, he must have internal connections. In what other world would an active touring musician, who mostly works weekends with his main job, be given a weekend night time radio slot??

as gaeilge, ach "ag obair lu cúrsaí riaracháin" means he was the accountant so must know where plenty of bodies were buried

Alf McCarthy, an RTE employee was forced to retire at 65.

On the other hand, FO'B, the son of another RTE employee, who presumably was also forced to retire at 65 at least 25 years ago, was able to use that family connection to hold on to his Late Date role. Now that his father has died will FO'B's contract be terminated? After all there must be many offspring of people currently working in RTE who would covet the Late Date gig.

When I hear "New Irish music" I run a mile

as announced today, after 14 years Fiachna's final show is tonight.

why would he leave a cushy few nights of radio each weekend (when he wasnt playing with the hothouse flowers) and also filling in for john creedon? was his contract not renewed?

no doubt they've a female lined up to replace him. those who have covered for him in recent years have been terrible, so lets hope it's a "real DJ", the ones we used to listen to back in the day.

I'd fully agree with you. The music selection was always better when someone subbed in for him.

The same producer, so dont give the presenter credit for the music. those days are sadly gone.

I am guessing he was axed from Radio 1, Fiachna doesn't seem like a person who would give up such a high profile gig.

or maybe being a member of Hothouse Flowers was creating problems in relation to the RTE payments scandal, similar to the social media 2FM presenters who recently left

Fiachna probably just has too many weekend commitments between the flowers and the 'on the road' project. Spinning too many plates was how he put it I think. He's also starting a podcast with Tom Dunne. I'd like to think he'll turn again on Radio 1 at some stage even if it's just covering for others.

Cathal also announced this weekend that he'll no longer be doing Sunday nights so presumably whoever gets the weekend gig will do three nights. I also hope Ray Cuddihy gets it.

with the RTE nixers register in the news today, i'm sure fiachna earns a fair bit as a member hothouse flowers. I'm assuming this is why he had to leave ??

Then again is brendan o'connor still editor of the sunday indo?

He is busy on the swimming this week