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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 ??)

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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

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.