The official Christmas FM thread

pigtail33

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118803019#Comment_118803019

I had it on for an hour or so on St. Patrick's morning. Nothing too diddly eye. Had a bit of a Christmas FM vibe to it though, with shout outs to Irish people all over the world.

Declan A Walsh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118812789#Comment_118812789

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118803019#Comment_118803019

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118804064#Comment_118804064

Forgive the sequence above: Boards let me down there! DvB's is first, then mine and then pigtail33. As per my other thread - see link in my previous post, there were definitely a few Christmas FM connections in the personnel used. I would say The Sound of Ireland had an eclectic mix of music ranging from folk to rock and in between! At least one of the presenters, John Loftus, would be more associated with the Irish music scene, particularly of the alternative/indie variety, than certainly Christmas FM.

Posy

Yeah, I only listen at Christmas, I don't tune in at all on the 'off season!'

DvB

Currently listening to classical in the background as I WFH today and it suddenly cut from 'Noel' to 'last christmas' and back again... though it has messed up the viewer at the same time means its not currently displaying whats being played...

Still, a bit early for 'Last Christmas' by wham 🤣

Smell the glove

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118850738#Comment_118850738

I remember listening to the car radio ( a local pirate station) one Sunday night in the summer and Wham Last Christmas randomly was played and when it was over it went back to normal music. No explanation nothing 😄

Declan A Walsh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118852669#Comment_118852669

Probably was an automatic selection that needed updating!

Declan A Walsh

I was travelling through Co. Limerick yesterday morning and again this afternoon and I happened to pick up 8Radio.com on 105.5 FM. The RDS Info displayed “ The Magic of Christmas”! Obviously a carry over from Christmas FM! It leaves its stamp on some of the frequencies it has used!

DvB

Only 5 months to go and it'll be back for real.

TRS30

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119193374#Comment_119193374

That will be here in no time, the way this year is going!!

Loughc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119194684#Comment_119194684

Very quick year so far, when should we be expecting an announcement on the charity partner is it August time?

DvB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119263324#Comment_119263324

Usually around August or early september!! Giggidy!!

DvB

Must keep an eye on the Christmas FM social media pages, the charity partner announcement should be coming up soon.

DvB

Surprised a little that the charity partner hasn't been announced yet, should be this week if previous years are anything to go by.

Christmas FM have been very quiet this year in terms of social interaction, there's been no countdown emails or suchlike which they've had other years, they've pretty much gone quiet since the St. Patricks Day 'Sounds of Ireland' run.

Hopefully we'll get an update soon, they might be combining it with the Halloween FM announcement (assuming that'll run again this year also.)

Loughc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119510626#Comment_119510626

In fairness their social media account goes quiet every year from April to September bar the charity partner announcement.

Declan A Walsh

Bernie Jameson, who has been a presenter on Christmas FM, is a newsreader for Bauer Media, owner of Newstalk and Today FM, amongst others. It's not that long since I heard her reading news on Radio Nova as well. She is currently a presenter on another temporary licensed station - Easy Radio. In fact, prior to her involvement with Christmas FM, she had presented on temporary-licensed stations Choice FM and Premier FM. Two of Christmas FM's principals, Walter Hegarty and Paul Shephard, were behind Premier FM, while the other two principals, Garv Rigby and Daragh O'Sullivan (aka Stephen Davitt), were presenters on both of those two stations.

DvB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119511273#Comment_119511273

I was actually referring to their email list. I had a look back & on previous years had received a few mails throughout the year, this year nothing on a long time though.

DvB

Hmmm, into September & still no charity partner announcement, don't remember it being this late in recent years.

Andrew93

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119558166#Comment_119558166

Everytime there's a new post in this I get way too excited for some reason wondering what it could be.. 🤣

TRS30

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119558166#Comment_119558166

Lets hope they are negotiating a big one!

Jude13

Animals or kids, the two winners for me. Guide dogs for the blind is my go to charity.

TRS30

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119572592#Comment_119572592

I'd say something to do with Ukraine will this years one.

DvB

Given the energy crisis & general inflation we're all enduring I wouldnt be expecting a bumper year if its an 'unfamiliar' charity to be honest. Doubt there'll be a lot of spare cash out there this winter.

TRS30

100%, charity begins at home as they say and this winter is going to very tough for a lot of people.

DvB

Wouldn't be surprised to see SVDP or suchlike for the year that's in it. Though you'd be thinking that choosing the charity partner would be a process that started months ago so you wouldnt know what the state of play was when the process was narrowing down potential partners.

Posy

You would think so! 🤨

I always prefer (like when I'm watching celebrity who wants to be a millionaire 🤪) a small, non government funded charity where I know every penny will mean so much to them.

My go to is always an animal charity, but Christmas FM don't share my sentiments!

DvB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119572764#Comment_119572764

Like yourself have always championed an animal charity, unfortunately don't ever see it happening.

TRS30

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119572764#Comment_119572764

I think a lot of charity scandals have opened people eyes and made them more aware of who they are giving money to. I also like small, local, often unpaid local charities.

Jude13

Couldn't agree more. I had interaction when in college with with a charity mentioned in this page, and it sounds terrible but I think their cause would be assisted if they disappeared. That plus the 'cost' of running the charities. There have been very good articles in the Irish times highlighting there costs, and the remuneration. I put the link here a few years back. In particular at the time highlighting the number of homeless charities along with government grants and donations. When compared to the number of homeless people it was tens of thousand per homeless person however the cash didn't trickle down to the,

TRS30

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119577486#Comment_119577486

Homelessness is a multi million euro industry (to be separated from the human aspect).

DvB

WFH today & have no meetings until this afternoon, kids in school & the Mrs is in the office, so I have Christmas FM classical banging out as my background listening for the morning. Hadn't indulged in a while, and whilst the playlist hasn't changed in months its still lovely & relaxing, a real mood lifter.