Weeknight Late Date

The Parish priest

I think late date should have been dropped a couple of years ago, it has become like Friday Night 80s used to be on Today fm, presented by fill ins more often than the regular presenters and then there is the fact that the current 2 regular presenters are as dull as dish water and only have the job because of pull

heybaby

The Parish priest wrote: »

I think late date should have been dropped a couple of years ago, it has become like Friday Night 80s used to be on Today fm, presented by fill ins more often than the regular presenters and then there is the fact that the current 2 regular presenters are as dull as dish water and only have the job because of pull

I think if you're younger than 45/50 then late date is not going to appeal to you. Friday night 80s was probably dropped intentionally by today Fm to rid itself of older listeners by virtue of the 80s association, but Late Date wants listeners who were adults during the 80s.
I firmly believe there should be more music on radio 1. Aside from Ronan Collins, there's not even an hour of music from 7am to 7pm, which is madness. There's already way too much talk content on the station so keeping Late Date is vital, it's also virtually the only place you'll hear tunes from the 40s and 50s which are a joy.

Lady Chatterton

Deirdre mentioned her children more times last night than Ray D'arcy mentions Kate & Tom....and that's saying something.

For me, Leo was the best guest presenter of the week, his voice is easy to listen to (at that hour of night) and his music choices were decent enough.

Harry Angstrom

heybaby wrote: »

I think if you're younger than 45/50 then late date is not going to appeal to you. Friday night 80s was probably dropped intentionally by today Fm to rid itself of older listeners by virtue of the 80s association, but Late Date wants listeners who were adults during the 80s.
I firmly believe there should be more music on radio 1. Aside from Ronan Collins, there's not even an hour of music from 7am to 7pm, which is madness. There's already way too much talk content on the station so keeping Late Date is vital, it's also virtually the only place you'll hear tunes from the 40s and 50s which are a joy.

Eh, I wasn't an adult during the 1980's......

Lady Chatterton

heybaby wrote: »

I think if you're younger than 45/50 then late date is not going to appeal to you.........

Late Date wants listeners who were adults during the 80s.

I was in primary school in the 80's ....... I've been listening to Late Date on and off since my early 30's. I feel Lillian Smith and to a lesser extent Fiachna appeal to a younger audience. I'd say it's safe to say that people working nights tune in too.

In other news ......

Fiachna played the 'Flowers' again this evening...... he really is becoming Mr. Pluggedy McPlug :rolleyes:

Euphoria Intensifies

Lmao I wasn't even alive in the 80s.

Yeah somebody requested a Flowers track. Don't know why they bothered seeing as Fiachna plays them every week anyways

Joe_ Public

Lady Chatterton wrote: »

Deirdre mentioned her children more times last night than Ray D'arcy mentions Kate & Tom....and that's saying something.

For me, Leo was the best guest presenter of the week, his voice is easy to listen to (at that hour of night) and his music choices were decent enough.

Yeah, Deirdre constantly referencing the kids was a bit of a turn off. There was nothing funny or remotely engaging about it. Lillian often does the same, but it feels different because she has established that sense of empathy, it kind of feels like we know them a little.

At one stage the other night Brolly was going on about a journalist with "courage" and "huge integrity". I was certain he was going to relate an anecdote about Veronica Guerin or somebody like that, but no, he was referring to some guy he knew in one of the tabloids and I was wondering why we were supposed to give a hoot about some sports hack in the Daily Star!

Joe_ Public

Euphoria Intensifies wrote: »

Lmao I wasn't even alive in the 80s.

Yeah somebody requested a Flowers track. Don't know why they bothered seeing as Fiachna plays them every week anyways

Only caught the beginning of Fiachna last night. "Dont go", I heard him pleading over the airwaves, "dont leave me now, now, now," as i bolted for the door to catch last orders down the pub!

Trebor176

It looks like Fiachna is off again tonight. It's Lillian in the hot seat.

Losty Dublin

Trebor176 wrote: »

It looks like Fiachna is off again tonight. It's Lillian in the hot seat.

And two wonderful shows, tonight's especially. What's seldom is special.

Trebor176

Losty Dublin wrote: »

And two wonderful shows, tonight's especially. What's seldom is special.

You'll be pleased to hear that she'll be presenting on Friday and Saturday for the next couple of weeks or so

Harry Angstrom

Great to hear Lilian back in her rightful place for the past couple of nights. No Hothouse Flowers and no Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep.

Lady Chatterton

Harry Angstrom wrote: »

Great to hear Lilian back in her rightful place for the past couple of nights. No Hothouse Flowers and no Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep.

It was great to have Lilian back, I thoroughly enjoyed last night's show but she didn't get around to playing my request

She will be presenting next Friday and Saturday too, lets hope Fiachna and the Flowers have loads of gigs lined up in the coming weeks months

Joe_ Public

As much as I like and respect John Creedon the fact that Fiacnha is seconded from Late Date anytime he is off makes me half wish John would take more holidays. Sorry John - you're still a legend!

Also, what's the story with Fiachna and Colm Mac An Iomaire, if I've managed to spell that correctly? He plays the guy almost every night he's on, whether on LD or filling in for Creedon. I know djs play records and artists they like quite regularly, but Fiachna's patronage of this artist seems way beyond the norm. Another track he played incessantly up to recently was that creepy BP Fallon song about the late Henry McCullough. He plays them even more than the Flowers!

Lady Chatterton

Thank you Joe, I thought it was in my imagination that he was always playing the BP Fallon - Tribute to Henry McCullough, I've heard it played on both Creedon and Late Date.

I wonder how much say a presenter has in who stands in for them while they're away??? If they do have a major say, I would imagine most would want someone decent but not too good (i.e regarded by listeners as being better).

Isn't it funny all the same how the requests for the Dubliners/Hothouse Flowers version of 'The Rose' dry up when Fiachna isn't presenting It's a great mystery, isn't it?

Losty Dublin

Lady Chatterton wrote: »

It was great to have Lilian back, I thoroughly enjoyed last night's show but she didn't get around to playing my request

She will be presenting next Friday and Saturday too, lets hope Fiachna and the Flowers have loads of gigs lined up in the coming weeks months

No joke here. He played a song of his own making on Friday along with a lengthy gig plug just in case we wanted to listen to the song live.

Joe_ Public

Ah ha Fiachna in good form tonight on Creedon. Texter tells him he had planned to request some Flowers even though he didn't know Fiachna was presenting....and whaddya know, just as it happens, Fiachna had a track lined up right at that very moment. Sure, it'd be rude of him not to play it!! Obligatory gig plug included.

The Parish priest

I emailed Tom Mcguire (head of Radio 1) before Xmas to complain about FoB`s shilling but the gimp didn't even have the manners to reply to me.

Lady Chatterton

I'm convinced that Fiachna is reading this thread and is having some fun with us.

*Waves at Fiachna*

Joe_ Public

Lady Chatterton wrote: »

I'm convinced that Fiachna is reading this thread and is having some fun with us.

*Waves at Fiachna*

Ha, that wouldn't surprise me Lady, but you can be sure, as a long-standing jobbing musician, Fiachna is more than aware of the value of mainstream airplay, even on a relatively low-key slot such as Late Date. Think of all the young talented bands who would kill for even a fraction of the air time Fiachna is shamefully giving his own band. Thats what annoys me most about it.

Joe_ Public

The Parish priest wrote: »

I emailed Tom Mcguire (head of Radio 1) before Xmas to complain about FoB`s shilling but the gimp didn't even have the manners to reply to me.

Look, it's obvious the way they've treated the late night slot for the past couple of years that they dont give a toss what the listeners think. Probably think it was some sort of coup to get a guy like Fiachna on board, he can do as he likes which he pretty much does.

Lady Chatterton

Joe_ Public wrote: »

Ha, that wouldn't surprise me Lady, but you can be sure, as a long-standing jobbing musician, Fiachna is more than aware of the value of mainstream airplay, even on a relatively low-key slot such as Late Date. Think of all the young talented bands who would kill for even a fraction of the air time Fiachna is shamefully giving his own band. Thats what annoys me most about it.

You see this is the part that infuriates me most too, it's an abuse of his (privileged) position.

No one objects to him playing his band's music some of the time but he is completely taking the p1ss at this stage. And that's before you get to him plugging the band's gigs and his wife's new business venture.

A Limerick woman recently contacted Fiachna to say that she had requested a tune three or four times over a few weekends and he hadn't got around to playing it, yet he was playing 'The Rose' on Friday and Saturday some weekends :rolleyes:

Joe_ Public

Exactly. I'm sure he'd probably respond by saying he gets inundated with text requests, but what about all the requests he never gets around to playing?

The tipping point for me was a couple of months back when he mentioned something about a gig in Whelans and referenced the band Fight Like Apes. I have to admit I've never heard the Apes music, but I was aware of them from a piece in one of the papers explaining why they were quitting the business because they couldn't make it pay. I was assuming Fiachna was telling the story as a prelude to playing an Apes track, but silly me, it was another Flowers song he ended up playing. Surely, the grim irony of that couldn't have been lost on him!?

Lady Chatterton

A cruel irony indeed!

Did you hear the show the night that a texter asked Fiachna why he was receiving so many requests from 'Tom' and they were wondering if Tom was actually real

Joe_ Public

Lady Chatterton wrote: »

A cruel irony indeed!

Did you hear the show the night that a texter asked Fiachna why he was receiving so many requests from 'Tom' and they were wondering if Tom was actually real

Ha, no i didnt here that but kudos at least for reading it out. I did laugh a bit at him describing the Flowers song tonight being "from THEIR 1987 album such and such" before having to correct himself in the next sentence :rolleyes:

PeterTheNinth

Interesting debate with Cormac O'Hara tonight... he's great... looking forward to late date now.. I got advanced knowledge of Fiachna's playlist.

Flowers in the Window
You Don't Bring Me Flowers
Hot Hot Hot
Dont Go........ breaking my heart.

Euphoria Intensifies

Lillian playing some great stuff tonight. She is hard bet! Really like that City of Stars song from La La Land.

No sign of the Flowers either 

Joe_ Public

Must say glad i made it home for the last hour tonight, its been sublime. Hadn't heard that Ray Davies choral song before, it was awesome, as was the Gregory Porter and a couple before it. Also, that version of Ewan MacColl's Sweet Thames Flow Softly by the Wainwright siblings might just be one of the most gorgeous things I've ever heard.

Lady Chatterton

Last night's show was a real treat, Lilian is passionate about the programme and it definitely shows.

Apart from the great music she plays, I like her voice and she has a friendly/flirty style of presenting that makes her appeal to both men and women (of all ages). Lads, we should probably think about starting a petition to keep Lilian in the weekend slot permanently.

Losty Dublin

We'll take Manhattan; that could be Lillian's theme song

Joe_ Public

Lady Chatterton wrote: »

Last night's show was a real treat, Lilian is passionate about the programme and it definitely shows.

Apart from the great music she plays, I like her voice and she has a friendly/flirty style of presenting that makes her appeal to both men and women (of all ages). Lads, we should probably think about starting a petition to keep Lilian in the weekend slot permanently.

I would be willing to lead a march down the dual carriageway and set the rte mast on fire if i thought it would make one iota of a difference.

I am certain, though, given the level of staffing in the place, that there is at least one spare minion keeping an eye on these threads out there. They know what a fck up they have made of things.

Lady Chatterton

RTE have an awful habit of trying to fix things that aren't broken :mad:

They took the Saturday Night Show off Brendan O'Connor even though his ratings were excellent and landed us with boring Mr. Porridge (Ray D'arcy). Lilian was doing a great job at the weekends and they sidelined her in favour of Fiachna, it's so infuriating.

Harry Angstrom

Lady Chatterton wrote: »

Last night's show was a real treat, Lilian is passionate about the programme and it definitely shows.

Apart from the great music she plays, I like her voice and she has a friendly/flirty style of presenting that makes her appeal to both men and women (of all ages). Lads, we should probably think about starting a petition to keep Lilian in the weekend slot permanently.

We need to get that petition going. Lilian is outstanding tonight. Tom Waits, Nick Drake, Gordon Lightfoot, a couple of Bob tunes, with Joan singing Forever Young better than Bob could sing it. Where do I sign?

Lady Chatterton

Missed last night's show, Harry but I will listen back to it. I think tonight might be Lilian's last show for a little while....John Creedon is back from holidays next week so Fiachna will be returning to Late Date.......and so will the 'Flowers' music and the endless plugs

Trebor176

Lady Chatterton wrote: »

Missed last night's show, Harry but will I listen back to it. I think tonight might be Lilian's last show for a little while....John Creedon is back from holidays next week so Fiachna will be returning to Late Date.......and so will the 'Flowers' music and the endless plugs

She mentioned that she thinks she'll be on next Saturday too. She seemed uncertain, so maybe it won't be her last show tonight She's a pleasure to listen to.

Losty Dublin

Lady Chatterton wrote: »

Missed last night's show, Harry but I will listen back to it. I think tonight might be Lilian's last show for a little while....John Creedon is back from holidays next week so Fiachna will be returning to Late Date.......and so will the 'Flowers' music and the endless plugs

It may well have been her best show ever.

Trebor176

Last night might be it for a while for Lillian. Though, she did say she has a feeling that she'll be back on Saturday, but not Friday. John Creedon will be back, so Fiachna will be back in his Friday slot. I don't like to hear her saying that she'll be off for a while, or that she'll pop up again some time, somewhere. It just shows that there is the uncertainty there.

Harry Angstrom

Trebor176 wrote: »

Last night might be it for a while for Lillian. Though, she did say she has a feeling that she'll be back on Saturday, but not Friday. John Creedon will be back, so Fiachna will be back in his Friday slot. I don't like to hear her saying that she'll be off for a while, or that she'll pop up again some time, somewhere. It just shows that there is the uncertainty there.

Reminds me of when Jack Charlton started dropping Liam Brady. Pure madness to leave someone so talented on the sidelines....

Harry Angstrom

Nice to hear the Penguin Cafe Orchestra. There's never much mention of the late and very talented Simon Jeffes.

Joe_ Public

Trebor176 wrote: »

Last night might be it for a while for Lillian. Though, she did say she has a feeling that she'll be back on Saturday, but not Friday. John Creedon will be back, so Fiachna will be back in his Friday slot. I don't like to hear her saying that she'll be off for a while, or that she'll pop up again some time, somewhere. It just shows that there is the uncertainty there.

There'd be no uncertainty if they appointed a host who was guaranteed to be available on the weekend nights that are the basic requirement of the gig and not one who has to regularly cry off (the more the better, obviously) because he has other priorities to take care of. I'm sure Fiachna will let them know in his own good time whether he will be available for saturday or not :rolleyes:

Euphoria Intensifies

I think Cathal has come into his own the last few months. He sounds a lot more settled and breezy than previously. Enjoy the mix of music he plays. Not the ~best voice~ for nighttime radio, but I've warmed to him a lot.

thesaurus2

I think Lillian is streets ahead of Cathal Murray. He's just a bit too smug and, dare I say it, too young and now knowledgeable enough about music. He'd be better off in a roving reporter role for a daytime show.

Joe_ Public

thesaurus2 wrote: »

I think Lillian is streets ahead of Cathal Murray. He's just a bit too smug and, dare I say it, too young and now knowledgeable enough about music. He'd be better off in a roving reporter role for a daytime show.

I would have to take issue with that bit anyway. I used to listen to Cathal quite a lot on the weekend on one and what shone through most of all was his knowledge of music. I dont care what age he is, he knows his music, past and present.

One criticism i'd have of him is why every second song or thereabouts seems to be a birthday or an anniversary. Maybe its a deliberate thing so he doesnt have to play so many requests which he obviously doesnt like? Either way, just seems a bit over-done to me.

ford fiesta

Knowledge about music does not matter anymore...new/young presenters get it from the web and not from experiencing it themselves or from memory (though doubt it in Cathal's case, he is knowledgeable than others of his age!!).

By the way.. he isn't exactly young at 40 !! A few years younger than Lilian who is 44.

The Parish Priest.

Late date had far younger presenters back in the 80s, Myles Dungan, Mark Costigan and John Creedon were only in their 20s during their stint hosting it.

ford fiesta

The Parish Priest. wrote: »

Late date had far younger presenters back in the 80s, Myles Dungan, Mark Costigan and John Creedon were only in their 20s during their stint hosting it.

Can we compile a list of presenters since the beginning or I think it has been attempted before here...?

HeidiHeidi

The Parish Priest. wrote: »

Late date had far younger presenters back in the 80s, Myles Dungan, Mark Costigan and John Creedon were only in their 20s during their stint hosting it.

Val Joyce surely must have balanced that out during his time on the programme!

I miss Val, best presenter EVER :mad:

Joe_ Public

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

Val Joyce surely must have balanced that out during his time on the programme!

I miss Val, best presenter EVER :mad:

Val was one of my favourite presenters too, along with John Kelly. Stupid rte muppets got rid of them both on the same day!

I remember his long-winded monologues on the day's racing which seemed so strange and idiosyncratic. I loved him!

Red Fred

ford fiesta wrote: »

Can we compile a list of presenters since the beginning or I think it has been attempted before here...?

Yep was done here:

http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057057927/1/#post86945730

Lady Chatterton

ford fiesta wrote: »

Can we compile a list of [Late Date] presenters since the beginning or I think it has been attempted before here...?

Mykola wrote: »

Liam Nolan, Derek Davis, Mark Costigan. John Creedon in the late 80s and again from 2006-2009. Maxi presented it at weekends from the early 90s till 2000. Val Joyce presented it weekdays from 1989-2006.

I have fond memories of John Creedon's stint as a Late Date presenter back in 2006/2007. I had a very colicky baby at the time so I spent most nights walking the floor and John's music and banter helped to keep me sane.