RTE Gold discussion thread

GSF

The top 100 opening lines chart on Monday was a great listen. Stuck with it nearly all day.

Brid Hegarty

It really is a pity that the most diverse radio station for music is only available on internet radio.

leath_dub

Deleted

Glaceon

Will Leahy was off for the last few days and was covered by Al Dunne and Aidan Leonard as usual. The playlist was so much better. Will is back this morning and the third song he played was Watermelon Sugar… give me a break!

alzer100

I don't know if that is just coincidental as I think that when the station goes with a "live presenter" they just continue with the automated playlist with some of their own seleted tracks added in at certain intervals. I don't think that their are any exceptions whether it's Will Leahy, Rick O'Shea, Aidan Leonard or Al Dunne. It could be down to personal taste as I have often experienced an hour of RTE Gold in which a good proportion of the music played wasn't my cup of tea and then would experience another hour in which it was. So look you could be right but I don't know as the station is very highly formatted.

GSF

Will plays a lot of modern stuff from the last 10-15 years whereas Al is very much a 70s guy

ford fiesta

Will Leahy has a policy of playing a handful of current / recent hits (usually a chart artist that sounds 'normal' for example Billie Eilish or even Adele, or a well established 80s artist with a new single for example Paul Weller) on his breakfast show.

When Al Dunne or Aidan Leonard are filling in, they tend not to follow this.

Rick might play one recent (i.e.: the past few years) indie hit or Irish song on his show.

alzer100

Agreed. I have found some of that happening during the afternoon also. Personally, I like that as it adds something different to the playlist imho.

Declan A Walsh

I am going through the RTE player for RTE Gold and am listening to a bit of ABC to XTC with John Connolly. It has all his programmes from the start of this year. It's very good and I hope to go through his remaining programs to date. I had seen posts about it, but it's my first time hearing it. It's a great eclectic selection of music with a very knowledgeable presenter I had not heard before. Of course, not listening live means you can skip!

Here is a thought. Which of the presenters, past and present, of RTE Gold have had no other connections to RTE radio? From what I read about him on Linkedin, it looks like John Connolly is one example. Another would be Karl Tsignidos - Radio Ireland/Today FM and Dublin City FM - I added "radio" to RTE because he was on tv! Al Dunne is another if you do not count Atlantic 252 as RTE, as it was partly owned by RTE. He also was with Lite FM (now Q102) and 4FM (now Classic Hits). Any more of these non-RTE presenters?

Oscar Bravo

Good station ,like the overnights on Radio 1, infact it should be extended until 7am and replace that bore Shay byrne

odyssey06

Im a big fan of ABC to XTC.

Weird issue... the January 15th programme was replayed on the 22nd by mistake! Hopefully a once off.

Glaceon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118564933#Comment_118564933

Someone questioned Will on it before and he claimed that he throws a few new tracks in to appease those who are forced to listen to the show by their parents. I don't like it but it's his show I suppose!

alzer100

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118567990#Comment_118567990

You are quite right! Hopefully it was just an automation issue.

ford fiesta

John Connolly is also a well known author

alzer100

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118567968#Comment_118567968

I know this may sound stupid but I genuinely don't know but where did Eric Moore come from before Gold? Was he ex 2FM?

ford fiesta

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118568172#Comment_118568172

He was with RTE Pulse, before RTE Gold. Before that he was with some Dance pirates in Dublin.

https://www.echo.ie/radio-gold-dj-eric-moore-likes-striking-a-chord-with-fans/

alzer100

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118567968#Comment_118567968

I don't think there is anyone else tbh. Nails Mahoney had a Sunday afternoon show on Gold but he worked on 2FM in very late 80's iirc and Atlantic 252 in the early 90's. As you mentioned I think Al Dunne is one of the exceptions. Incidentally, I think Al Dunne is a fabulous presenter and a real pro. From a nostalgic perspective I can still recall memories of listening to him when I was going to work, he was doing the breakfast show on Super-Q102 in 1988.

Red Fred

If memory serves me correctly, Al Dunne presented on Millennium Radio in 1989 after the pirates closed, so technically he has a previous RTE connection.

alzer100

Yes, you are quite correct!

Declan A Walsh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118568186#Comment_118568186

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118568280#Comment_118568280

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118568544#Comment_118568544

I never knew Al Dunne was on Millennium Radio. Al might be off the list bit Eric Moore is added! By the way, I was just reading through the pirates he mentioned. Strictly speaking, the only dance-specific pirate that he referred to was Power FM, and the others that he was on were all from the late 1980s.

ford fiesta

Interesting that for the first time in its 15 year history, RTE Gold programmes will be associated with business promotions/sponsorship.

Promos currently running, are telling us that the St Patricks holiday programming (including the top 200 Irish countdown and Dave Fanning Irish specials) are sponsored by Harvey Norman.

channelsurfer2

Have they decided to test the waters on this? I enjoyed the top 200 and did notice the sponsorship

Would be great to hear it on national FM!

cute geoge

Do 2fm have an audience for the dance rave music it transmets for a good share of the 24 hours everyday ,I love rte gold and think it would have a bigger audience then 2 fm most of the time but what would i know

ford fiesta

No Rick on from 10 am to 1 pm so far this week and no fill-in presenter either

alzer100

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118822737#Comment_118822737

COVID maybe? But there really should be a fill in presenter.

ford fiesta

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118824105#Comment_118824105

there usually is, Aidan Leonard or Amanda Fennelly.

Did Will mention anything at the end of his breakfast show ?

alzer100

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118824131#Comment_118824131

I haven't been listening to any of the morning shows this week. I know Aiden Leonard was on holidays recently. I take it that he is back. I think they just prioritise the breakfast show with regards to having a fill in presenter unfortunately. Curios to know the reason for Rick O'Sheas absence.

ford fiesta

I just listened back to the end of Will Leahy's breakfast show from today - Will said Rick is off for the week, but Truffles (Eric Threlfall) will be operating the playlist in Rick's timeslot and we could still send in song requests.

Eric does not do any presenter links.

alzer100

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118824892#Comment_118824892

It's probably down to short notice with Rick O'Sheas absence. They seem to be able to get coverage for that slot when he is on official holidays but I don't know why they can't get either Aiden Leonard, Michael Cahill, Al Dunne (although running his own business) or even Eric Moore to cover but I suppose that's just Montrose!