Donal Broughan:DONAL BROUGHAN, who has died aged 55, was the presenter of one the best music programmes on Irish radio, The Weekend on One, broadcast by RTÉ on Saturday mornings from 6 to 8am and attracting more than 85,000 listeners.
One of many tributes posted on the internet described Broughan as a “joy to listen to”. Another stated: “Clearly his show was a labour of love, he had high standards, he put everything into it and it showed.”
His friend Rev Ian Poulton said: “Donal was a polymath, wide ranging and diverse in his competencies; reflecting on mediaeval philosophy at one moment and 1960s rock music the next; delighting in the natural world and then turning to DIY. Whatever he did, he did it meticulously. His Saturday morning RTÉ radio programme was never a gathering together of a few records; every item was researched and prepared with care.”
Writer and journalist Declan Lynch wrote: “It wasn’t just that he had abnormally fine taste in music, it was the coherence of his sensibility which was most impressive, the unique aesthetic at work, the way he could make it seem that there was a common thread between the Tulla Céilí Band, Joy Division and Iris Dement, and that he alone had spotted it.”
Philip Boucher-Hayes joined RTÉ on the same day as Broughan. He said his colleague had been gifted with a “stunning voice”, and described him as a “clever, well-read, warm engaging broadcaster” whose work was informed by “insight and perspective”.
Born in Dublin in 1956, he was the son of Paul Matthew Broughan and his wife Gertrude (Gerry) (née Gannon). His father worked for Teagasc and the family moved from Rathdowney, Co Laois, to Athy, Co Kildare and then to Foxrock, Co Dublin.
He attended Oatlands College, Stillorgan, where he displayed a strong independent streak and was often frustrated by teachers’ responses to his questions. Once, with arms outstretched in exasperation, he asked a teacher, “But why?” only to be told, “Look, Broughan, you’ll learn ‘why’ next year.”
He studied botany, zoology and geology at University College Dublin and graduated with a BSc in 1977.
Growing up, he enjoyed the music of Little Feat, Bad Company and Yes. In the 1970s he was drawn to the Dublin music scene. Vocalist with the six-piece Noise Boys, the first band to play the Dandelion Market in Dublin, he is reputed to have upstaged Ian Dury and the Blockheads at a gig in the Olympic Ballroom.
Also in 1979, he fronted The Defenders, a band formed to raise funds for Heatmagazine in order to defend a libel action. Charles O'Connor, Eamonn Carr and Johnny Fean of Horslips were part of the line-up at a memorable National Ballroom gig, and Steve Rapid of the Radiators from Space made a guest appearance.
Later he joined The Temps, originally a three-piece soul outfit which became a Mod revival band known as The Real World. The band’s first demo was aired on Dave Fanning’s radio show in June 1984.
He worked for the agricultural training body Acot, the Geological Survey of Ireland and Freebird Records. He also was a lorry driver in Britain and a sub-editor at The Irish Times.In 1991 he joined Options radio productions which led to work with Anna Livia radio, and he joined RTÉ as an announcer/presenter in 1993.
Programmes he presented include J azzology, Nights at the Turntableand Playback.He began presenting The Weekend on Onein 2006. Having mastered the guitar, he continued to play music for his own enjoyment with Tim McStay of the Noise Boys and they held gigs at the Red House and JJ Smyths.
He married Karina Wallis in 1990, and they eventually settled in Derrycouch, Stillbrook, Mountrath, Co Laois. He enjoyed gardening, walking and cycling. Poetry gave him much pleasure and RS Thomas was one of his favourite poets. While music was his great passion, greater still was his passion for his family. He will be missed.
Karina and their sons Ruaidhrí and Conall survive him.
Donal Broughan: born September 4th, 1956; died December 19th, 2011.