
Don’t sweat the big stuff: Top earner Tubridy sticks to small talk
- TV, Radio, Web
- January 22, 2021, 05:00
Radio: Ryan Tubridy’s spiel shows his ability as a broadcaster. Sounding this effortless isn’t easy

Joe Duffy et al do what the mother and baby home commission could not
- TV, Radio, Web
- January 15, 2021, 05:00
The week's radio shows let survivors set records straight, share their anger and ask crucial questions

Ray D’Arcy has the solution to all our problems
- TV, Radio, Web
- January 8, 2021, 05:45
This is mightily flimsy stuff, more suited to local radio. But, against the odds, it works

Sarah McInerney and Cormac Ó hEadhra have transformed Drivetime into compelling radio
- TV, Radio, Web
- December 18, 2020, 05:30
Ó hEadhra’s focused outrage and McInerney’s cooler tenaciousness has rejuvenated one of RTÉ Radio's flagship shows

Pat Kenny is a smart man, but he asks some silly questions
- TV, Radio, Web
- December 11, 2020, 05:00
Radio: Veteran host sounds relaxed and confident, though his unwitting comedic side remains

Shopping and fussing: Retail reopening brings out Claire Byrne’s stern side
- TV, Radio, Web
- December 4, 2020, 05:00
Her RTÉ show can stray towards sounding a bit judgy, no matter how sensible its advice

Ryan Tubridy swears he dropped a B-bomb, not an F-bomb, on Late Late Toy Show
- TV, Radio, Web
- November 30, 2020, 12:42
Presenter uses his RTÉ Radio 1 programme to insist he didn’t utter the F-word on Friday night

Miriam O’Callaghan’s ‘forever sorry’ apology puts her usual touchy-feeliness in the shade
- TV, Radio, Web
- November 27, 2020, 06:00
She expresses her sorrow with uncharacteristic trepidation. Then it’s on with the show

Joe Duffy’s rapping is as shocking as anything on the airwaves this year
- TV, Radio, Web
- November 20, 2020, 05:45
Duffy’s unfunny rhymes make Dustin the Turkey sound like Wu-Tang Clan

Ciara Kelly hits radio gold as health expert suggests postponing Christmas
- TV, Radio, Web
- November 13, 2020, 05:00
Newstalk host sounds sceptical as Trinity College professor floats a novel idea to delay festivities

Drivetime duo emerge as winners from divisive election
- TV, Radio, Web
- November 7, 2020, 05:00
Sarah McInerney and Cormac Ó hEadhra gel as US poll unfolds, Joe Duffy gets populist about panto

‘Attention-seeking’ Shane Ross has a spiky joust with Regina Doherty
- TV, Radio, Web
- October 30, 2020, 10:00
Shane Ross has a barbed confrontation with Regina Doherty... and a cosy chat with Brendan O’Connor

Rising Time’s Shay Byrne is so glum he makes Morning Ireland seem cheerful
- TV, Radio, Web
- October 23, 2020, 05:00
... while chirpy Ryan Tubridy leads listeners into lockdown with head-boy earnestness

Paschal Donohoe and Michael McGrath upstaged by creche worker on Claire Byrne show
- TV, Radio, Web
- October 16, 2020, 05:31
Claire Byrne's first post-budget phone-in is a disappointment as she fails to pin down ministers

Sam McConkey’s Spinal Tap moment takes the restrictions debate to Level 10
- TV, Radio, Web
- October 9, 2020, 05:45
The professor’s conversation with Pat Kenny on Newstalk is unintentionally hilarious

Drivetime’s pumped up Cormac Ó hEadhra leaves Sarah McInerney subdued
- TV, Radio, Web
- October 2, 2020, 05:30
The newly partnered duo are still finding their feet, or at least trying not to tread on each other too much

'Dermot and Dave's Dermot Whelan's meditation tool
- TV, Radio, Web
- September 25, 2020, 05:00
Capering presenter discusses mindfulness as Andrea Gilligan hits a groove on her show

Stephen Donnelly dodges the questions as Matt Cooper mercilessly pursues the answers
- TV, Radio, Web
- September 18, 2020, 05:00
Radio review: Matt Cooper has a good day at the office. The health minister not so much

Jennifer Zamparelli overplays her hand in 2FM face mask non-debate
- TV, Radio, Web
- September 15, 2020, 14:08
Controversy over 2FM presenter’s dropped discussion seems down to poor judgment

Listless Ray D’Arcy increasingly adrift in a sea of fresh voices
- TV, Radio, Web
- September 11, 2020, 05:45
The staleness of the presenter's sweet ‘n’ sour format is a long-running concern

Newstalk’s new drivetime host Kieran Cuddihy tries too hard at taking it easy
- TV, Radio, Web
- September 4, 2020, 05:45
Overeagerness aside, Cuddihy can make a success of his show, as can Andrea Gilligan

‘What a way to start’: Claire Byrne puts Micheál Martin through the wringer
- TV, Radio, Web
- August 28, 2020, 05:45
The presenter’s interview with Taoiseach sets tone as she takes over Today show on RTÉ Radio 1

Charlie Bird is mad as hell and he’s not going to take it any more
- TV, Radio, Web
- August 21, 2020, 05:00
Best reads of 2020: The retired reporter’s rant on ageism proved too much for Sarah McInerney

Pat Kenny looks in as Ivan Yates bows out
- TV, Radio, Web
- July 25, 2020, 06:00
Newstalk’s morning host’s unguarded admission underlines his good mood, while his opinionated colleague retires with honesty

Ivan Yates – embodiment of Newstalk’s iconoclastic self-image – hangs up his mic
- TV, Radio, Web
- July 23, 2020, 06:00
At home on radio, Yates was provocative without tipping into gratuitous offence

Gavan Reilly’s solid Newstalk show is just not infectious enough
- TV, Radio, Web
- July 17, 2020, 10:00
Radio review: The Sunday morning programme needs more zip to compete with rivals

Mild-mannered he may be, but Matt Cooper will go 10 rounds with anyone
- TV, Radio, Web
- July 10, 2020, 11:00
Radio review: Last Word presenter goes toe to toe to get facts straight with Peter Tatchell

Ah, will you not dump on your new Taoiseach for us? It’s the least you could do
- TV, Radio, Web
- July 3, 2020, 06:00
Radio review: Combative hosts struggle to make TDs rise to their Government-formation bait

Ray D’Arcy, almost overcome by calamity, presents his most memorable show in ages
- TV, Radio, Web
- June 26, 2020, 06:00
Radio review: Glitches pile up as the host hears pandemic stories from all 32 counties

Judging by Ryan Tubridy’s show, we have Covid-19 on the run
- TV, Radio, Web
- June 19, 2020, 06:00
Radio review: The chipper presenter barely referred to the pandemic this week

The ‘pack them tight’ landlord is a gift for Sarah McInerney
- TV, Radio, Web
- June 12, 2020, 06:00
“You look delighted with yourself,” the RTÉ host curtly tells her cartoonish guest

‘Get the eff out of this country’: Irish racism, as heard on Liveline
- TV, Radio, Web
- June 5, 2020, 06:00
Radio review: Joe Duffy sounds at a loss; Newstalk has snapshots from a US in turmoil

The strain is starting to tell on Brendan O’Connor
- TV, Radio, Web
- May 29, 2020, 06:00
Radio review: The coronavirus crisis has dulled his once-sparky morning programme

Sarah McInerney is forensic, relentless and fierce in Seán O’Rourke’s old slot
- TV, Radio, Web
- May 22, 2020, 06:00
The former Newstalk presenter has firmly placed her stamp on RTÉ Radio 1 mornings

Ciara Kelly, Covid-19 patient and self-isolation advocate, changes her mind
- TV, Radio, Web
- May 15, 2020, 14:43
Radio: The presenter’s questions are less urgent health queries than audience clickbait

Matt Damon in Dalkey: Star breaks cover for surprise lockdown interview
- TV, Radio, Web
- May 13, 2020, 12:20
Stranded Hollywood actor has spirit-lifting conversation with Spin 1038’s morning hosts

Sean O’Rourke’s final show reminds listeners why he’ll be missed
- TV, Radio, Web
- May 9, 2020, 06:00
He interviews both ministers and hairdressers with professionalism and passion

Nudity, teenage sex, porno movies and plain old fornication: Liveline has it all
- TV, Radio, Web
- May 1, 2020, 12:25
Joe Duffy can’t believe his luck – er, sorry, ears – when callers splutter about Normal People

Ray D’Arcy’s pointless exercise in solipsistic navel gazing
- TV, Radio, Web
- April 25, 2020, 06:00
His rambling account of baking bread shows he’s the ideal presenter for our time

A hard act to follow: Sean O’Rourke will be missed by more than just his listeners
- TV, Radio, Web
- April 21, 2020, 14:02
RTÉ will struggle to replace a host whose ease was accompanied by formidable news skills

Des Cahill sounds out of tune as he swaps sport for music
- TV, Radio, Web
- April 18, 2020, 06:00
Radio Review: Presenter seems ill-suited to venerable format as Off The Ball carries on regardless

Ryan Tubridy’s absence due to Covid-19 was oddly disconcerting
- TV, Radio, Web
- April 11, 2020, 06:00
The RTÉ star sounds uncharacteristically elegiac after his coronavirus experience

Ivan Yates allows ancient rivalries provide respite from new menace
- TV, Radio, Web
- April 4, 2020, 06:00
Sombre Newstalk host rediscovers irreverent persona for on-air prank, while Morning Ireland highlights the perils of shopping

Some people need to wash out their mouths as well as their hands
- TV, Radio, Web
- March 28, 2020, 06:00
Radio review: Joe Duffy hears tales of social distancing prompting antisocial behaviour

I have ‘something personal’ to share, Ciara Kelly told listeners
- TV, Radio, Web
- March 21, 2020, 06:00
69 new cases of coronavirus had been detected the previous day. ‘I am one of them,’ she said

Ryan Tubridy ponders positives to the crisis, a ‘corona bounce’ as he puts it
- TV, Radio, Web
- March 14, 2020, 06:00
He assures us he can broadcast from home. Some may not see that as an upside

As Ireland loses its head, the reliably dotty Mary O’Rourke is an oasis of calm
- TV, Radio, Web
- March 7, 2020, 06:00
‘How lovely to die on a rug in the garden with the sun beaming down,’ she tells Ray D’Arcy

Eurovision 2020: The verdict on Story of my Life, Ireland’s entry
- Music
- March 5, 2020, 10:25
Lesley Roy’s song has been billed as a game changer. For once, the plaudits might be justified

Hosts keep calm and carry on talking as coronavirus stories spread
- TV, Radio, Web
- February 29, 2020, 06:00
RTÉ's Sean O'Rourke and 98FM shock jock Adrian Kennedy tamp down fears but Ciara Kelly has other ideas

Ivan Yates turns the blowtorch on all politicians
- TV, Radio, Web
- February 22, 2020, 06:00
Yates doesn’t so much grill politicians as turn them over an open fire on a spit roast

Joe Duffy is in his element as Liveline callers pile into each other
- TV, Radio, Web
- February 15, 2020, 06:00
The conversation turns ugly the moment the post-election Liveline opens

Scorched-earth Ivan Yates is more in tune than brainy Pat Kenny
- TV, Radio, Web
- February 8, 2020, 06:00
Kenny may be out of step with the restive public mood, but his interviews are memorable

Ciara Kelly tries to stir the autism controversy without offending anyone. She fails
- TV, Radio, Web
- February 1, 2020, 06:00
Radio review: Ray D’Arcy shows all politics is personal, while Ciara Kelly ties herself in knots

Election 2020 debate: Pointedly rude Matt Cooper and Ivan Yates oversee a political punch-up
- TV, Radio, Web
- January 31, 2020, 06:12
TV review: Leo Varadkar is the weakest link in a game show-style political contest

A Ryan Tubridy interview takes a terrifying twist
- TV, Radio, Web
- January 25, 2020, 06:00
Radio review: The presenter reacts sensitively to Úna Keane's tale of a harrowing attack

Ivan Yates keeps his counsel as election overshadowed by horrific events
- TV, Radio, Web
- January 18, 2020, 06:00
Radio review: Newstalk host has comparatively quiet week while Mary Wilson chips away at political guests

Deaths of Larry Gogan and Marian Finucane leave Montrose reeling
- TV, Radio, Web
- January 11, 2020, 06:00
Radio review: In a sad week, RTÉ presenters pull together to remember broadcasting legends

Larry Gogan obituary: ‘He was the greatest ... Simple as that’
- TV, Radio, Web
- January 8, 2020, 13:00
The radio DJ with a voice ‘as smooth as a billiard ball’ will live long in the collective memory

Larry Gogan: The man who made Ireland swing
- TV, Radio, Web
- January 7, 2020, 12:45
The 2FM broadcaster, who has died at 85, was one of our first and best radio DJs

Marty Morrissey helpless mirth gets trumped by melancholy
- TV, Radio, Web
- January 4, 2020, 06:00
Radio review: RTÉ’s preview of 2020 turns unexpectedly sombre, as Second Captains get more sport from a determined diplomat

Marian Finucane: A fun, fearless and unflappable radio voice
- TV, Radio, Web
- January 2, 2020, 20:59
‘Her death has robbed RTÉ – and Ireland – of a protean talent who had enduring charisma’

Sean O’Rourke keeps Christmas spirit alive but adds to his naughty list
- TV, Radio, Web
- December 21, 2019, 06:00
RTÉ host gets to the heart of the childcare crisis , as O’Shea welcomes all book-lovers

Ciara Kelly’s Newstalk show has lost its zing
- TV, Radio, Web
- December 14, 2019, 06:00
Review: Every radio show has filler, but Ciara Kelly has had the trowel out a lot recently

Katie Hannon seems to enjoy her guests’ discomfort
- TV, Radio, Web
- December 7, 2019, 06:00
Radio review: The host waits for guests to slip up before she turns the screw

Radio review of 2019: As RTÉ mourned Gaybo, it was tearing itself apart
- Music
- December 7, 2019, 05:00
The contrast between RTÉ’s obvious disdain for Lyric and indulgent attitude toward 2fm sent out a deeply negative signal

Rick O’Shea: ‘I was never passionate about the idea of being on the radio’
- Books
- December 3, 2019, 05:00
The man born Paul Crossan has gone from pop jock to credible host of RTÉ's Book Show

Man in the muddle: Niall Boylan assumes surprising moderating role
- TV, Radio, Web
- November 30, 2019, 06:00
Defiant farmers cause 4FM presenter to drop the F-bomb, but his shock jock instincts remain

These days, Marian Finucane sounds lofty and out of touch
- TV, Radio, Web
- November 23, 2019, 06:00
Radio review: For nearly two decades, she has reigned supreme in a coveted weekend slot

Miriam O’Callaghan is rendered powerless by Danny Healy-Rae
- TV, Radio, Web
- November 16, 2019, 06:00
Radio review: Her interview with minister Eoghan Murphy is more reconciliation than rematch

Gay Byrne’s legacy gets presenters talking... about themselves
- TV, Radio, Web
- November 9, 2019, 06:00
Broadcaster’s death prompts on-air eulogies from colleagues, plus some self-revelation

Hold the mic: How Gay Byrne ruled the radio waves
- Culture
- November 4, 2019, 16:00
Radio show arguably even more important catalyst for change than The Late Late

‘Narcissist’ Ivan Yates needs to feel the love
- TV, Radio, Web
- November 2, 2019, 06:00
Radio review: Sometimes ‘excessive self-admiration’ is justified, says Newstalk presenter

A daylight hold-up in central Dublin: Who needs Halloween scare stories?
- TV, Radio, Web
- October 26, 2019, 06:00
Joe Duffy hears how two men pointed a gun at a tourist and robbed her handbag

Matt Cooper bores through Brexit to seek fresh subjects
- TV, Radio, Web
- October 19, 2019, 06:00
Today FM host acknowledges jaded public mood, while Jennifer Zamparelli reveals a gritty side of Irish life

Greta Thunberg derangement syndrome claims another victim: Pat Kenny
- TV, Radio, Web
- October 13, 2019, 06:00
The condition is triggered by exposure to a Swedish girl who doesn’t want the world to end

Mark Cagney breezes through the storm on his return to radio
- TV, Radio, Web
- October 5, 2019, 06:00
Erstwhile TV host brings a light touch to Newstalk stint as Lorenzo and Brexit rage on

Ryan Tubridy makes heavy weather of Greta Thunberg's climate crusade
- TV, Radio, Web
- September 27, 2019, 12:45
Presenter catches flak over his clunky concern for teenage activist’s health

The Bluffer’s Guide to Suburbia review: Returning emigrant dissects his home in sprawling style
- Stage
- September 27, 2019, 11:20
Dublin Theatre Festival: Ray Scannell’s ambitious musical drama is performed with aplomb but lacks focus

Marty Whelan talks spaghetti westerns as Lyric FM faces high noon
- TV, Radio, Web
- September 21, 2019, 05:00
Radio Review: Classical music station fulfills its public broadcasting remit with variety and wit – why is it under threat?

Vespertilio review: Finding love in the batcave
- Stage
- September 19, 2019, 12:21
Dublin Fringe Festival: Mismatched outsiders form romance in wistfully charming two-hander

Grounds for Concern review: Gaelic football drama scores a crucial point
- Stage
- September 16, 2019, 10:11
Dublin Fringe Festival: Inventive one man show deals with a young player's mental health struggles

Miriam O’Callaghan runs close to caricature of herself
- TV, Radio, Web
- September 14, 2019, 05:00
Review: By the end of a compelling interview, O’Callaghan positively embraces her self-parodying side

Shane Coleman gets hot ticket to Brexit pantomime
- TV, Radio, Web
- September 7, 2019, 05:00
Radio Review: Newstalk Breakfast presenter captures the charged atmosphere in London, while Ray D’Arcy looks at problems closer to(...)

Shot of reality: As vaccinations decline, Miriam O’Callaghan injects some sense
- TV, Radio, Web
- August 31, 2019, 05:00
Radio Review: Guests on RTÉ and Newstalk’s Pat Kenny Show have no truck with anti-vaxxers

Ciara Kelly: ‘I can see many reasons not to vote for a united Ireland’
- TV, Radio, Web
- August 10, 2019, 05:00
Radio: The Newstalk host appears to share callers' doubts about reunification

Live and let try: Maggie Doyle trolls Ryan Tubridy's heroes
- TV, Radio, Web
- August 3, 2019, 05:00
Stand-in presenter shows her strengths while spinning out sparse material, as Jonathan Healy hears of heroic resistance to a helli(...)

No laughing matter as Miriam O'Callaghan gets the balance right
- TV, Radio, Web
- July 27, 2019, 05:00
Presenter helms discussions on drugs and Boris Johnson, as Ivan Yates gets crash course on cocaine

Katie Hannon gets personal as abortion arguments turn nasty
- TV, Radio, Web
- July 13, 2019, 06:00
Presenter brings her own experiences to charged exchanges on Liveline, while Ciara Kelly shows her bedside manner in bleak convers(...)

Eoghan Murphy on the housing crisis is like a talking Ken doll repeating himself
- TV, Radio, Web
- July 6, 2019, 05:45
Minister is defensive on housing crisis with Today FM, as Morning Ireland debates definitions of disaster

Ryan Tubridy brings a whole new meaning to ‘summer nonsense’
- TV, Radio, Web
- June 29, 2019, 07:45
He hits the right note for early silly season. At his best he is entertaining on-air company

Majella Moynihan: ‘They portrayed me as an easy woman’
- TV, Radio, Web
- June 22, 2019, 05:00
Radio review: Her tale of forced adoption sounds like the stuff of fiction but is all too real

Has Joe Duffy ever considered becoming a private detective?
- TV, Radio, Web
- June 15, 2019, 05:00
Radio review: The presenter shows off his digging skills over a racist incident on the train