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Irish Daily Mirror
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Donncha O'Callaghan wasn't surprised to see Doireann Garrihy return to 2FM
Ireland rugby legend Donncha O'Callaghan said he wasn't surprised to see his former 2FM co-host Doireann Garrihy make a shock return to the station because she is 'so talented'. Last summer, the pair left 2FM Breakfast, as Carl Mullan was later joined by new hosts Roz Purcell and Aisling Bonner. However, it wasn't long before Doireann was back in Montrose as she was announced as the new host of 2FM Drive a couple of months ago. Speaking about the presenter and social media star's swift return, Donncha said: 'I wasn't surprised because of how talented she is. If anything, I was delighted to see her go back and this might sound a bit harsh, but on her own, with her name in lights. Because she deserves that.' While hosting the breakfast show together, the rugby legend said Doireann always had his back. Donncha joked that he loves Carl like a brother, but he would be more prone to slag him on air and leave him to dig himself in a hole. The former Munster star, who has 94 caps for the Irish team, said he hasn't ruled out making a return to radio himself. He told the Irish Sunday Mirror: 'I certainly love radio and it's definitely something I'd love to do again in the future. I miss them (Doireann and Carl) though, I miss that group. I think we all knew it was fairly special. It's rare you get on so well with people as well so quickly.' The former lock pivoted his career away from rugby and sports after retiring, and says this was no accident. He explained: 'I'm good at setting goals, and that's a goal I set for myself for five years (after retiring). If I'm being completely honest, I could have stayed around the rugby environments because that's all I've known since I went into the academies at 17. "I wanted to push myself a little bit, so I had a goal of - can I stand on my own two feet away from all this within five years? I really wanted to have a look in that entertainment space." Despite missing the 2FM show, Donncha is thankful for the energy that it has given him and the time he now has for other projects. He launched a podcast with his former teammate Tommy Bowe and recently published a children's book called Disaster Dad. Foregoing the alarm clock at the break of dawn has also given him more opportunities to do activities with his children, such as cooking. The father shares four children - Sophie, 14, Anna, 12, Robin, 10 and Jake, nine - with his wife, Jenny. Donncha is an ambassador for Tesco Ireland's new Stronger Starts Cooks - a programme rolling out in primary schools across Ireland this year, designed to inspire a lifelong love of food and cooking among children. He said: 'I look at what our teachers do, and they do an incredible job, but you always look for stuff outside the subjects. 'Are there other life lessons they could take away? And I definitely think cooking is one that could, the kitchen can be a classroom in its own terms, you can learn an awful lot about budgeting, timing, safety and working together.'
Irish Daily Mirror
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Oliver Callan has 21k more listeners than Ryan Tubridy on RTE show
Oliver Callan has 21,000 more listeners than Ryan Tubridy's last year on RTÉ Radio 1, as the former Late Late Show presenter's new show is down on Q102. The latest JNLR figures reveal that Callan's 9am slot - which he took over from Tubridy- now has 355,000 listeners, as the newest book marks his first year in the role. This is 25,000 more year on year, and 21,000 more than Tubridy's final year. After his shock departure in the summer of 2023, the former RTÉ star moved to Virgin Radio UK, where he presents a midmorning show called The Ryan Tubridy Show. It is simultaneously broadcast on Q102, and latest JNLR figures show it has 33,000 listeners on the Dublin station. Listenership figures for Virgin Radio UK are not known. This is 4,000 fewer listeners compared to the last book. RTÉ Radio 1 had a positive book, however 2FM's most popular shows were down across the board. 2FM Drive with Doireann Garrihy has 133,000 listeners, which is down 12,000 since the last book. The broadcaster made a shock return to the station at the end of February, accounting for five weeks of the most recent book. The Breakfast Show currently has 148,000 listeners, which is down 4,000 since the last book. This slot also had a change at the end of February, and is now hosted by Carl Mullan, Roz Purcell and Aisling Bonner. On Radio 1, Morning Ireland has 471,000 listeners, which is 5,000 more compared to the last book. As Joe Duffy announced his retirement, his listenership for Liveline in his second final book is 307,000. This is 7,000 less book on book but 6,000 more compared to this period last year. Today with Claire Byrne is down 1,000 listeners since the last book and up 7,000 since last year, sitting at 348,000. The News At One is down 10,000 listeners, now at 297,000. Over at Today FM, Dermot & Dave has 193,000 listeners. This is down 35,000 year on year and 7,000 less compared to the previous book. Ian Dempsey's show is at 204,000, which is 2,000 more than the previous three months but down 12,000 from last year. The Last Word with Matt Cooper has 163,000 listeners, which is down 4,000 on the last book and down 18,000 year on year. Ray Foley's midday show is up 8,000 compared to last year, with 153,000 listeners. Newstalk Breakfast has the same listenership book on book at 165,000. The Pat Kenny Show remains the station's most popular with 224,000 listeners, which is down 13,000 from the previous three months. Lunchtime Live has 135,000 listeners, down 5,000, and The Hard Shoulder is up 3,000 at 153,000.
