The Gay Byrne Show Explained

Show Name:The Gay Byrne Show
Other Names:The Gay Byrne Hour
Format:News and current affairs
Runtime:2 hours
Country:Ireland
Language:English
Home Station:RTÉ Radio 1
Television:The Late Late Show
Presenter:Gay Byrne
Producer:John Caden
Rec Location:Donnybrook, Dublin
First Aired:2 February 1973
Last Aired:24 December 1998

The Gay Byrne Show (previously The Gay Byrne Hour and also known as The GB Show) was an Irish radio programme, which ran from 1973 until 1998. The programme was presented by Gay Byrne, and aired Monday to Friday for two hours each day. It was a favourite of Irish housewives.[1] Before Byrne's retirement in 1998, he was helped by Gareth O'Callaghan (who left for RTÉ 2fm) and then Des Cahill.[2] Future Labour Party face Alex White edited the show for four years.[3]

History

The Gay Byrne Hour began broadcasting on 2 February 1973.[4] It featured many Irish taboo subjects, with forums and discussions.[5]

In 1979, because of an extended air time, the programme was retitled The Gay Byrne Show. The show's reporter was Joe Duffy. In 1976, Byrne won a Jacob's Award for his programme.[6] Duffy also won a Jacob's Award in 1992.[7]

In 1984, the show received letters in response to a report by Kevin O'Connor on the death of schoolgirl Ann Lovett from childbirth.[8] Byrne and two actors read on air stories of rape, abortion and sexual abuse.[8]

Christine Buckley was invited with her father onto the show in 1992 to discuss her experiences at St. Vincent's Industrial School, Goldenbridge, receiving what she later described as an "overwhelming response".[9]

End

Speculation that Byrne would leave his show began in January 1998.[10] In August of that year, a spokeswoman for the Director of Radio confirmed the show would end.[11]

On 16 December 1998, while presenting his programme in Studio 5, Mike Murphy interrupted the programme and escorted a surprised Byrne into Studio 1.[12] An audience of 150 celebrities and guests greeted Byrne. The then-Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and President Mary McAleese were among the guests.[13]

The final show was broadcast on Grafton Street, on Christmas Eve (24 December) 1998.[14]

Byrne later spoke of his regret at not having retired from presenting the show five years earlier.[15] He also claimed that the craziest thing he had ever done was present the show live for so long.[16]

Legacy

The influential show and the life of presenter was celebrated in the 2006 twenty-part book series Lives That Shaped the Nation, a collection by the Irish Independent which documented the lives of significant figures in Irish history. Others featured in the series included Bono, Éamon de Valera, James Joyce, Patrick Pearse, Mary Robinson, Oscar Wilde and W. B. Yeats.[17]

Byrne commented in The Irish Times in 2010:

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: No Gay Byrne show in Kenmare. 22 July 2009. 2009-07-28. The Kerryman.
  2. News: Top of the bill year after year on the airwaves. 10 August 1998. 27 December 2017. Power. Bairbre. Irish Independent. Gareth O'Callaghan later did the job but left for 2FM after becoming disgruntled. Des Cahill co-chaired the show with Gay last season..
  3. Web site: Alex White: Biography . alexwhite.ie . 3 March 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110205193117/http://www.alexwhite.ie/meet.php?y=1&x=8 . 5 February 2011 .
  4. Web site: Irish Public Service Broadcasting – 1970s. RTÉ Libraries and Archives. 2009-07-29.
  5. Web site: End of era. 10 August 1998. Irish Independent. 2009-07-29.
  6. The Irish Times, "Critics honour 'Olives' and 'Riordans'", 16 May 1977
  7. The Irish Times, "Winners of radio and TV awards", 16 November 1992
  8. News: Gay Byrne . The chameleon of Montrose . 13 February 2010 . 13 February 2010 . The Irish Times . https://web.archive.org/web/20101118184127/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2010/0213/1224264325263.html . 18 November 2010 . dead .
  9. News: Christine Buckley. Christine Buckley. A long journey in search of justice for victims of abuse. 19 May 2009. 2009-12-12. The Irish Times . In 1992 Dad duly arrived and his old friend Gay Byrne invited both of us to tell our story on RTÉ Radio. Many might have thought that would be the end of it, with maybe a book, possibly titled Daughter Finds Parents, which would close with an almost fairytale ending as we could all live happily ever after. But thousands of others wanted help to undertake similar investigations and wrote and phoned Gay Byrne and me asking for our help. Their stories demonstrated how many children, several with the collusion of the judiciary, were incarcerated in industrial schools to undertake slave labour in order to swell the coffers of the religious congregations. [...] After the overwhelming response to the Gay Byrne radio interview, a senior member of the Mercy congregation apologised on the airwaves and agreed to meet me to discuss funding a counselling service for a handful of women who were with me in Goldenbridge. Alas, that promise was not realised..
  10. News: Gay Byrne denies he is to quit radio show. 1 January 1998. The Irish Times . 2009-07-29.
  11. News: Gay Byrne will quit radio show. 8 August 1998. The Irish Times . 2009-07-29.
  12. Web site: Irish Public Service Broadcasting – 1990s. RTÉ Libraries and Archives. 2009-07-29.
  13. News: Fans tune in to hear Byrne fade out. The Irish Times . 2009-07-29. 12 December 1998.
  14. News: Gay gets Green light. 24 December 1998. Irish Independent. 2009-07-29.
  15. Web site: Gay Byrne: I’m just sorry I didn’t quit the show sooner. 30 March 2009. 2009-07-28. Belfast Telegraph.
  16. Web site: Gay Byrne presents Sunday With Gay Byrne, Lyric fm. 20 January 2009. 2009-07-28. RTÉ Guide. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20090211091241/http://rteguide.ie/2009/0120/lifelessons.html. 11 February 2009.
  17. Web site: Lives that Shaped the Nation Book 10 – Gay Byrne with Deirdre Purcell. 17 November 2006. 2009-07-28. Irish Independent.

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