Ray Foley Explained

Ray Foley
Birth Date:21 September 1980
Birth Place:Ballina, County Mayo, Ireland[1]
Other Names:The King
The King of the Afternoons
The Boss
Raydar
Gobshite
Known For:The Ray Foley Show
The Blast
The Essential Rock Anthems with Ray & JP
Education:Journalism degree
Alma Mater:Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT)
Employer:98FM (2012–15)
Occupation:Disc jockey
Spouse:Kate Carolan

Raymond Foley (born 21 September 1980) is an Irish television host and radio presenter.Having worked at Dublin's 98FM and SPIN 1038 early in his career, Foley moved to Today FM in 2004. In 2006, he moved to midday and presented The Ray Foley Show, with sidekick JP Gilbourne and Adelle McDonnell. He hosted the breakfast slot on 98FM from October 2012 until December 2015. He also hosts TV dating show Take Me Out on TV3. On Friday 12 October 2012, Foley and JP announced on the show that both of them would be transferring to Today FM's sister station 98FM to present the breakfast show. They both have expressed how difficult the decision was for them, due to their fondness of their workmates and friends in Today FM.[2] In 2022, Foley returned to Today FM with an afternoon show from 2pm - 4:30pm.

Early career

Following an entry in the DJ For a Day competition on 2FM (on Tony Fenton's Hotline show) in 1997, Foley got a taste for broadcasting. This led to him beginning his studies as a journalist in Dublin Institute of Technology, from which he graduated in October 2004[3] While there he started working at East Coast FM, and thence moved to 98FM and as a newsreader on Lite FM, before moving to SPIN 1038, "to get re-acquainted with presenting again".[4] While there, he presented The Zoo Crew with Clionadh O'Leary on week nights.[5]

Today FM career

In 2004, at the age of 23, Foley moved to Today FM and began presenting late night show, The Blast, from 22:00 to 00:00, Monday to Thursday, with his college friend, JP Gilbourne, from Dundalk. Foley and JP regularly filled-in for Ray D'Arcy, Tony Fenton and Tom Dunne during this time. When the radio schedule was changed in 2006, Foley moved to a midday slot, which was vacated by Tony Fenton. Foley was disciplined by Irish authorities when he broadcast the Lily Allen song "Fuck You Very Much" on lunchtime radio in 2008.[6]

Today FM afternoon show (2006–2012, 2022-present)

Show Name:The Ray Foley Show
Italic Title:no
Format:Chat / music
Runtime:14:00 - 16:30
Country:Ireland
Language:English
Home Station:Today FM
Record Location:Marconi House, Digges Lane, Dublin 2
First Aired:2022
Audio Format:FM and Digital radio
Website:Official site
Podcast:Ray Foley Show Podcast

For 6 years Foley broadcast during the 12:00 to 14:30 time slot on Today FM, directly after The Ray D'Arcy Show. The tagline for the show was "Just a bit of fun for your lunchtime, nothing too serious". The show consisted of taking calls from listeners on random topics, chart music and some regular spots, along with the National Lunchtime News from 12:45 to 13:00. Sometimes contributors included Ann Gleeson, Alan Metcalfe (Funky Phone Boy Al) and reviewer Eoghan Doherty (Nordy Eoghan).

Following a nearly decade long hiatus from the station, Foley and Gilbourne returned to Today FM to present Ray Foley at 14:00 on Monday the 14th of February 2022. The show runs until 16:30 on weekdays, when it is followed by The Last Word with Matt Cooper.

Essential Rock Anthems

In 2009, Foley and JP presented The Essential Rock Anthems in "The Essential..." slot on Sunday Nights 19:00 – 20:00. This was so popular, that they presented two further shows, which then became a regular almost monthly feature of the slot. In November 2009, Ray Foley and JP's Essential Rock Anthems CD was launched, a two-CD collection, including tracks from artists such as Meat Loaf, Therapy?, Pixies, Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake, Motörhead, Placebo, Blondie, Radiohead, The Knack, Status Quo, The Jam and Journey.

98FM (2012–2015)

On 12 October 2012, it was announced that Ray and JP were leaving Today FM to host the breakfast show on 98FM. Following their departure from the station, former evening presenter KC started as their replacement.

On 22 December 2015 the Irish Independent reported that his 98FM show would finish up on 24 December.[7] He has since been replaced by Steven Cooper and Luke O'Faolain.[8]

TV3 career

Foley eventually broke into television.[9] [10] He became the Irish Paddy McGuinness by presenting Take Me Out. Seán Munsanje from Xposé took him shopping to style him for the job.[11] He was also mentioned in relation to The Apprentice: You're Fired!.[12]

From 2015 to 2022, Foley presented the Friday edition of The 6 O'Clock Show on the renamed Virgin Media One.[13] He has since occasionally presented Ireland AM.

Awards

Foley won a Meteor Music Award for Best National DJ in 2008, 2009 and again in 2010.[14] Foley celebrated winning the 2008 award by singing a version of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'", and in 2009 with the theme tune to TV's Home and Away[15] as part of his acceptance speech. In 2008 he launched a successful daily campaign to dethrone namesake Ray D'Arcy.[16]

Foley achieved the PPI Radio Award's Music Broadcaster of the Year Award in 2009 and 2010.[17] Also in 2009 Foley and JP won the award for Best Specialist Music Programme for their Sunday evening show, The Essential Rock Anthems with Ray & JP.[18]

|-| 2008 || Ray Foley || Best Irish DJ at the Meteor Awards || |-| 2009 || Ray Foley || Best Irish DJ at the Meteor Awards || |-| 2009 || Ray Foley || Music Broadcaster of the Year Award at the PPI Irish Radio Awards || |-| 2009 || Ray Foley and JP || Best Specialist Music Programme at the PPI Irish Radio Awards || |-| 2010 || Ray Foley || Best Irish DJ at the Meteor Awards || |-| 2011 || Ray Foley || Music Broadcaster of the Year at the PPI Irish Radio Awards || |-| 2012 || Ray Foley || Music Broadcaster of the Year at the PPI Irish Radio Awards || |-| 2012 || Ray Foley || General Music Programme at the PPI Irish Radio Awards || |-| 2013 || Ray Foley || Music Broadcaster of the Year at the PPI Irish Radio Awards || |-

Personal life

Foley married RTÉ 2fm newsreader Kate Carolan in 2007. They met while working at SPIN 1038. He proposed to Carolan on O'Connell Street in Dublin City Centre and they spent their honeymoon attending the Oxegen Music Festival. On Monday 2 April 2012, Foley announced on-air that Kate had given birth to their first child on 1 April 2012. Foley announced the birth of their second child in June 2014.[19]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: 19 February 2008 . Mayo DJs honoured . 7 April 2009 . The Mayo News.
  2. Web site: 12 October 2012 . Ray Foley leaving TodayFM, but where is he going? · The Daily Edge . 2 August 2014 . The Daily Edge.
  3. News: 19 January 2005 . Quite a blast from Ray . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110622113146/http://archives.tcm.ie/westernpeople/2005/01/19/story23150.asp . 22 June 2011 . 7 April 2009 . . Thomas Crosbie Holdings.
  4. News: 27 July 2006 . Radio Star . 7 April 2009 . The Mayo News.
  5. Web site: 26 April 2002 . Clionadh O'Leary . Radiowaves.FM.
  6. News: Kelly . Olivia . 12 November 2008 . Complaints about report and song upheld . 12 November 2008 . The Irish Times.
  7. News: Calnan . Denise . 22 December 2015 . Popular radio presenter Ray Foley is leaving 98fm . Irish Independent.
  8. News: 22 January 2016 . Dublin, Get Ready For The Big Breakfast . 98FM.
  9. News: Foley . Ray . 19 August 2010 . Radio Ray's going on the box . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100910125119/http://www.joe.ie/joe-life/ray-foley/radio-rays-going-on-the-box-004559-1 . 10 September 2010 . 19 August 2010 . JOE.ie.
  10. News: 19 August 2010 . TV3 launches autumn schedule in Dublin . 19 August 2010 . RTÉ TEN.
  11. News: Shopping with Ray Foley . dead . https://archive.today/20120913054337/http://www.tv3.ie/videos.php?video=26476&locID=1.65.68&page=1 . 13 September 2012 . TV3.ie.
  12. News: Finn . Melanie . 13 August 2010 . Today FM star may cast a fresh Ray of light on to TV3 Apprentice spin-off . 13 August 2010 . Evening Herald.
  13. Web site: Townsend . Michelle . 11 February 2022 . Ray Foley announces he is leaving Virgin Media's The Six O'Clock Show . RSVP Live.
  14. The Script and Sharon Shannon bag Meteors . 18 March 2009 . Hot Press.
  15. Web site: Podcast including audio from Meteor Awards 2009 . dead . http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20090318034824/http://audio.todayfm.com/audio/foleyshow18032009.mp3 . 18 March 2009 . 18 March 2009 . Today FM.
  16. News: 16 February 2008 . Eight awards in a row for Westlife . dead . https://archive.today/20120724164719/http://www.dailystar.co.uk/gossip/view/29676/Eight-awards-in-a-row-for-Westlife/ . 24 July 2012 . 16 February 2008 . Daily Star.
  17. Web site: PPI Radio Awards 2010 – Recognising the Best in Irish Radio Broadcasting . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110108041033/http://www.ppiradioawards.com/2010/winners_2010.asp . 8 January 2011 . 10 December 2010.
  18. Web site: 2009 . PPI Radio Awards 2009 – Recognising the Best in Irish Radio Broadcasting . unfit . https://web.archive.org/web/20091015050642/http://www.ppiradioawards.com/2009/winners_2009.asp . 2009-10-15 . 5 October 2009 . PPIRadioAwards.com.
  19. Web site: Bannon Ward . Shauna . 31 July 2023 . Ray Foley enjoys outing with two sons in rare family snaps . RSVP Live.