Growing up in the 60s the radio or “wireless” was a wonderful source of entertainment and information. Radio Éireann commenced daily at eight o’clock with O’Donnell Abú, a familiar tune composed by Joseph Haliday. Mike Murphy presented the Pretty Polly Show with its signature tune, Elizabethan Serenade. Silence descended on our kitchen at one o’clock for The Kennedys of Castleross sponsored by Fry Cadbury. The Foley Family was also popular.
Jacob’s Biscuits sponsored Women’s Page presented by Frankie Byrne. The moment we heard Dear Frankie, our ears were glued to the radio while Frankie responded to listener’s letters regarding personal relationships and marital problems. Sponsored programmes included Fruitfield Jams, Hospital Requests, Prescott Cleaners, McDonnells Good Food Kitchen, Bulmers Cidona, Mitchellstown Cheese, Glen Abbey, Birds Custard Show and the Imco Show.
The Stone outside Dan Murphy’s Door, Cottage by the Lee, Down by the Glenside, The Whistling Gypsy and Dublin Saunter (Dublin can be Heaven) were popular songs on the Walton programme presented by Leo Maguire. Its signature tune was The Dawning of the Day (music to Raglan Road). Maguire commenced with his weekly reminder of “the grace and beauty that lies in our heritage of Irish song, the songs our fathers loved”. He concluded with “and Walton’s last word is: If you feel like singing, do sing an Irish song.”
The vibrant signature tune, Galliard Battogalia, heralded Sunday Miscellany.
The Maureen Potter Show was broadcast at one o’clock. Potter played the part of the exasperated mother of her 14- year-old son, Christy.
Take the Floor on Sunday afternoons was presented by Denis Fitzgibbon, otherwise known as Din Joe. He called out dance movements while the Rory O’Connor Dancers pounded out reels, jigs and hornpipes on the studio floor. Storytelling was another feature on the programme. The actor, Eamonn Keane was the seanchaí. Singer and actor Joe Lynch presented Living with Lynch, a mixture of comedy and songs. Highways and Byways with Donnacha Ó’Dúlaing was hugely popular. My parents enjoyed Ó’Dúlaing ’s stories from people he encountered on his travels throughout the country.
Transmission ended nightly with Amhrán na BhFíann. I loved Pick of the Pops on Sunday evenings on BBC1. Cliff Adams presented Sing Something Simple, also on BBC1. Radio Luxemburg and also Radio Caroline were popular pop music stations.
My interest in radio dwindled with the arrival of television into our home in the late 60s.
