Madam, – On the matter of female presenters on RTÉ Radio, and in response to your assertion (Seven Days, Weekend Review, August 21st) that “Mary Wilson will, from September, be the one female voice on weekday daytime radio on RTÉ Radio 1”, may I set the record straight? Mary Wilson is not the only female voice during daytime on RTÉ Radio 1. Daytime starts with Maxi at 5.30am, continues with Áine Lawlor at 7am, and concludes with Mary Wilson at 4.30pm.
The evening schedule rolls on with Rachael English and Lilian Smith. RTÉ Radio 1 has recorded phenomenal growth recently at weekends, and the weekend morning schedules are presented almost exclusively by female presenters, namely Ruth Buchanan, Marian Finucane, Miriam O’Callaghan and, again, Rachael English.
Peak-time sport output on Radio 1 is regularly fronted by Jacqui Hurley and Joanne Cantwell. And then there are the female newsroom journalists, correspondents and reporters, across all services, too numerous to mention.
For the record, for the paper of record; on 2fm: Ruth Scott, Jenny Greene, Jacqui Hurley, Jenny Huston and Lucy Kennedy; on lyric fm: Liz Nolan, Aedin Gormley, Ellen Cranitch, Trish Taylor, Deirdre Purcell, Rachel Blech, Eileen Dunne and Cynthia Morahan; on Raidió na Gaeltachta: Eibhlín Ní Chonghaile, Bríd Ní Chualáin, Gráinne Ní Dhomhnaill, Áine Ní Churráin, Helen Ní Shé, Máirín Ní Ghadhra, Bríd Ní Dhonnchú, Sorcha Ní Chéilleachair, Máire de Bhailís, Cáit de Bhailís, Michelle Nic Grianna, Frances Nic Géadaigh, Mairéad Nic Seaghain, Lucia Ní Bheaglaoich, Marion Ní Shúilleabháin, Mairéad Uí Chuaig, Síle Ní Scanláin, Áine Hensey, Neansaí Ní Choisdealbha, Gearóidín Nic an Iomaire, Sinéad Ní Uallacháin, Jó Ní Chéide and Bairbre Uí Choisdealbha; on RTÉ 2XM: Paula Flynn, Jenny Mulligan, Jan Ní Fhlanagáin, Rachel Jordan, Edel Coffey, Aoife Mc and Aoife Barry; on RTÉ Pulse: Orla Feeney, Sinead Houlihan and Saoirse Ryan; and on RTÉ Junior: Daraine Mulvihill.
Obviously these stations, and these women, do not make up part of the daily listening diet for your correspondent, but they do for hundreds of thousands of listeners across the country. There are over 50 female presenters on RTÉ Radio. But who’s counting? – Yours, etc,