Radio Career
Byrne began his broadcasting career on radio.
Radio Éireann gave him a 15-minute slot on Monday nights which he used to play Jazz, his first broadcast for the station being in 1958.
He is now best remembered for his two hour morning show, The Gay Byrne Hour, which was later renamed The Gay Byrne Show (1972–1999). For many years the show was produced by John Caden. Joe Duffy was a reporter on The Gay Byrne Show and subsequently succeeded him as presenter.
Byrne has featured on radio occasionally during his "retirement" years — in 2006, he began presenting a weekly Sunday afternoon show entitled Sunday Serenade on RTÉ lyric fm. In 2010, he can be heard playing Jazz on Sunday afternoons on lyric fm. This show began after an encounter with Head of lyric fm Aodán Ó Dubhghaill at the National Concert Hall. Sunday with Gay Byrne attracted 55,000 listeners through "word of mouth": no advertising and no mention in the RTÉ Guide. Byrne once commented on the emptiness of RTÉ at this time of the week:
| “ | As soon as Marion finishes at one, there is a clear-out. There are a couple of fellas down the corridor doing sport, and that is about it. You have the place to yourself and it is wonderful". | ” |
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