Gerry Ryan: 1956 - 2010

It was roughly 1985 and I had just got a Transistor for the first time. Night time radio was getting off the ground and I found myself listening to what was then RTE radio 2. Gerry Ryan presented a late night show called 'Lights Out'. He was loud and brash but it was good entertainment and brought considerable humour to the national airwaves. This was before he moved to the mid-morning slot that would make him a star.

In 1988 Ryan started on the 9am show and at once became an alternative to Gay Byrne’s show on RTE radio 1. I had got fed up with Byrne’s show that my mother’s generation were besotted with. Listening to Ryan was wonderful fun. The characters that featured, such as Mrs Vile and Terence from Cork (with gay overtones), were priceless and helped listeners warm to the north Dublin born DJ. RTE’s stuffy, conservative style was changing.

After a while there was a split in listeners between Byrne’s oldsters and the generally younger Ryan fan club. For RTE this was a win-win situation as both national stations kept a significant listenership, despite the rivalry of the top two presenters. Ryan had revolutionised Irish radio, so much so that British DJ Chris Evans borrowed some of the Irish radio star’s irreverence.

Television was not so kind to Ryan: Secrets and School around the Corner didn’t really set the country alight. Years later however, Ryan Confidential and Operation Transformation were more popular. The 2FM DJ also managed to present The Late Late Show when presenter Pat Kenny was unavailable on one occasion. This added to his prestige as a broadcaster.

Ryan had indeed reached a level of success but his personal life was more problematic. Splitting from his gorgeous wife, Morah, must have been tough for both sides. In recent years he had put on a lot of weight. Gone was the handsome, youthful look as Ryan moved into middle age. But the deep, masculine burr of his voice did not desert him. The DJ stayed in the national conscience and it was remarkable that he presented a three hour show five days a week for over 20 years.

As I write I cannot quite accept that he’s gone. The top RTE man was only 53 when he died in late April 2010. If it was too young for Malcolm McLaren to die at 64, just a few weeks ago, then it applies even more to Gerry Ryan’s death. It reinforces the fragility of life, especially in this fast paced time. Thank God for letting me listen to such a phenomenon, as indeed Ryan was. He was Ireland’s first ‘shock jock’ and radio here will be a far duller place as the air goes from live to dead. Thanks Gerry, it was great fun while you lasted.