Jim Ryan – a respected and compelling voice

Posted on 21st April 2023 by Alan Byrne

When Jim Ryan joined us in 2003, he presented a classical music programme from half past 12 until one o clock on Sunday for the duration of the temporary Community Radio Station Dundalk Weekend Radio DWR107 FM. His son Stephen came in as his Sound Desk Operator selecting the CD track numbers. Jim would have spent hours listening to each track just to get the right sequence for his weekly playlist. Jim’s knowledge of classical music was immense. He introduced us to baritone, bass, mezzo-soprano, contralto, countertenor, arias, chorus and overtures.

Jim often said that he would have liked to do a Jazz programme and that would have been quite something to tune in to. Jim’s daughter, Vanessa shortly afterwards followed her Dad’s footsteps into radio and presented a history programme called Time Detectives. Vanessa interviewed many local and national archaeology professors and experts and also stood in to present Classic Sounds on occasion. When the station received its full-time community radio service contract in September 2004, Jim presented a midday Current Affairs show. He kept the Classic Sounds programme on Sunday, moving it to one hour.

During the ensuing years, myself and our Weekend Duty Managers who worked the sound desk for Jim got to chat with the listeners who rang in asking for a request. Sundays had a certain routine – Joe Martin presented Magic Moments from 10 am to 12 pm, followed by Jim Ryan and Classic Sounds from 12 pm to 1 pm, Joe Duffy followed at 1 pm with Showband Street, Tom Gernon at 2 pm with Back to the Sixties and Jimmy Neary (with his wife Marita taking the phone requests) with Shades of Green from 3 pm to 5 pm.

In the recent past, Jim’s weekly show was curated and kept on air by Tony Moran.

So, we’ll bid adieu, slán to our radio colleague Jim Ryan. Thank you for bringing your wealth of knowledge of Classical Music to the listeners and for your considerable contribution to the success of the Community Radio Service – Dundalk FM.

Alan Byrne

Manager

Ian Coogan, Paul Mefor, Anthony Bond, Jim Ryan — Ian Coogan, Paul Mefor, Anthony Bond and Jim Ryan in the original Dundalk Weekend Radio DWR107 FM Radio Studios.

Joe Martin and Jim Ryan — Sunday Morning routine – Joe Matin and Jim Ryan.

Dundalk FM is looking for Community and Voluntary Groups to make their own Radio Shows

Posted on 5th April 2023 by Alan Byrne

Dundalk FM is a community-owned and run radio service and encourages all community groups to use the airwaves to promote the wonderful work that you do. We would like to encourage you to come along to have a chat with our staff and volunteers to find out how we can help you achieve your goals on Wednesday 12th April 2023 in the Community Offices, Partnership Court, Dundalk from 7 pm.

Alternatively, you can email info@dundalkfm.com and we will invite you in at a later stage and show you around the studios.

Dundalk FM seek applications for a Community Radio Producer

Posted on 1st February 2023 by Alan Byrne

CSP Job Description – Community Radio Producer

Newsletter – December 2022

Posted on 3rd January 2023 by Alan Byrne

Newsletter – November 2022

Posted on 22nd November 2022 by Alan Byrne

Newsletter – October 2022

Posted on 18th November 2022 by Alan Byrne

We are hiring – Community Radio Producer (October 2022)

Posted on 7th October 2022 by Alan Byrne

Job Description

Job Title: Community Radio Producer

Reporting to: Manager

Hours: 39 hours per week

Responsibilities

Assist with live studio technical production.
Support the centre to achieve its goal of engaging all community groups in the area each year.
Support in the coordination and delivery of Radio and Media skills training to Community Groups and Individual Members.
Edit and back up programmes.

Duties

To produce Ads and to research and present News, Sports, Weather, Community Notices and Death Notices.
To ensure adverts are edited and recorded and passed to the Advertising Rep/Assistant Manager for approval.
To assist with the O/B team and attend events, outside broadcasts, promotions, roadshows and to go along record these events.
To assist and/or run New Community Group and Volunteer Information Sessions.
To meet with Community Groups and identify what the station can do to help them achieve their goals.
To assist with developing and delivering Community Media Projects and Programming.
File all relevant administration work.
Provide broadcast training to staff, presenters and service users.
To look after studio bookings and equipment bookings.
Broadcast assistant as required.
Be familiar with legislation covering broadcasting and all relevant legal stipulations.
Assist with the development of new targeted programmes.
To keep studios clean at all times.
Liaise with and attend Committee meetings as required.
Refer any significant problems regarding Programmes/Technical issues to the Manager.

General

To undertake any other duties as directed by the Manager in pursuit of the aims and objectives of Dundalk Media Centre CLG.
To undertake training as necessary.
To maintain a pledge of confidentiality regarding business affairs at Dundalk Media Centre CLG.

New Community Radio Presenters – Class of September 2022

Posted on 8th September 2022 by Alan Byrne

Our September class started on Monday the 5th and will run for the next two weeks. Dan Pope came in to chat with our new presenters about how he joined the station and his weekly programme, Under the Covers – Sundays at 3.00 pm.

Our class members are Róisín Ward Morrow, Bruno Vilares, Andy and Louise McCartney, Bobby McCormack, Development Perspectives, Christopher Praveen, Pamela Carragher, Eugene O Hanlon, Dean Wright, Luka Stopic, Gavin Hanlon, Michael Murray, John Joe Jacobs, Andrius Rikauskis and Ciara Byrne.

Marissa Lucchesi explained the features of a Magazine Show and introduced the radio vocabulary that we use daily at the station such intros, theme music, links, stings and station idents.

Alan Byrne, Station Manager explained the community development ethos of Dundalk FM where individuals and community groups can become more acquainted with their area by meeting people through the station, attending outside broadcasts and chatting to people on air. He encouraged all the presenters to fill in a Programme Proposal and record a Demo and that he would help them to have a programme in the schedule by the end of October. As members, they will be welcome to join committees and stand as a representative of over 70 colleagues and perform the duties of a Director. Dundalk FM is run by Dundalk Media Centre CLG which was set up as a not-for-profit community media resource in February 2002. It is one of the 21 Community Radio Stations in Ireland and is affiliated to Craol the Community Radio Ireland, to Amarc Europe and adheres to the Amarc Charter as its code of ethics.

When Dundalk FM hosted the Craol National Community Radio Day on June 18th 2021, President Michael D Higgins who has a reputation for advocating the social benefits of community radio commented ‘Community radio helps to strengthen ties and build awareness of common values, and challenges and a discussion of possible solutions to issues within our localities. Community radio is a vital part of the shared public space for people to meet and collaborate. It is a public good’.

During the class, our new presenters were tasked with recording a Voice Over for a Community Notice in the Production Studio with our Evening Duty Manager, Tony Duffy.

In advance of the second week, they will practice recording an audio exercise on their phone and have the opportunity to come into Main Studio to learn how to work the Sound Desks.

To commence their community Radio Broadcasting career, our presenters have the prospect of researching and pre-recording the following 50-minute programmes.

• Alphabeats – you will be given a letter of the alphabet and asked to create a show with bands or musicians or songs starting with that letter.

• 100 Years of Music– choose any year between 1921 and 2021.

• Spotlight – a show based on your selection of any musician or band.

The second evening of the three-week course will focus on technical skills such as working the Sound Desk, recording to a digital recorder, editing a promo for a show, researching, compiling a running order and scripting links for a 25-minute programme.

Equipment Q & A.
1. What equipment do you need in a recording studio?
2. What audio editing software is available?
3. What are the correct recording levels?
4. What are clipping and distortion?
5. How do you use a Voice Recorder?
6. How do you send a show to the station?
7. How to make a phone call and put it through the desk?
8. How do we link back to the studio when we are doing an Outside Broadcast?

A Spotlight programme featuring Irish Music recorded during the first class will be aired on Sunday 11th September at 4.00 pm.

There will be two courses in 2023 – February and September. If you would like to find out more please email info@dundalkfm.com for details.

August 25th 2022 – New Volunteers Record a 5 Irish Tunes Show

Posted on 29th August 2022 by Alan Byrne

Above are our team of new radio volunteers researching their choice for the 5 Irish Tunes show – Dean Wright, Barbara McClure, Luka Stopic, Mary Gantley, Conor Clarke, Bruno Vilares and Róisín Ward Morrow. Seoirse McCann and Sean Callaghan called to share their experience of presenting on Dundalk FM and to encourage our new volunteers to join the September Radio Course. The links were recorded on the night, edited by Alan Byrne the next day and broadcast on Dundalk FM on Saturday 27th August – you can see the Running Order and listen to the show on the link below. From what we heard on the night, we are sure that we will be introducing new community radio programmes into our schedule starting in October.