The RTÉ 2fm Breakfast Show

The RTÉ 2fm Breakfast Show
Other names2FM Breakfast
GenreMusic, chat
Running time180 minutes (6:00 am – 9:00 am)
Country of originIreland
Language(s)English
Home stationRTÉ 2fm
Hosted byCarl Mullan & Aifric O'Connell
Recording studioRTÉ Radio Centre, Donnybrook, Dublin 4
Original release8 July 2024
Audio formatFM and digital radio
WebsiteOfficial website

The RTÉ 2fm Breakfast Show is the flagship show on RTÉ 2fm. Since 8 July 2024, it has been hosted by Carl Mullan and Aifric O'Connell under the banner of 2FM Breakfast with Carl and Aifric.[1]

History

The first breakfast show presenter was Declan Meehan, who remained in the slot for just under five months. Marty Whelan took over from Meehan and has the distinction of hosting the breakfast show on four occasions. Ian Dempsey is the longest-serving breakfast show presenter, having hosted on two occasions for a total of ten years. Breakfast Republic is the second-longest running show, lasting over 5 years, with the majority of its presenters resigning to other shows across RTÉ. Doireann Garrihy and Eoghan McDermott fronted the show in the following two years, until McDermott's resignation in March 2021, whilst Garrihy continued with new hosts Carl Mullan and Donncha O'Callaghan until her resignation in May 2024.[2][3] Mullan and O'Callaghan continued with new host Aifric O'Connell. However on 25 June, O'Callaghan announced that he would leave the show from July.[4]

Hosts

No Show title Presenter From To Duration
1 Declan Meehan's Breakfast Show Declan Meehan 8 June 1979 (1979-06-08) 2 November 1979 (1979-11-02) 147 days
2 Good Morning with Marty Whelan[note 1] Marty Whelan 5 November 1979 (1979-11-05) 3 October 1980 (1980-10-03) 333 days
3 Ronan Collins's Breakfast Show Ronan Collins 6 October 1980 (1980-10-06) 31 May 1985 (1985-05-31) 4 years, 237 days
4 Marty Whelan 3 June 1985 (1985-06-03) 9 March 1988 (1988-03-09) 2 years, 280 days
5 Ian Dempsey 14 March 1988 (1988-03-14) 24 March 1989 (1989-03-24) 1 year, 10 days
6 Marty Whelan 27 March 1989 (1989-03-27) 14 April 1989 (1989-04-14) 18 days
7 Ian Dempsey 3 July 1989 (1989-07-03) 12 August 1998 (1998-08-12) 9 years, 40 days
8 Gareth O'Callaghan's Breakfast Show Gareth O'Callaghan 13 August 1998 (1998-08-13) 7 April 2000 (2000-04-07) 1 year, 238 days
9 Damien McCaul's Breakfast Show Damien McCaul 10 April 2000 (2000-04-10) 15 March 2002 (2002-03-15) 1 year, 339 days
10 The Full Irish Ryan Tubridy 18 March 2002 (2002-03-18) 18 March 2005 (2005-03-18) 3 years, 0 days
10 The Rick & Ruth Breakfast Show Rick O'Shea and Ruth Scott 21 March 2005 (2005-03-21) 23 September 2005 (2005-09-23) 186 days
11 Marty in the Morning Marty Whelan 26 September 2005 (2005-09-26) 2 March 2007 (2007-03-02) 1 year, 157 days
12 The Colm & Jim-Jim Breakfast Show Colm Hayes and Jim-Jim Nugent 5 March 2007 (2007-03-05) 7 May 2010 (2010-05-07) 3 years, 63 days
13 Breakfast with Hector Hector Ó hEochagáin 4 October 2010 (2010-10-04) 20 December 2013 (2013-12-20) 3 years, 77 days
14 Breakfast Republic Keith Walsh, Bernard O'Shea and Jennifer Maguire 17 February 2014 (2014-02-17) 9 May 2019 (2019-05-09) 5 years, 81 days
15 2FM Breakfast with Doireann and Eoghan Eoghan McDermott and Doireann Garrihy 31 May 2019 (2019-05-31) 26 February 2021 (2021-02-26) 1 year, 271 days
16 2FM Breakfast with Doireann, Donncha and Carl Doireann Garrihy, Donncha O'Callaghan and Carl Mullan 31 May 2021 (2021-05-31) 31 May 2024 () 3 years, 0 days
17 2FM Breakfast with Carl, Donncha and Aifric Carl Mullan, Donncha O'Callaghan and Aifric O'Connell 4 June 2024 (2024-06-04) Present

Stand-ins

Holiday cover has usually been provided by another prominent member of the RTÉ 2fm presentation team. Additionally, transitions between regular hosts have often been bridged by stand-ins. These have been:

  • Following the sudden departure of Marty Whelan to the newly created Century Radio in April 1989, the breakfast show was fronted by Simon Young, Scott Williams and Maxi.
  • Paddy McKenna joined Jim-Jim Nugent as a replacement for Colm Hayes in May 2010, when the latter moved to co-host a new show during the former Gerry Ryan Show slot. After the permanent departure of Jim-Jim Nugent in September 2010, Paddy McKenna was joined as co-host of the breakfast show by Ruth Scott.
  • Alan Swann covered the period between the axing of Breakfast with Hector and the beginning of Breakfast Republic.
  • Stephen Byrne and Tara Stewart filled in for Doireann Garrihy between April and May 2021 while she workshopped a new show following Eoghan McDermott's departure.
  • Laura Fox has also filled in as a presenter in 2024.

Notes

  1. ^ The show was later renamed Marty Whelan's Breakfast Show.

References

  1. ^ "RTÉ 2FM is the home of music this summer". RTÉ.ie. 31 May 2024. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  2. ^ O'Reilly, Brian (12 February 2014). "Will you tune in? 2FM's new breakfast show to begin on Monday". Irish Independent. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  3. ^ "Brand new RTÉ 2FM Breakfast show announced". rte.ie. 24 May 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
  4. ^ "Donncha O'Callaghan to leave 2FM breakfast show". RTÉ News. 25 June 2024.