Danny O'Reilly, lead-singer with the Meteor award-winning band The Coronas, will be just one of the sexy Irish-speakers launching the Irish-language chart-station Raidió Rí-Rá's FM service on Monday, 01 March 2010, to kickstart the live broadcast in Dublin (100.3 FM), Cork (106.7 FM), Galway (99.1 FM), and Limerick (105.5 FM) from 01 - 21 March 2010, just in time for Seachtain na Gaeilge 2010.
In addition to Seachtain na Gaeilge celebrity Danny O'Reilly launching Raidió Rí-Rá's FM service in Dublin, actors Michelle Beamish (Paddy in the tv programme Seacht) and Sláine Hutchinson (Claudia in the tv programme Aifric) will launch the chart-station's multi-city FM service at press events* with university students and Gaelscoil pupils in Cork and Galway respectively.
Traic Ó Braonáin, Chairperson of Raidió Rí-Rá says: "It's fantastic that over a million and a half people will have access to Raidió Rí-Rá while it's on FM again this March, and it takes us yet another step closer to realising a full-time Irish-language radio station for young people on the national FM system."
Raidió Rí-Rá is the only Irish-medium chart-station for young people in Ireland, playing all the latest music from the charts completely through the medium of Irish online all year round at www.rrr.ie. The station began broadcasting online in March 2008 under the working name Raidió X and the Raidió Rí-Rá crew spent three weeks live on FM in March 2009 on a temporary multi-city licence from the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland and with support from Conradh na Gaeilge and Samsung, Seachtain na Gaeilge's corporate sponsor.
Síne Nic an Ailí, presenter and Public Relations' Officer with Raidió Rí-Rá says: "Raidió Rí-Rá is leading the way in the provision of music and Irish-language services for young people in Ireland through internet radio on all Nokia phones and a free-to-download iPhone application, as well as plans to broadcast on the digital television system in addition to FM and DAB in the future, so as to develop new ways for listeners to tune into the station."
There will be more music requests, special guests, sports' programmes, celebrity news titbits and Battle of the Bands forming part of Raidió Rí-Rá's live broadcast again this year, and the Rí-Rá team will be visiting Irish-language youth clubs, college societies and schools to get young Gaeilgeoirí around the country talking on air as part of the broadcast from 01 - 21 March 2010. Even Podge and Rodge will be trying out their cúpla focal in Irish on Raidió Rí-Rá this year, so turn up the stereo and tune in to the best chart music station as Gaeilge this March!
To get in touch with Raidió Rí-Rá, just put RIRA at the beginning of your message and text it to 51155 at the standard rate; email
MORE INFORMATION:
Traic Ó Braonáin
Chairperson, Raidió Rí-Rá
087 6993439 /
Síne Nic an Ailí
Public Relations Officer, Raidió Rí-Rá
087 6546673 /
*PRESS EVENTS / PHOTO OPS:
Event: University students organising an Irish-language céilí
Guest: Michelle Beamish, actor (Paddy in the programme Seacht on TG4 & BBC)
Venue: Old College Bar, The Quad, University Campus, National University of Ireland, Cork.
Time: Monday, 01 March 2010 @ 12.00 (12.00 - 1.00pm)
Contact: Julanne Ní Mhurchú, An Chuallacht 086 0611233 /
Event: University students playing music
Guest: TBC
Venue: The Courtyard, Students' Union, University of Limerick, Castletroy, Limerick.
Time: Monday, 01 March 2010 @ 12.15 (12.00 - 1.00pm)
Contact: Aoife Ní Raghallaigh, ULSU 086 0435304 / Ruán McLoughlin, ULSU 086 0435300
Event: Gaelscoil children singing for Raidió Rí-Rá
Guest: Sláine Hutchinson, actor (Claudia in the programme Aifric on TG4)
Venue: Scoil Iognáid, Sea Road, Galway.
Time: Monday, 01 March 2010 @ 12.30 (12.00 - 1.00pm)
Contact: Laoise Bhreathnach, Scoil Iognáid 091 584491 / 086 8240669
Peadar Mac Fhlannchadh,Conradh na Gaeilge 0874188050 /
Event: Special launch in the studio
Guest: Danny O'Reilly, lead-singer of The Coronas & Seachtain na Gaeilge 2010 personality
Venue: Raidió Rí-Rá Studio, 7/8 Upper Mount Street, Dublin 2.
Time: Monday, 01 March 2010 @ 12.45
Contact: Síne Nic an Ailí, Raidió Rí-Rá 087 6546673 /
EDITOR'S NOTE:
Raidió Rí-Rá is a chart-station for young people playing all the latest music from the charts and broadcasting completely through the medium of Irish. You can listen to Raidió Rí-Rá all year round online at www.rrr.ie, on all Nokia phones, and on your iPhone with the latest application, and the station will also be broadcasting live on FM in Dublin (100.3 FM), Cork (106.7 FM), Galway (99.1 FM), and Limerick (105.5 FM) in the month of March 2010. Listeners can get the latest celeb news, listen to the all the hottest hits, vote for their favourite songs, check out Top 40 Oifigiúil na hÉireann and download past programmes. www.rrr.ie
Raidió Rí-Rá is managed by Raidió X Limited with support from Conradh na Gaeilge, is funded by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs through Ciste na Gaeilge from the National Lottery, and Digital Radio Ltd is the operating company.
Conradh na Gaeilge the democratic forum for the Irish-speaking community working to promote the language. There are 200 branches of Conradh na Gaeilge and since its foundation in 1893, members of the Conradh have been actively promoting Irish in every aspect of life in Ireland and especially its use in their own areas. Conraitheoirí are at the forefront of campaigns to secure and strengthen the rights of the Irish language community. It is also possible to register as an individual member of the Conradh. www.cnag.ie
Seachtain na Gaeilge is a major international festival. Thousands of events are organised during the week and hundreds of thousands of people attend these events, including a special event called Rith 2010 (www.rith.ie) taking place as part of this year's festival. The aim of Seachtain na Gaeilge is to promote the Irish language and culture, and to encourage people to use it. Croí na Teanga - It's You! is its motto, to show that that the language and culture is there for everyone to use, and that everyone is central in the promotion. This year's Irish Week will take place between 5 -17 March 2010. www.snag.ie
