Radio Week
The picks of the best of this week’s radio
ENTERTAINMENT
Desert Island Discs
11.15AM, BBC RADIO 4 ★★★★★
Cork actor Cillian Murphy has already won the Golden Globe for his lead role in Oppenheimer, and the BAFTAs and Oscars are coming, so it’s perfect timing to hear the Peaky Blinders star’s life story and musical choices.
A Poet’s Place
SUNDAY, 6PM, RTé LYRIC FM ★★★★
In The Salt of Something New, the sixth and final part of the Poet’s Place series of the Lyric Feature, we hear from six poets from four continents. Presented by Chandrika Narayanan-Mohan, who was born in India, we also hear from Simone Sav, who was born in Romania, Rafael Mendes from Brazil, Polina Cosgrave from Russia, Nithy Kasa from the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Dagogo Hart from Nigeria. In conversation and poetry, they explore themes of belonging, language, identity and home. All are grappling with issues of embracing life in Ireland while not losing the connection with the place of their birth, and with finding a home both in Ireland and in the world of Irish poetry.
Oliver Callan
MONDAY-FRIDAY, 9AM, RTé RADIO ONE ★★★ Oliver Callan’s brand-new morning radio show is a sharp hour of entertainment discussing trending topics, the latest in sport, the arts and everything that’s hopping in Irish life while bringing his inimitable bit of craic with it.
FACTUAL
Desperately Seeking Sam
SUNDAY, 5PM, RTé RADIO ONE ★★★★
A brilliant story of one fan’s journey through the GAA football championship of 2011.
Young Again
11AM, TUESDAY, BBC RADIO 4 ★★★★★ The purring Kirsty Young returns with a new series of celebrity interviews in which a guest looks back at their early years and reflects on big decisions they have made since. Kirsty heard revelations from Jamie Oliver and Linda Evangelista in the last series, and first up today is actor and director Peter Capaldi, aka Doctor Who and Malcolm Tucker, whom she calls ‘the king of menace’. Acting was certainly not in the family and he didn’t make it into drama school: ‘I was already a failure as an actor before I started,’ he says.
When Cassius met The Beatles
FRIDAY, 8PM, BBC RADIO 4 EXTRA ★★★★
It was a tense start when the boxer turned up late to his Miami gym to be photographed with four guys from Liverpool in 1964, and didn’t seem to know who they were. But the Fab Four were just conquering America, and Cassius Clay was about to beat Sonny Liston, become heavyweight champion and rename himself Muhammad Ali. This programme hears from some of those who were there at the first meeting of these global superstars
MUSIC
The Alternative
TUESDAY, 11PM, RTé 2FM ★★★★
Following the release of his exceptional debut album Swirling Violets last month, Conchúr White is in 2fm Session on tonight’s show. He’s on tour at the moment, which will see him perform in around Ireland, the UK and at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas.
An Saol Ó Dheas
FRIAY, 12.08PM, RTé RnaG ★★★★
Helen Ní Shé will be broadcasting live from Baile an Fheirtéaraigh and Scoil Cheoil an Earraigh today. The traditional music festival Scoil Cheoil an Earraigh is celebrating 20 years this year. On the programme we will hear from musicians, singers, tutors and festival attendees.