Dundalk FM celebrates World Radio Day

Dundalk FM is inviting community groups and listeners to a very special event on Thursday 13 February - World Radio Day – a ‘Social Benefit in Community Radio’ conference in the Tallon Suite, Gateway Hotel, Dundalk.

The conference will bring together presenters and contributors to hear how being a member of the station has enhanced their lives, community development and educational work. David Larkin, Dundalk Media Centre CLG will provide a Fáilte followed by a presentation by Philip Cooper, Manager Sound and Vision Funding Scheme, Coimisiún na Meán.

To explain how Dundalk FM measure social benefit, Manager Alan Byrne will give statistics of community engagement and results of a survey conduced in January. Community Programming representatives will explain how their self produced shows help them to achieve their goals.

The Dundalk Lions Club members began with a half hour ‘Talking Newspapers’ programme which developed into a full hour weekly show thanks to Hugh McKitterick and Pat Byrne. ‘Dundalk Lions - At Your Service’ was awarded a Craol Achievement Award as recognition of their work for the community.

Bernadine Quinn, Dundalk Outcomers will talk about the publicity they get for the annual Dundalk Pride events.
Michael Gaynor, President, Old Dundalk Society will talk about how their recent lectures History of Park Street and Dowdallshill Lectures have been recorded and uploaded to their YouTube Channel. https://www.olddundalksociety.ie

Minority and marginalised voices will discuss how they have found a home at Dundalk FM. Indian and Ukrainian representatives will talk about the media courses they have undertaken and how the station attends their events to do live Outside Broadcasting.

Durgesh Tiwari, KASSI Indian Group arranges for the station to broadcast live from their annual Holi and Diwali Festival events. Representing the Ukrainian Community will be Liliia Smirnova, presenter of Ukrainian Magazine Shows and QQI Radio Course Trainee.

Local sports, arts and music presenters will talk about the vocational training and skills that they learn by being a member of the station. Ebony Devlin presents a monthly music programme ‘A Little Bit of Everything’ which airs on the fourth Saturday of the month at 11.00 pm.

John Murphy, long time presenter of ‘Sports Academy’ and Dundalk FC match commentator began his radio career with Dundalk FM 20 years ago. Another presenter with similar on air experience is Anita Guest, presenter of ‘Rehab Care on Air’.

Carole Wardlaw and Eimear O Kane presenters of ‘The Arts Zone’ and Kym Mac Mahon, DkIT 3rd Level Work Experience Student have experienced a growth in confidence, networking opportunities and skills as a result of their involvement with the station.

The final speaker will be John Morgan who is preparing a demo for a new Country and Irish music show and intends to begin regular broadcasting next month.

After lunch participants can practice reading news, sports, weather and community notices. Radio station staff will give instructions on using technology such as audio editing software and how to record to a Digital Recorder. Colette McGahon who presents 'Classics with Colette' each Sunday at 12.00 pm will be the MC.

Two media students from the DkIT, Jan Labut' from the Czech Republic and Ronan Goss Kirk will be live streaming to the Community Radio Ireland radio stations who will rebroadcast the event. This is the first such conference in the country and will be a model for the Community Radio and Media Sector in Ireland. The students will create a dedicated website as part of their work experience at the station.

Pat Byrne and Marissa Lucchesi will broadcast live from the Gateway between 10am and 12pm and community groups will have the opportunity to outline their plans for 2025 and highlight forthcoming events.

Dundalk FM, which is celebrating 20 years on air, is able to bring this free event thanks to a Sound and Vision Social Benefit Project which is funded by Coimisiún na Meán with the Television Licence Fee.