Ireland's Classic Hits Radio

Ireland's Classic Hits Radio is an Irish independent multi-region radio station based in Dublin, and broadcasting to that city as well as Cork, Limerick, Galway, County Clare, County Wicklow, County Kildare, County Meath. It can also be picked up in parts of County Kerry, County Tipperary, County Waterford, County Wexford and County Mayo.[1]

Ireland's Classic Hits Radio
Broadcast areaGreater Dublin, County Cork, County Limerick, County Clare and Galway
Frequency94.9 FM (Dublin)
94.8 FM (Cork)
94.6–97.4 MHz, 104.2–104.9 MHz
RDSCLASSIC
Programming
Language(s)English
FormatAdult contemporary/classic hits
Ownership
OwnerChoice Broadcasting Ltd
History
First air date
27 February 2009 (2009-02-27)
Former names
4FM, Classic Hits 4FM
Links
WebcastListen Live
Websiteclassichits.ie

The station broadcasts under a sound broadcasting contract from the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, aimed at Ireland's four main commuter belts, hence its original name of "4FM". It later went by "Classic Hits 4FM", dropping the "4FM" part in 2018 and becoming Ireland's Classic Hits Radio in 2021.[1][2]

The station is part of Bay Broadcasting Limited, which also has interests in Radio Nova and Sunshine 106.8.

2021-2023 Logo
2018-2021 Logo
2016-2018 Logo

Programming

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Ireland's Classic Hits's slogan is The Home of The 80s and 90s and it has mainly adult contemporary/classic hits focused driven format with music from the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s, with occasional songs from the 2010s and small amounts of classic country and hot adult contemporary titles.

The station's flagship breakfast show, The Colm & Lucy Breakfast Show, is presented by Colm Hayes and Lucy Kennedy with other presenters including Trina Mara, Niall Boylan, Damien Farrelly, Gareth O'Callaghan, Ruth Scott, Adrian Kennedy, Barry Lang, Enda Murphy, Lisa Gernon and Meghann Scully. Niall Boylan hosts two daily phone-in shows from 12:00-14:00 and 21:00-23:00. The show won the best talk show award at the New York Festivals International Radio Program Awards Gala in June 2017.

A four-hour drivetime show is hosted by former 2FM presenter Damian Farrelly.

The station has a commitment to regularly playing Irish music, which it promotes under the slogan Guaranteed Irish. A specialist Irish-language programme is hosted on Sunday nights by Meghann Scully.

Additional specialist programming includes the twice-daily segment Classic Song Investigation, Classic Love Songs and Club Classics

In 2021 the station announced that Kim Wilde would present a custom version of 'The Kim Wilde 80s Show' each weekday evening at 6pm. In addition, the station announced the return of broadcaster Gareth O'Callaghan to its schedule in January 2022.

Programming is broadcast from its digital studios located at Castleforbes House in Dublin's Docklands area.

Former Presenters

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The breakfast show was previously presented by PJ and Damien Farrelly, before that Jim McCabe and originally Gareth O'Callaghan.

Awards

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Year Recipient/Nominated work Award Result
2012 Classic Hits 4FM PPI Radio Awards Community/Social Action Gold
2012 Classic Hits 4FM PPI Radio Awards Station Imaging Bronze
2015 The Niall Boylan Show PPI Radio Awards Interactive Speech Programme Gold
2012 The Niall Boylan Show New York Radio Awards Human Interest Silver
2013 Classic Hits 4FM New York Radio Awards Community Service Bronze
2013 The Niall Boylan Show New York Radio Awards Best Scheduled Talk Show Bronze
2014 Niall Boylan New York Radio Awards Speech Broadcaster of the Year Silver
2013 Classic Hits 4FM The Love Radio Awards Best Radio Station Ad (National) Silver
2013 Classic Hits 4FM The Love Radio Awards Best Government/Public Sector Silver
2013 Classic Hits 4FM The Love Radio Awards Best Retail Silver
2013 Classic Hits 4FM The Love Radio Awards Best Radio Station Ad (National) Gold
2014 Classic Hits 4FM The Love Radio Awards Best Motor Trade Gold
2014 Classic Hits 4FM The Love Radio Awards Best Radio Station Ad (National) Bronze
2014 Classic Hits 4FM The Love Radio Awards Best Radio Station Ad (National) Gold
2014 Classic Hits 4FM The Love Radio Awards Best Radio Station Ad (National) Silver
2016 Classic Hits 4FM The Love Radio Awards Best Motor Trade Silver

Frequencies

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Cork

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Frequency Transmitter Service area Power
94.8 MHz Farmer's Cross Cork City and SE Cork 1.6 kW
94.8 MHz Seskin (Bantry) Bantry and SW Cork N/A
95.2 MHz Fermoy Fermoy 0.1 kW
95.4 MHz Nowen Hill West Cork 5 kW
97.2 MHz Youghal Youghal 0.1 kW
97.4 MHz Bweeng Mountain North Cork, North East Cork and parts of South and East Limerick 2.5 kW
97.4 MHz Carrigaline Carrigaline, Crosshaven, Cobh and surrounding areas 0.1 kW

Limerick/Clare

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Frequency Transmitter Service area Power
104.2 MHz Woodcock Hill Limerick City and County 5 kW
104.6 MHz Maghera County Clare, parts of County Limerick, County Galway and some parts of County Kerry and parts of County Mayo 50 kW

Galway

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Frequency Transmitter Service area Power
104.2 MHz Clifden West Galway 1 kW
104.9 MHz Tonabrocky Galway city, parts of County Mayo and surrounding areas 10 kW
95.1 MHz Redmount Hill East Galway and surrounding areas. Commencement date: June 2024 1 kW

Greater Dublin

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Frequency Transmitter Service area Power
94.6 MHz Saggart Hill Commuter belt areas of north County Kildare and east County Meath 0.5 kW
94.9 MHz Three Rock Mountain Dublin city and county 1.5 kW
94.6 MHz Bray Head Bray, Greystones and North Wicklow 0.2 kW
94.1 MHz Balbriggan Balbriggan, Skerries, Laytown, Bettystown, Rush and North County Dublin 0.2 kW

References

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  1. ^ a b "Press Releases 2009 - BCI SIGNS CONTRACT WITH 4FM FOR FIRST MULTI-CITY SERVICE". Broadcasting Commission of Ireland. 19 February 2009. Archived from the original on 2 April 2009. Retrieved 5 March 2009.
  2. ^ "Former RTÉ radio & TV host Derek Davis has died". 13 May 2015.
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