IRadio

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This article is about the Irish radio station. For Apple's Internet radio service, see iTunes Radio.
Not to be confused with I-Radio.

iRADIO
Broadcast areaBorder Region

Mid-East Region
Midland Region

West Region
Frequencies96.9 MHz (East County Donegal, Derry)
102.1-104.4 MHz (North-West)
104.7-106.7 MHz (North-East)
RDSiRADIO
BrandingWhere Hit Music Lives
Programming
LanguagesEnglish, Irish
FormatCHR
Ownership
Owner
Newstalk
Today FM
Dublin's 98FM
Spin 1038
Spin South West
Cork's Red FM
History
First air date
4 July 2011
Links
WebcastListen Live
Websiteiradio.ie

iRADIO is a music-driven youth radio station broadcast in the Border, West, Mid-East and Midland regions of Ireland. The station is one of four music-driven youth stations that were licensed by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland to challenge the current duopoly in the 15-34 age bracket for those outside Dublin by national stations RTÉ 2FM and Today FM.

The station offers a mix of music, chat, competitions, and topical segments, providing a vibrant alternative to traditional radio. Its presenters are known for their energetic style and strong engagement with listeners through both on-air content and digital platforms.

Based in Athlone and broadcasting to an average listenership of 335,000 per week - it was created by the merger of i102-104FM and i105-107FM on 4 July 2011.[1][2] The combined 15-county franchise was awarded a new ten-year license in 2019.[3]

In August 2023, it was announced that iRadio would be acquired by Bauer Media Audio Ireland.[4] On 4 December, the purchase was completed.[5] It adopted a new branding kit in 2025, to closer align with sister stations across the Bauer network.

Broadcast Area

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iRADIO covers 15 counties across Ireland:

  • Cavan
  • Donegal
  • Galway
  • Kildare
  • Leitrim
  • Laois
  • Longford
  • Louth
  • Mayo
  • Meath
  • Monaghan
  • Offaly
  • Roscommon
  • Sligo
  • Westmeath

The station can also be received in parts of Dublin, North Tipperary and Wicklow via overspill.

This extensive coverage gives iRADIO a strong regional presence, reaching hundreds of thousands of young listeners each week.

Programming

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iRADIO primarily broadcasts contemporary hit music (Top 40), targeting a core audience of 15- to 34-year-olds. The station features a range of dynamic programming throughout the day, including music, entertainment, and youth-focused content.

News and entertainment bulletins are broadcast hourly, delivering a concise mix of local, national, and international news, sports updates, and a weather summary.

Since 2024, the station has syndicated some programming on Friday and Saturday nights with it’s sister stations SPIN 1038 and SPIN South West

Presenters

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  • Steven Cooper (iMornings with Cooper & Oonagh)
  • Oonagh O'Carroll (iMornings with Cooper & Oonagh)
  • Sharron Lynskey (iRadio Daytimes)
  • Dave Duke (Dave & Fionnuala on iRadio)
  • Fionnuala Corbett (Dave & Fionnuala on iRadio)
  • Conor Woods (iRadio @ Night)
  • Míchéal Kearney (Míchéal, Shane & Ella on iRadio)
  • Shane O'Loughlin (Míchéal, Shane & Ella on iRadio)
  • Ella Carey (Míchéal, Shane & Ella on iRadio)
  • Valerie McHugh (iRadio's Hits & Sport)
  • Marty Guilfoyle (iRadio's 6 to 6)
  • Jen Payne (iRadio's 6 to 6)
  • Niall Dunne (iRadio's 6 to 6)
  • Leah Hogarty (iRadio's Big 40)
  • Ciaran O'Connor (iRadio's All Irish)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "iRadio sets its sights on the future". iRadio. 22 February 2019. Archived from the original on 17 June 2020. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  2. ^ "Irish Radio Frequency Finder" (PDF). Frequency Finder. 25 April 2019. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  3. ^ "Ten-year BAI licence renewal for iRadio". RadioToday. 1 July 2019. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  4. ^ Healy, Alan (16 August 2023). "Midlands broadcaster iRadio is acquired by Newstalk owner Bauer". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  5. ^ "Bauer Media Audio completes acquisition of iRadio". Bauer Media Group. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
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