11 May 2023
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
Radio legend Gareth O’Callaghan lives in Cork and had been off the airwaves recently after a car accident
Ireland Classic Hits Radio (previously known as 4FM) are delighted to announce that presenter, Gareth O’Callaghan will be returning on air on Saturday, the 13th of May from 10 am to 2 pm
Following a six week stay in hospital after a car accident where he was seriously injured, alongside his wife, Paula and her daughter who were also injured but not as seriously.
“Gareth is making a steady recovery and is looking forward to getting back on air, playing his favourite tunes, and catching up with his listeners.” according to the Station.
Kevin Branigan, CEO, Ireland’s Classic Hits Radio said: ” “We’re delighted to be welcoming Gareth O’Callaghan back to his weekly Saturday show on Irelands Classic Hits Radio this week. It hasn’t been the same without him and I’ve no doubt our listeners will be delighted at his return too!”.
Gareth O’Callaghan at Garretstown Beach, Co Cork last year with Paula (Credit: https://twitter.com/GarethOCal)
What is Ireland’s Classic Hits Radio?Ireland’s Classic Hits Radio launched in 2008 and is Ireland’s only multicity broadcaster, covering the cities of Dublin, Cork, Limerick & Galway. The station has approximately 300,000 listeners. The station is also available via its smartphone apps, its website www.classichits.ie and via the Irish Radio Player.
Ireland’s Classic Hits Radio is the only multi-city radio service in Ireland broadcasting to the main cities of Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway as well as Clare, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow and features one of the strong radio presenter line-ups in the country Including Lucy Kennedy, Colm Hayes, Niall Boylan, Ruth Scott, Damien Farrelly, Barry Lang and Trina Mara .
Who is Gareth O’Callaghan?
Gareth O’Callaghan has broadcast with Ireland’s Classic Hits Radio since its launch in 2009. He originally began broadcasting on pirate radio 1979 and presented on various radio stations throughout the 80s including Radio Nova, Sunshine Radio. Following a period working UK radio In Birmingham and Leeds, he joined the BBC and returned to Ireland to join RTE 2fm in 1989. He remained with RTE for almost 17 years, during which time he launched Mrs Brown’s Boys, Brendan O’Carroll’s original radio play.
In 2005, following a short break from radio, he moved West and took up the role of Breakfast Show presenter on Galway Bay FM. Later he returned to Dublin city to join the team of Classic Hits Radio, which started broadcasting in February 2009, as their new breakfast show presenter.
His memoir, ‘What Matters Now: A Memoir of Hope and Finding a Way Through the Dark’, documents his MSA diagnosis and navigating his life with the illness. Following the release of his memoir and 60th birthday last March.
O’Callaghan currently lives in Cork with his wife, Paula following their marriage in 2020, and her two children Emma and David. He has three daughters, Kerri, Katie and Aoibhinn, and four granddaughters