The British Broadcasting Century with Paul Kerensa

#098 Ireland's First Radio Station... and the BBC News theme album

Listen Later

14 August 1923: Ireland's first licensed radio station takes to the air... 

Yes for one episode, The British Broadcasting Century leaves Britain to become The Irish Broadcasting Century. Well how could we not bring you the tale of Marconi setting up a (legal) radio station at the Royal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire, Dublin, to broadcast to the Horse Show... only to be closed down a few days later because the government panicked - and especially in the company of the Irish broadcasting historian Eddie Bohan.

After Ireland in 1923, we return to Britain in the present-day for an interview with composer David Lowe - the man behind the BBC News theme (as well as The One Show, Grand Designs, Countryfile and more). David's new album of official BBC News themes (and remixes) is available now from Spotify, Apple Music and other places.

 

SHOWNOTES:

  • David Lowe's album of Official BBC News Themes is on Spotify, Apple Music etc: https://davidlowemusic.com/product/bbc-news-official-themes/
  • David's website is https://davidlowemusic.com/
  • Eddie Bohan's book The History of 2BP: Ireland's First Licensed Radio Station is available from https://amzn.to/4jcoVwe
  • Eddie's brilliant blog is at The Irish Broadcasting Hall of Fame: https://ibhof.blogspot.com/
  • We also mention these episodes: See episode 48 for more on 2BP's earlier role for Daimler's in-car radios at the Glasgow Motor Show in January 1923. See episode 77 for the tale of Frank Milligan, thanks to Eddie.
  • The Early Recordings Association Conference takes place at The University of Surrey, Guildford this July. I'll be presenting on 1 July. Details here: https://www.surrey.ac.uk/events/20250701-early-recordings-association-era-conference-2025
  • If early recordings are your thing, do consider joining the Early Recordings Association, for free, at https://www.surrey.ac.uk/early-recordings-association. And its lead Dr Inja Stanovic joins us on a future podcast.
  • Original music is by Will Farmer. The BBC News themes you hear are used with kind permission from David Lowe. Get his album! 
  • See Paul Kerensa on tour, with The BBC and Me: Then and Now, aka An Evening of (Very) Old Radio: www.paulkerensa.com/tour - come and hear about the first firsts of broadcasting, live.
  • Also catch Paul at the Religion Media Festival on Monday 9 June: https://religionmediacentre.org.uk/events/religion-media-festival-2025/
  • This podcast is nothing to do with the BBC. Any BBC copyright content is reproduced courtesy of the British Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved. We try to use clips so old they're beyond copyright, but you never know. Copyright's complicated...
  • Comments? Email the show - paul at paulkerensa dot com.
  • Do like/share/rate/review this podcast - it all helps.
  • Support us on Patreon (£5/mth), for bonus videos and things - and thanks if you do!

    •  

    Next time: Episode 99 - Godfrey Isaacs - head of The Marconi Company, and the chap who come up with the idea for... the BBC.

    More info on this broadcasting history project at paulkerensa.com/oldradio

     

    ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store
    The British Broadcasting Century with Paul KerensaBy Paul Kerensa
    • 4.7
    • 4.7
    • 4.7
    • 4.7
    • 4.7

    4.7

    11 ratings

    More shows like The British Broadcasting Century with Paul Kerensa

    View all
    Test Match Special by BBC Radio 5 Live

    Test Match Special

    200 Listeners

    Quizzes by BBC Radio 4

    Quizzes

    94 Listeners

    RHLSTP with Richard Herring by Sky Potato, Go Faster Stripe and Fuzz Productions

    RHLSTP with Richard Herring

    360 Listeners

    The Political Party by Avalon

    The Political Party

    73 Listeners

    Dan Snow's History Hit by History Hit

    Dan Snow's History Hit

    4,770 Listeners

    WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk by Goalhanger

    WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk

    1,369 Listeners

    You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

    You're Dead to Me

    3,159 Listeners

    Word In Your Ear by Mark Ellen, David Hepworth and Alex Gold

    Word In Your Ear

    66 Listeners

    Time Team by Time Team

    Time Team

    71 Listeners

    The Rest Is Politics by Goalhanger

    The Rest Is Politics

    3,324 Listeners

    Battleground by Goalhanger

    Battleground

    327 Listeners

    Empire by Goalhanger

    Empire

    2,311 Listeners

    The News Agents by Global

    The News Agents

    1,006 Listeners

    The Rest Is Entertainment by Goalhanger

    The Rest Is Entertainment

    848 Listeners

    Journey Through Time by Goalhanger

    Journey Through Time

    241 Listeners