PRESS RELEASE – June 14th 2023
As we end Ireland’s decade of centenaries, one event 100 years ago, still has ramifications today. On August 14th 1923 the Irish radio audiences would for the first time hear local voices and Irish music on their own radio station. Ireland’s first licensed radio station, 2BP, took to the airwaves.
This August, with the support of Coimisiún na Meán and the Irish Broadcasting Hall of Fame, we will commemorate those pioneer broadcasters including Victoria Clarke Barry, whose grand-niece is Lorraine Barry, is a judge on RTE’s ‘Dancing With The Stars’.
The opening of 2BP by the Marconi Company coincided with the annual RDS Horse Show and proved extremely popular and therein lies its downfall and colourful history as the first commercial radio station in the new Irish Free State.
To commemorate the unique event, this August a tribute radio station ‘2BP’ will bring the sounds of the 1920’s into the 2020’s. The programming will include Paul Kerenza’s popular BBCentury podcasts, which tells the story of early radio in the British Isles. A book chronicling the history of the station will be launched and a special event will take place in the very room where 2BP’s studios were located in the Royal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire on Saturday August 12th 2023 at 7pm. Radio historian Eddie Bohan will tell the story of 2BP with special guests including Lorraine Barry.
Tickets for the event will be available at the end of July from Eventbrite. For further information contact Eddie Bohan at 2BPCentenary@gamil.com or follow our twitter @IBHallofFame
Media enquiries to: Eddie Bohan
0851442088
