Two years before the
launch of the national radio service 2RN, the power of radio and the dispersal of
information was illustrated in County Kerry, the furthest distance from Dublin
and the establishment of the radio station.
March 1924 was a turbulent month in Irish history with the Curragh mutiny and the possibility of a coup against the new Irish Free State Government. The mutiny was an Irish Army crisis that was provoked by a proposed reduction in army numbers in the immediate aftermath of the Civil War. The events made the front pages of British newspapers on Sunday March 9th and was covered in the news reports on the British Broadcasting Company’s stations including 2LO, London, 2ZY in Manchester and 5NO, Newcastle.
Meanwhile as interest grew in Ireland with wireless broadcasting, Dublin based wireless set sellers Dixon and Hempenstall had brought in a wireless van to demonstrate wireless broadcasting around Ireland. They travelled County Kerry and on to Tralee in entertain the locals.
On Sunday afternoon a
large crowd gathered on Edward Street at the CBS School and while they were entertained by the novelty of concerts and music from England, they were also privy to news reports provided
by the Manchester Guardian Newspaper which included news of the Curragh mutiny.
The Liberator Newspaper reported that
‘the broadcasting wireless system enabled Tralee people to learn of the Army trouble long before the Monday daily papers reached the town.’
While in Kerry,
broadcasting was also demonstrated in Listowel and Killarney, two years before
2RN.
