Des's Island Discs: Recent Episodes
RTÉ Radio 1
Des Cahill is joined by guests from various walks of life to discuss their favourite choices of music.
Des's Island Discs is a programme grown from the Covid lockdown - a kind of escape during difficult times. The final guest to the island is Public Health Nurse Maria Burke who represents all the frontline workers still working day and night to keep us safe during the Covid crisis.
Lead singer of Aslan, Christy Dignam joins Des on the island via a shaky Skype call, and talks about his early musical influences, his father's hands, and his struggles with addiction.
Irish singing great Mary Coughlan joins Des on the island to talk through her musical memories, her love of Billie Holiday, and how the Covid crisis has impacted her touring but given her a bit more time at home with the family.
On Des's Island Discs today former president of DCU Brian MacCraith talks through his musical memories including his preferred Van Morrison version of Raglan Road, his son's successful Tom Morello Make a Wish, and a final thanks in the form of Kodaline's I Wouldn't Be.
Former master of the National Maternity Hopsital Dr Rhona Mahony is Des's guest on the Island today, sharing her musical memories Rhona talks bout slow dancing to Stairway to Heaven, maintaining high hopes in a high pressured job, and her family's love of Liverpool Football Club.
Writer. artist, activist and Dublin City Councillor Mannix Flynn visits Des on the island. Mannix talks about the impact of institutional abuse on his life, his battle with alcohol, and how radio and music gave him a view of the world outside.
TV chef and food author Catherine Fulvio takes Des through her musical and cooking memories on her visit to the island including listening to a Chinese ABBA band, and having her son help out as a cameraman for her latest online cooking videos.
Award winning author John Boyne joins Des on the Island to talk through his musical memories, his love for Kate Bush (she once touched his hand!), how he thinks Sinead O'Connor is maybe Ireland's greatest vocalist and how he enjoys playing Elton John songs on the piano.
Journalist, author and broadcaster Susan McKay shares her musical memories and chats with Des on the Island about growing up in Derry during the Troubles, how she couldn't wait to leave, but quickly found herself returning to help set up the Belfast Rape Crisis Centre.
RTÉ's Washington correspondent Brian O'Donovan is today's visitor to Des's Island Discs and walks Des through his musical memories, how his music choices are heavily influenced by his parents, and what his social life is like for himself and his family in Washington DC.
Des Cahill's guest on today Des's Island Disc's is former legendary Kerry Footballer Eoin 'Bomber' Liston.
Irish trad singer supremo Cathy Jordan joins Des on the Island to share her musical memories. It took an appearance on the Late Late Show to convince Cathy's parents that she had a viable career in music which has taken her around the world and has seen her perform with Dervish to an audience of 250,000 between Iron Maiden and Sepultura.
Archbishop of Armagh Eamon Martin joins Des on the Island with his musical memories. He talks to Des about growing up during the Troubles and how some of his closest friends today are friends from when he was in primary school.
Des is joined on Island by none other than Irish music great Christy Moore, as he recalls his early days starting out in music and how he's been working on a few new songs during lockdown.
Cork comedian, writer and broadcaster Colm O'Regan joins Des on the Island with tales of growing up on a farm in Dripsey, how long school bus journeys turned him into a listener, and the intricacies of stand-up comedy over Zoom.
Des Cahill's guest on today Des's Island Disc's is former amateur jockey and now race horse trainer Ted Walsh.
Des Cahill's guest on today Des's Island Disc's is Michael Carruth who pulled off one of the biggest shocks in amateur boxing when he beat Juan Hernández Sierra of Cuba for the welterweight crown at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona.....Ireland’s first Olympic gold medal since 1956 when Ronnie Delaney won the 1500m in Melbourne.
Singer/songwriter RuthAnne joins Des on the Island and discusses moving to LA they day after doing her leaving cert, how when she's not singing her own songs she's writing them for a plethora of stars, and we get to hear the fruits of her labour during the COVID lockdown.
Des Cahill's guest on today Des's Island Disc's is former Armagh footballer Joe Kernan who reflects on life in Crossmaglen during the troubles and Armagh's greatest sporting triumph.
World-renowned soprano singer, Claudia Boyle is Des's latest guest on the island. Claudia talks about the influence of Maria Callas on her career, a trip to New York to see Bruce Springsteen, the joy of motherhood and so much more.
Ever popular, colourful musician Brush Shiels joins Des on Des’s Island Discs. Brush talks about his aim to break the Over-70s 100m sprint record, growing up on a very musical Phibsboro Road and how The Beatles’ All My Loving brings back a shocking memory.
Publican, columnist and broadcaster Billy Keane tells us he’s looking forward to the eventual return of American tourists to Ireland, how as a child him and his friends once stole a glass eye from one of his Dad’s pub patrons so they could play marbles, and how he suffers for months whenever Dublin beat Kerry.
World renown magician Keith Barry visits Des on his island and tells us how he started magic after getting a Paul Daniels magic set when he was just five, how he used to work inventing cosmetics, and how he first met Huey Morgan from the Fun Loving Criminals by blagging his way into a pub by saying he was The Edge’s cousin.
Des Cahill's guest on today's Des's Island Discs is award winning Irish Journalist based in Uganda, Sally Hayden
Des Cahill's guest on today's Des's Island Discs is award-winning Irish singer and songwriter Gavin James.
Former minister of State for Food and Horticulture, and Green Party leader Rev Trevor Sargent joins Des to talk about life in the church, how we’re all politicians in some way, and waltzing for the Waterboys.
Proud Donegal man, Children’s Ombudsman Dr Niall Muldoon joins Des on the Island and talks about how he ended up leaving a job in a bank twice much to his father’s chagrin and how, for his 40th birthday, his wife got him a road trip to Memphis to visit the home of one of his idols, Elvis Presley.
Journalist and Editor Anne Harris joins Des on the island and describes how she helped form the Markievicz Society when she was studying at UCC, how feature writers need to let the stones tell the story, and how standing her ground as the editor of the Sunday Independent was her proudest achievement in journalism.
Cork actor and comedian Frank Twomey joins Des on the Island talking through his confusing audition for Bosco, his younger years in Bristol and getting to tell Joan O’Hara to ‘F- off’ while working with Liam Neeson.
Des Cahill's guest today is Irish clinical psychologist writer and columnist Maureen Gaffney.
Award-winning journalist and RTE's European Correspondent for twenty years is today's guest on Des's Island Disc's.
On Des's Island Disc's today is a multi-talented sportsman who has played International Rugby and Soccer, Tony Ward
Des Cahill's guest today is Tony award winning director and co founder of the Druid Theatre Garry Hynes
Des Cahill's guest today is Passionist Priest, Journalist Author and Broadcaster Fr. Brian Darcy
Des's guest today is Pat Cox - Irish Politician, Former President of the European Parliament, and former television current affairs reporter.
Des Cahill speaks to Paddy Mulligan ex-Ireland, Shamrock Rovers, Chelsea and West Brom full-back on his beginnings and wonderful playing career.
Des's guest is motor racing legend Rosemary Smith whose career spanned more than fifty years.
Des Cahill's guest today is former Irish political correspondent with RTÉ David Davin Power.
Former rugby Irish International and grand slam winner Lynne Cantwell is today's guest on Des's Island Disc's
Des Cahill's guest today is the colourful Irish radio and television broadcaster Seán Bán Breathnach.
Chef Anna Haugh talks to Des about how her mother’s homemade cooking sent her on a path towards a culinary career, how the kitchen has its very own language, and the pride she takes from opening her own restaurant.
We all know Michael Flynn as Mattress Mick, he chats with Des about guerrilla marketing, how the Beatles captured his philosophy on life, and when he was younger how enjoying Dublin’s nightlife put him under some financial strain.
Des Cahill's guest today is pioneering Irish businesswoman and former executive director of Penneys/Primark, Breege O'Donoghue.
Des Cahill's guest is Sean Boylan - Fifth Generation Medical Herbalist and Former Meath GAA Football Manager.
Caitríona Twomey, the driving force behind Penny Dinners in Cork, chats with Des about how her parents helped instil the need in her to be fair and kind, how Leonard Cohen’s music has filtered through her whole family, and the importance of taking time out to count your blessings.
The voice of All-Ireland final days, Ger Canning, joins Des to talk about his childhood in Cork and how pantomime set him on his way to broadcasting, where his top venues are and which matches are his favourite from his years of commentating.
Actor and TV presenter Simon Delaney tells Des how he chooses to believe his dad really met Frank Sinatra, how amateur musicals gave him the best training he could get, and that his ‘other half’ should be dipped in bronze and made a saint.
In 1994 Charlie McGettigan was one of the Rock and Roll Kids, he chats with Des about blowing the speaker in his family’s radio with his first electric guitar, winning Eurovision, and experiencing Riverdance for the first time.
Sonia O'Sullivan is one of the greatest athletes Ireland has ever produced. She joins Des to chat about learning to bake with her grandmother in Cobh, the highs and lows of a glittering athletics career and the music that holds special memories.
Multi-talented filmmaker, broadcaster and musician Philip King chats to Des about his musical beginnings and influences from Rory Gallagher and Planxty to The Everly Brothers and Steve Cooney, and how he was mesmerised by the then 22-year-old Amy Winehouse’s 2006 performance in Dingle.
Des is joined by legendary GAA commentator Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh, who has experienced some 150 All Ireland finals. So which was the worst ? Mícheál also recalls the songs of his youth and chats about his love of Gaelic Games.
Des is joined by Fergus Finlay. who for many years was at the coalface of Irish politics as a leading member of the Labour Party. He went on to become CEO of Barnardos. Fergus recalls his youth in Cork, the highs and lows of politics and the satisfaction he got from working for Barnardos.
Kellie Harrington joins Des to chat about life growing up in Dublin's north inner city, how boxing rescued her from taking a different route in life and what it meant to her to become World Champion.
Des is joined by writer and broadcaster Bibi Baskin who recalls her childhood days in Donegal, her days as a presenter on RTE television before leaving it all behind to spend fifteen years in India and nowadays writing books in Cork.
Des Cahill is joined by former World Snooker cChampion and now snooker commentator with the BBC, Dennis Taylor.
Des Cahill is joined by psychologist, mental health activist and founder of Pieta House, Joan Freeman.
From proudly donning the Offaly colours in the swimming pool to a comedy career that has seen him travel the world and become a familiar presence on Irish TV and radio. Neil Delamare joins Des Cahill to discuss his upbringing, love of sport and experiences on the stage and screen.
Des is joined by one of the country's most revered journalists, Olivia O'Leary, who recalls her childhood spent swimming in the Barrow River in Carlow. Olivia covered the horror of "The Troubles" and reminisces on tough interviews with Jack Lynch and Charlie Haughey and the trail blazers, who led the way for women in journalism.
Des Cahill is joined by one of Ireland's top jockey three times Champion jockey and Grand National winner... Davy Russell
Des is joined by Galway man Pat McDonagh, founder and owner of fast food group, Supermacs. Pat speaks about the challenges facing businesses amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, the growth of Supermacs from its start in Ballinasloe and taking on global giants McDonald's.
Mike Denver from Portumna in Co Galway is one of the leading lights of the Irish country music scene. In this edition of Des's Island Discs, Mike chats about the influence of his musical mother on his career and his own favourite county singers.
One of Ireland’s most popular columnists, Jennifer O’Connell of the Irish Times chats to Des about a happy time growing up in Waterford and life experiences in Paris, Australia and California. Jennifer is now back living in the house she was raised in and reflects on her life and career to date.
Des Cahill is joined by one of Ireland's most popular and loved sportsman legendary Irish Soccer International Paul McGrath.
Des is joined by the woman considered to be the greatest ever Ladies Gaelic Footballer, four time All Ireland winner Cora Staunton. Cora reflects on success with her native Mayo, her injury woes and life in Australia.
Des Cahill is joined by one of Ireland's best known stage and screen actors Bryan Murray. From first stepping on stage as a young boy in a local production of Pirates of Penzance through The Irish RM, Strumpet City and Brookside to his current role as Bob Charles in Fair City, Bryan reflects on a life in the arts.
Can't Cope, Won't Cope writer Stefanie Preissner chats to Des about growing up in Mallow, her love of schedules and structure, her lost ambition to become the first female Garda Commissioner and hard times in Edinburgh despite the success of her play, "Solpadine is my Boyfriend".
Des Cahill is joined by former Formula 1 team owner Eddie Jordan to discuss how a small Irish team managed to compete, and beat, the world's best in one of the most competitive sports going and how it allowed him to indulge his life long love of music as some of the world's biggest rock stars became pitlane regulars.
Known by many as the creator of Ross O'Carroll-Kelly; Paul Howard is Des Cahill's latest guest on Des's Island Discs where he discusses swapping sports journalism for life as an author and playright and the sense of sentimentality which he has carried through life and which, in turn, defines his musical choices.
In his first interview since leaving office in 2017 former Taoiseach Enda Kenny joins Des Cahill to offer his assessment of the ongoing challenge posed by Covid-19 in Ireland, the all consuming nature of life in politics, the impact it has on family life and some of the music that has shaped his approach to life.
Frances Black is a singer, politician and founder of the RISE Foundation. She chats to Des about the challenge of running the foundation, her surprise at getting elected to the Seanad and what it was like growing up as part of the Black family, one of the country's foremost musical families.
Bryan Dobson is one of the nation's leading broadcast journalists. He joins Des to talk about his love of cricket, sailing, his time in Belfast as a reporter and his regular trips to Inishbofin.
Des Cahill is joined by Sunday Game pundit Anthony Daly who reflects on a self confessed addiction with hurling over his lifetime including two All Ireland successes as Clare captain and a management career which saw him lead Dublin to a first Leinster title in 52 years.
Lorraine Barry is a star of Ballroom Dancing and has enhanced her reputation as an adjudicator on 'Dancing with the Stars'. Lorraine talks to Des about growing up in Cabra, the sacrifices made by her parents, and the growth in interest in dancing in Ireland, on foot of the success of 'Dancing with the Stars' on RTÉ television.
Des Cahill is joined by columnist, playwright, actor and podcaster Michael Harding to reflect on his life spanning his time as a teacher in Loughan House detention centre, his love of rural Ireland and travels which saw him go on journeys of discovery in India and Mongolia.
Des chats to Michael O'Regan who was Parliamentary Correspondent of the Irish Times. Michael recalls his days with The Kerryman newspaper, his enduring love of his father and the great writers that Kerry has produced.
Ciara selects music that means something to her and talks about her injury problems over the years, the importance of enjoying the special moments in your life, the disruption caused by the postponement of the Olympic Games and her strong religious beliefs.
Des hooks up with one of the country's most experienced politicians Mary O'Rourke. Mary recalls her college days and the story of Patrick Kavanagh's Raglan Road, the loss of Brian Lenihan Junior and her love of Leonard Cohen's music.
Des talks to five times All Ireland winner, Kerry's Tomás O'Sé, about his younger days, Kerry's toughest opponents and his love of all kinds of music.
Des chats to comedian and writer Katherine Lynch about growing up in Mohill, winning Alternative Miss Ireland and how she coped with adverse criticism on social media.