Meet Today FM's new host of lunchtimes Louise Cantillon: 'I feel like I am living the dream'

She loves the lilt of an Ulster sneachta, Ronan O’Gara DM’d her and she lives in a different county to her husband. Todayfm’s newest presenter Louise Cantillon is doing things her way.

Sat, 24 Feb, 2024 - 21:00

Mary Cate Smith

Within five minutes of chatting to Louise Cantillon, the Ghost of my Irish Teacher Past is whispering in my ear.

“Is fearr obair ná caint,” she’s saying. The seanfhocal loosely translates as ‘put your money where your mouth is’ and that’s exactly what Louise did when she decided to leave her permanent job as a secondary school geography and Irish teacher and pursue a career in media.

It was a big risk — and she knew it — but one that ultimately paid off.

“I have to laugh. At 23, I needed a career break. I remember part of me thinking, ‘God, I might never get a job again’ but you know what — it was the best thing I ever did.”

The 30-year-old Limerick native recently landed a major radio gig in the lunchtime slot on TodayFM after Pamela Joyce announced her departure.

“I wish I could freeze time. Honestly, I feel like I am living the dream. It’s probably the most cliché thing to say but if you love what you do, you won’t work a day in your life. Having moved fully into the world of media, I am so happy.”

Louise wears The Burren Grey Pinstripe Trousers and Pinstripe Blazer by Aoife McNamara. Picture: Emily Quinn

Cantillon may be standing on the shoulders of giants, working alongside industry veterans like Ian Dempsey and Dave Moore but she climbed up on the backs of the women who went before her.

“My first radio break came from my boss at Spin South West, Nessa McGann. I don’t think she’d ever taken the risk of putting an Irish teacher on the radio to do an Irish show.

I don’t think any of this would have come about without her — or that show.”

After a few years of building up a solid reputation at Spin, Cantillon was scouted by a female TV producer working at Adare Productions to present Junior Eurovision Éire on TG4.

“There’s been a series of women behind the scenes who have always believed in me and given me opportunities. Female bosses can get a hard rep, but I’ve never had anything but massive support from females in management.

“In terms of presenters who have gone before me, I look at the Seoiges and what they have done for the language and I’m like; ‘iconic’.”

Hailing from Kilcornan, Cantillon may not have been born into the Gaeltacht, but her grá for the teanga was cultivated in Laurel Hill Secondary School where she was taught through Irish.

Like many other Irish millennials and boomers, I had some mixed feelings about my native tongue, having been put off by a few people who refused to speak Irish to me in spite of my enthusiasm. But isn’t Gaeilge briste better than Béarla cliste?

It’s a resounding ‘yes’ from Cantillon — and she urges me to not a bad experience colour my view going forward.

“That perception of Gaeilge has been in the country for a long time. There’s a generation of people who are annoyed at the way it was taught.

"I can empathise with that. When I was a teacher, I didn’t love the curriculum either.”

While the speaking of Irish may have been met with collective groans from a whole host of people growing up in the 90s, that attitude is really changing, Cantillon says.

“You’ll always have the one or two comments. On the flip side of that, there’s a revival at the moment. Irish is like it’s back in vogue and people have a newfound sense of pride in being able to even use the cúpla focail.”

If you’re following Cantillon or TodayFM on Instagram, you’ll have seen the ‘NoContext Cantillon’ meme where her sense of spraoi and craic shines through talking about female mullets, wincing at the ubiquitous alarm tone we all have on our phones and the “lilt of an Ulster sneachta”.

Inheriting a stellar team, Louise says it’s a privilege to work with Pamela and Russell, her show’s producers. For new listeners to the show which airs Monday to Friday, 12pm-2pm, it’s giving light-hearted ceol agus craic.

“It’s a feel-good lunchtime show. We have the chats in the morning before the show and look at stories that are trending. There’s a big focus on music and I love to chat about cultural things that are happening.”

While the real-time nature of radio could induce anxiety in the most confident broadcaster, Cantillon is in her element.

I’m sure I say something ridiculous every day but I think that’s the beauty of radio. TV can sometimes be so produced that there’s no margin for error, whereas radio is a stunning freedom. It’s authentically me.”

Equally, Cantillon seems at home presenting on television and following on from her slot as the Junior Eurovision Éire presenter, she fronted the travel show, Téacs Taistil with the station in 2022 where she travelled to different locations around Europe with a motley crew of fellow gaeilgeoirs.

“I can actually tell you that we’re filming a third series which is coming up on March 6. It’s a seven-part series.”

More recently, Cantillon appeared alongside Dáithí Ó Sé on RTÉ’s Today Show.

“Dáithí and I had the chats about this in the dressing room — how cool is it to be able to meander between English and Irish while we’re on a national station and for it to be something that’s not scripted or forced? It’s just part of who we are as people.”

Proving she’s not above getting stuck in, even in tailored trousers, Cantillon was personal trainer Karl Henry’s guinea pig for how to lift weights using cans of beans. She can’t move on without mentioning the kindness of Dáithí’s co-host, Maura.

“Maura Derrane gave me a pair of white leather cowboy boots. I was screentesting for the show and she turned around and said, ‘Take these boots, they don’t fit me’. She’s an icon.”

Cantillon married her long-time partner, Limerick hurler Declan Hannon in Adare Manor last September in a unique design by Helen Cody.

The photos wouldn’t look out of place in a magazine shoot, but just like in her day job, Cantillon says it’s about putting in the work.

Louise with her husband, Limerick hurler Declan Hannon, at the RTÉ Sports Awards 2023. Picture: Naoise Culhane

“We had a dream day. It was 28 degrees. I don’t think I could do it again, but I’m glad I’ve done it once because it was really special.”

Declan and Louise had their first kiss in a teenage disco in Limerick in 2011 and have been dating ever since. Does being married feel any different?

“You’ve got less money in your bank. If you’ve been in a long-term relationship, it’s kind of like the cherry on top of all those years being together.

"Obviously, we are in a bit of an unconventional situation. Declan lives in Limerick and I’ve moved to Dublin for my job.”

It’s not easy, but it’s working for them.

“We’re working together, but doing it separately. If you love someone, you’ll support each other’s dreams. We’re both very independent and focused on our own individual careers. We feel as though we’re very young. It works for us.”

The downtime they do spend together is “really special,” she says.

We’ve been together since we were 18. It’s a tale as old as time: The shift in the rugby club in Garryowen.”

With several TV stints, a podcast, and her daily radio slot, Louise Cantillon’s star is steadily on the rise — and she counts herself lucky to have a partner like Declan who understands and supports her goals.

“Things have really taken off for me in the last few years. I want to be a little bit selfish and focus on my career.

We’re married and we have the groundwork done. Absence makes the heart grow stronger.”

So, what will Louise do next? Well, there’s the podcast on tour, the travel show, perhaps more TV stints on RTÉ and the OG love, radio. She’s busy, she’s in love. She’s “ar mhuin na muice”.