Dunphy a slow starter in morning
But it may be tougher than the maverick broadcaster hoped after a performance that offered plenty of reminders why anything south of teatime is closer to his spiritual home.
The new show was essentially the Last Word, his old Today FM slot, transposed to morning with a cast familiar to listeners of that successful programme.
Shane Ross on business, John Giles on sport, Frank Connolly on corruption and Niall O’Dowd on US politics were hardly new ideas and fresh voices.
That they were on muffled phone lines didn’t help as Dunphy only twice became animated during his two-hour stint and that was when he had guests in the studio.
Former government press secretary PJ Mara shared the morning paper review slot which was lively although short on depth, while the big name of the morning, Tánaiste Mary Harney, was at least coaxed into providing sufficient comment to be picked up as a story on the subsequent news bulletins.
Monday is generally a bad day to judge any current affairs based programme given that it follows the weekend slump and will inevitably be scarce on fresh material and fast reaction.
But yesterday’s offering, covering the Beslan school atrocity, John Kerry’s election campaign, allegations of fixing in horse racing and Ray Burke’s tribunal woes could have been played out any time from last Friday afternoon to Sunday evening.
The sports slot focused on Roy Keane’s return to the fold for this Wednesday’s international against Switzerland and David Beckham’s poor weekend performance for England, but it hardly took both Giles and Denis Irwin to tell listeners that Keane is brilliant and Beckham overrated. No other sports got a look-in.
Fans of the Last Word should have been happy enough but the Last Word had the benefit of time to digest the day’s happenings.
Dublin listeners like their coffee to be a familiar flavour but they also like it freshly brewed.
The kitchen staff may have to get up earlier in future.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
