Ryan’s radio audience had fallen below 300,000

RTÉ Radio last night paid tribute to the late Gerry Ryan as the latest listenership figures showed he remained a popular host even though his audience fell below 300,000 for the first time in many years.

The average number of listeners to Ryan’s daily morning programme declined by 10,000 over the past year to 296,000.

The results are the last full yearly figure for the three-hour weekday show which Ryan hosted since 1988 until his shock death earlier this month at the age of 53.