Ray D’Arcy in the soup as first day at RTÉ proves testing

It opened with a sigh, continued with a groan, and quickly it became apparent that RTÉ Radio 1’s new — or at least reconditioned — signing was in the soup.

Ray D’Arcy, returning to the national broadcaster after a 14-year sabbatical at Today FM, might have decided to come back with a bang, introducing a big-name guest, a cracking competition, or an outdoor broadcast from the top of the Spire in O’Connell St.

But the prodigal son had other ideas. The sigh was because some switch he was fiddling with wasn’t responding. Possibly it was the eject button because D’Arcy sounded like he’d rather be anywhere else.