O'Rourke to fill departing Kenny's RTÉ radio slot

Seán O'Rourke is to replace Pat Kenny in the mid-morning slot on RTÉ Radio 1, the state broadcaster has confirmed.

O'Rourke, the presenter of RTÉ's News at One programme, will present a new show from September 2 in the 10am to 12pm slot previously occupied by Today With Pat Kenny.

Veteran RTÉ broadcaster Kenny shocked the media world last month with the announcement that he was departing for the Denis O'Brien-owned Newstalk station.

Portlaoise native O'Rourke is a former journalist with the Connacht Tribune, The Sunday Press and the The Irish Press.

He has presented Rws at One since January 1995 and weekly TV review 'The Week in Politics' since 2003.

“It’s 40 years ago next month since I began a lifelong love affair with journalism and I can honestly say I am as excited about this move as I was the first day I climbed the stairs in the Connacht Tribune in September 1973," Mr O'Rourke was quoted as saying by RTÉ.

"Not only will we break news, drive the debate and analyse the stories of the day, we’ll be getting stuck into much more than that."

Mr O'Rourke will be replaced as News at One presenter by Áine Lawlor and Richard Crowley.

Áine Lawlor also takes over as the new presenter of The Week in Politics.

Meanwhile, in other changes to the RTÉ radio roster, Claire Byrne joins Morning Ireland and Miriam O’Callaghan will continue to present the 9am RTÉ Radio 1 slot into the autumn.

An RTÉ spokesperson said previous 0am-10am presenter John Murray would return to the schedules 'in due course'.