BBC Radio Foyle celebrate forty years of broadcasting
The station celebrates with a special programme later today.
“We exist for our listeners. They are at the heart of everything that we do. This concert is a tribute to all of them and to everything that BBC Radio Foyle has achieved and stands for. Here’s to all of the great things that we can do together over the next 40 years!” – Larry Deeney, Content Editor, BBC Radio Foyle
Radio Foyle tonight (Thursday 5th December) will broadcast a special evening of entertainment and celebration to mark the 40th birthday of the station live from the city’s Guildhall from 7.30pm.
Presented by Sarah Brett and Stephen McCauley, the two-hour Foyle At 40 Gala promises a great line-up of musicians and actors, special guests, a few archive moments and highlights from a year of birthday-related programmes on the station at the heart of the North West community.
Among those due to perform on the night are The Undertones; Paul Casey; Touts; Ruth McGinley; ROE; Ryan Vail; and star of Derry Girls Saoirse-Monica Jackson. There will also be performances from Ebrington Primary School and Thornhill College, winners of the junior and senior sections of BBC Northern Ireland School Choir Of The Year.
“Creative ambition has been a constant in the BBC Radio Foyle story. We have demanded the best of ourselves and for the listeners that we serve. Our services have grown in volume and reach, making use of new technology and developing Foyle’s place as a production centre for BBC audiences across Northern Ireland and beyond. This work has benefitted from recent investment, but it never stops. The future is always fast arriving and we need to keep pace with its demands and opportunities – a task which I feel we can embrace with confidence.” – Larry Deeney, Content Editor, BBC Radio Foyle
The concert will provide a showcase for the talent and creativity of the city and region. It will look back at the journey that BBC Radio Foyle has made with its listeners and the station’s role as a meeting place of the airwaves.
It will also reflect town and country life, all that has changed across the decades and the community spirit that continues to give the North West its unique character. The concert will also take time to remember some of the difficult times that the area has faced together, the legacy of favourite radio personalities who are no longer with us, and the many moments that have given people a sense of optimism, renewal and hope for the future.
“It’s entirely appropriate for this concert to take place in the beautiful setting of The Guildhall – which provided the backdrop to BBC Radio Foyle’s first outside broadcast at Christmas-time in 1979. Our microphones and staff team have travelled throughout community since then, bringing local stories, voices and experiences to a wider audience. We have reported events and provided a forum for debate. And we have reflected the remarkable diversity of everyday life – winning awards, constantly innovating and staying close to people’s needs.” – Larry Deeney, Content Editor, BBC Radio Foyle
