It was an amazing morning for Irish radio.
To celebrate the station’s 40th anniversary, RTÉ put together a special once-off return of The Ryan Line, using old clips of Gerry Ryan’s show from back in the day, and gave listeners around the country a huge sense of nostalgia.
The hour long show consisted of everything from vibrators to the use of poppers, and gave us all a massive reminder of just how special Ryan was on the Irish radio landscape.
#2FM40 Huge 👏 to @jayhartigan & @willleahy to putting this together. God Gerry was a special broadcaster pic.twitter.com/gSaxkWkxAs
— Alan Swan (@alanswan) May 31, 2019
So this just happened. Edited over 8 months with the blessing of the Ryan family. Some of Gerry's old team were in the room. Electricity in the air. #2FM40 pic.twitter.com/pChxqHPS0f
— Eoghan McDermott (@eoghanmcdermo) May 31, 2019
Long time broadcast coordinator Lorraine manning the phones in 2FM right now ❤️#2FM40 #TheRyanLineIsOpen pic.twitter.com/K0YqxhM8Du
— RTÉ 2FM (@RTE2fm) May 31, 2019
The reaction online has hugely positive, with Paddy Power even taking bets that it might be the most listened to broadcast ever on Irish radio:
The opening section of The Ryan Line was so surreal. Brilliant! The amount of work that must have been done. #2FM40 There will be no work done for the next hour. pic.twitter.com/KuQ77h8giu
— Brian Redmond (@Briantredmond) May 31, 2019
I don't know what sorcery @RTE2fm used but #TheRyanLineIsOpen and it is fantastic. Gerry Ryan has already referenced creaming himself, poppers and gay clubs. I think he was a key part of the liberalisation of Irish society. #2FM40
— Colette Sexton (@colette_sexton) May 31, 2019
The Ryan Line is open for one more time on @RTE2fm and it’s magical. Well done to everyone who has just transported us back to our twenties and allowed us to recall the incredible broadcasting talent of a man that went too soon. #2FM40 pic.twitter.com/jrEVcjzVmZ
— Ciaran Cannon (@ciarancannon) May 31, 2019
LOVE Gerry. Amazing 2 hear him again. Making me smile so much. The irreplaceable brillance. Can't help feel incredibly sad tho 4 the Ryan kids hearing him like they must have a million times. Hope they get comfort frm all the love people hav listening 2him again #2FM40 #Ryanline
— Baz Ashmawy (@bazashmawy) May 31, 2019
Hairs standing on end listening to @RTE2fm this morning. Absolutely inspired move by reopening the Ryan Line in celebration of their 40 years on air. Incredible. They’ve created a brand new Gerry Ryan show special by splicing together years of clippings of the legend. #2FM40
— Shane (@ItsGillen) May 31, 2019
Ah Janey, listening to Gerry this morning is just something else.
What a voice, what a laugh, what a genius. Real trip down memory lane, he really was the greatest, on air and off ❤️ #2FM40— Regina Looby (@reglooby) May 31, 2019
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