As the speakers struck up the tune “you take the high road and I take the low road” you knew the arrival of Rod was not far off. And right enough up went the curtain and out strolled Rod in one of his immaculate white jackets, surrounded as always by beautiful women. The voice sounded a little scratchier than you remember. The movements just that little bit more tentative but it was unmistakably Rod Stewart of old. Like all seasoned performers who recognise the toll which the years can take on a voice, Rod was strongly supported by backing singers and solo instrumentals on the violin, the saxophone and the trumpet. Continue Reading

A packed house for the first Radio 2 broadcast Mass was a fitting tribute to the unique character that was Gerry Ryan. A big-hearted man was remembered not for his perfection, which he would never have claimed, but for his passionate love of life and of the many different characters that people our world. He had the capacity to touch them, both great and small. ‘You raise me up to more than I can be’ were the words with which Westlife sang him off the stage backed by a gospel choir. It was enough to make hairs stand up on the back of your neck. It was a sentiment many of his daily listeners would share. Continue Reading

The recent poll on my website showed people were almost 8 to 1 in favour of a general election in preference to a national government that would comprise all of the major political parties. This is almost the exact reversal of the 90% poll on the Joe Duffy Show in favour of a national government. You might well say that those logging onto my website wouldn’t be a random sample of the population as a whole, which may be true. However, I think the result still illustrates how hugely poll results are influenced by the way in which the question is asked. Here are two questions that loosely ask people their view on a national government, but few would be surprised if they generated very different answers. Continue Reading