RTÉ has reported fresh growth for RTÉ Radio 1, an all-time-high share for RTÉ lyric fm, and dips for RTÉ 2FM in the latest Joint National Listenership Research figures.

Across the week, RTÉ’s radio services hold a 29% share of the national audience, with almost two million people listening every week. RTÉ also holds 18 of the top 20 programmes and the entire top ten.

On RTÉ Radio 1, share for all adults has risen to 20.3%, with weekly listenership up 12,000 to 1,388,000. Listening among 15 to 34-year-olds has also grown, with share up from 6.6% to 7.3%.

For the first time, RTÉ Radio 1 now has four flagship shows with more than 400,000 listeners in a single book.

Morning Ireland remains the most listened-to show in the country with 467,000 listeners this book (down 4,000 book on book, up 1,000 year on year). Today with David McCullagh has landed at the number two spot with 440,000 listeners from 9am to 11am, while Oliver Callan has 308,000 listeners each day in his 11am to 1pm slot.

News at One has 279,000 listeners (down 5,000 BoB), while Liveline stands at 280,000 with Kieran Cuddihy now at the helm.

Top four radio shows in Ireland with over 400k listeners:

Morning Ireland – 467,000
Today with David McCullagh – 440,000
Brendan O’Connor (Saturday) – 429,000
Brendan O’Connor (Sunday) – 418,000


Sunday with Miriam has gained 37,000 listeners in the last 12 months

At weekends, Radio 1 again delivered big numbers, led by Brendan O’Connor. His Saturday programme reaches 429,000 listeners (up 10,000 BoB, up 71,000 YoY), while Sundays stand at 418,000 (down 9,000 BoB, up 52,000 YoY).

Sunday Miscellany stands at 338,000 (up 79,000 YoY), while Sunday with Miriam has 341,000 (up 4,000 BoB, up 37,000 YoY). The Business has climbed to 370,000 (up 11,000 BoB, up 42,000 YoY), while Playback has 349,000 (down 6,000 BoB, up 30,000 YoY). Countrywide has increased to 272,000 (up 11,000 BoB).

Patricia Monahan, Director of Audio at RTÉ, said: “The new Radio 1 schedule is all about delivering for the audience, and this book shows that RTÉ Radio 1 is delivering across seven days and a wide variety of genres.”

She added: “With four flagship shows now attracting over 400,000 listeners, it’s clear that more and more people are making the move to Radio 1.”


77,000 listeners wake up with Marty Whelan every weekday morning

RTÉ lyric fm continued its steady rise, now reaching 342,000 listeners every week and increasing share again to an all-time high of 3.1%, up from 2.6% over the last 12 months. Marty in the Morning has 77,000 listeners (up 4,000 BoB, up 6,000 YoY).

Speaking to RTÉ Entertainment, Marty Whelan said he was “absolutely over the moon” with the latest figures, adding: “It’s lovely news, because you just never know until it happens.”

RTÉ 2FM reaches 645,000 listeners every week. 2FM Breakfast has 121,000 listeners (down 10,000 BoB), while Laura Fox has 120,000 (down 5,000 BoB) and Tracy Clifford has 105,000 (down 6,000 BoB).


126,000 turn their dial to Demi and Mikey for 2fm Drive

Demi and Mikey have 126,000 listeners on 2FM Drive (up 2,000 BoB), with Demi broadcasting from the RTÉ Cork studios. At weekends, Katja Mia has 128,000 listeners on Saturdays and 108,000 on Sundays, while Weekend Drive with Emma and Graham has 100,000 listeners on Saturdays (up 9,000 year on year) and 82,000 on Sundays (up 23,000 year on year).

2FM highlighted its expressions of interest recruitment process for new presenters, with five of those voices now on air across the seven-day schedule. Dan Healy, Head of RTÉ 2FM, said a “small dip” in adult market share is “not surprising when something new is introduced to a schedule”, adding: “We have some great plans rolling out in 2026 to ensure that 2FM continues to deliver for the 15 to 34 audience in Ireland.”

Book on book (BoB) compares average programme listenership across the four previous quarters (three-month periods).