Radio chief Dave Kelly on owing his career to long-time friend Ian Dempsey and how fans queue around the block to meet Lucy Kennedy
The pair grew up in the same area and Kelly says it was Dempsey who introduced him to pirate radio in 1980 at the height of its popularity.
When Dempsey, who now hosts Today FM’s breakfast show, married his wife Ger in 1986, he also asked Kelly to be his best man.
Kelly, who was a DJ and programme director with Dublin’s FM104 for 30 years and has now joined the company behind Nova Radio, Classic Hits, Sunshine and Galway Bay FM, remembers the moment he caught the DJing bug.
Dave Kelly with Jon Bon Jovi
“It was in 1980 at a disco for a friend’s birthday party in The Camelot Hotel in Coolock. There were two fellas playing at the disco, Ian Dempsey and Tony Fenton. They were the two DJs,” Dave reveals.
“I was fascinated with how the DJing works. I got up on stage and the two lads went for a break to the bar or to have a smoke and Ian said, ‘Hit that button and keep it going,’ and I did.
“At one stage a fella came up and asked me to announce that there was a missing wallet and sure I nearly sh*t myself having to speak.
“At the time Ian was on the pirate radio station ARD (Alternative Radio Dublin) and he said, ‘Would you like to come in and have a look around ARD?’
“That was 1980 and a fella in ARD said, ‘Do you want to go on the air and do something?’
Dave Kelly (front right) with Tony Fenton and Ian Dempsey
“I did and I got the bug. I couldn’t get enough of it. And I don’t feel I’ve worked a day in my life because I love it so much.
“This is a hobby that just turned into something massive. I still love coming into work.”
Kelly had served his time as a plasterer after leaving school as his family was in the business, but he was also DJing by night at discos in those early days of his life.
A young Ian Dempsey during his pirate radio days
“My dad had a plastering company and the plan was for me to take over,” Dave says. “But my da encouraged me to keep going at the DJing. I was getting a few quid at night, probably more than I would earn for a week plastering. And I was only 18 or 19.
“I remember talking to Da on his deathbed at home and I said, “Sorry I didn’t follow through on the plastering, it just wasn’t for me.’
“He came from generations of plasterers. He said, ‘To be honest with you Dave, you didn’t have hands to bless yourself.’ Said like a true Dub,” he laughs.
Dave Kelly and Gareth O’Callaghan in their pirate radio days
Kelly then became a member of what was known as ‘The Northside Mafia’ in pirate radio, as most of the jocks were from Dublin’s northside.
“I’m from Glasnevin and Ian lived around the corner from me,” Dave says. “Barry Lang lived down the road and there was Tony Fenton, Aidan Leonard, Declan Meehan and Tony Dixon.”
These days, as well as his role as programme director, Kelly coaches and mentors presenters on the radio stations in his group. They include celebrities Lucy Kennedy (Classic Hits) and P.J. Gallagher (Nova).
Radio chief Dave Kelly with Lucy Kennedy
“I do coaching with presenters all the time and I say to them that a listener has to feel they’d like to go out for a pint with you, that you’d be that accessible, that you’d be good craic to go out with. If you’re not that way you’re not doing your job. The likes of Lucy, PJ, Damian Farrelly and Trina Mara all have this warmth and the listeners know all about them.”
Kelly also does roadshows around the country with DJs from the stations to meet listeners in person.
“It’s just unbelievable to see the passion that people have for fellas and women that they listen to on the radio every day when they meet them in the flesh,” Dave says.
Radio veteran Dave Kelly
“When I bring Lucy Kennedy on tour they are queuing around the corner to get a photograph with her. It’s unbelievable, but she’s a very warm person anyway. At the end of the night Lucy is sitting on the ground doing Rock The Boat with them and they lap it up.
“PJ Gallagher is the same, they just can’t get enough of him. It’s all about that personal touch. Radio is a personal thing, listeners see presenters as their friend and they feel they know them.”
Despite the onslaught from social media and digital music platforms, Kelly insists that radio is maintaining its popularity.
“Spotify is great, but at the end of the day people want content. That’s what the jocks are there for,” Dave says.
“Research shows that 3.5 million Irish adults listen to Irish radio every weekday. Three hours and 45 minutes daily is the average time spent listening to radio. That is massive. That is probably one of the highest in Europe.”
So video didn’t kill the radio star? “No,” he laughs. “And neither has social media.”