Listeners were surprised to hear a new jingle on Kierran Cuddihy’s Liveline debut show yesterday, as RTÉ scrapped the theme tune as part of a revamp of the programme under the new presenter.
The former signature tune, Over the Moor by Irish band Stockton’s Wing, has been the theme for RTÉ Radio 1’s flagship programme for four decades.
The band, formed in 1977, released the song on their 1986 album Full Flight.
Singer and former Stockton’s Wing member, Mike Hanrahan, said their song is now “iconic” and has been “associated with an iconic show”.
Speaking to RTÉ Radio 1’s Morning Ireland today, he said: “I think the time is to move on. We’ve had the tune associated with the shows since Marian [Finucane] was there.
Kieran Cuddihy
Today’s News in 90 Seconds – Tuesday, November 11
“It’s an iconic tune now and associated with an iconic show. We’ve little to complain about. There was seven of us involved. It paid for quite a few dinners and a few drinks over the years, so all good.
“It’s an old Irish tune, a reel, and then the album we recorded was called Full Flight, and it was probably our most advanced album.
“We really pushed so many boundaries on the album, and as a result, it flopped, but it is definitely my favourite album, and having one of the tunes from the album last so long in our ears was great.”
He said RTÉ gave him a call on Friday evening and informed him that the tune would be replaced from now on.
“It definitely softened it, because it wasn’t nice to know that tune was going. Rebecca from the team called me, and I thought that was class, but it really epitomises the show.
“We’ve had a long association with the show, being on it in various forms, and knowing the presenters and knowing the people behind the scenes.
“So the show is very important for Ireland. It’s all about Ireland. And I think that showed with the phone call from Rebecca, I was so delighted,” he added.
Speaking of the new theme tune, he said he “couldn’t say he likes that” and that it “sounds very electronic”.
“In all honesty, I couldn’t say I like that, because I’d be doing a complete, terrible injustice to our beautiful tune. So I’ll plead the fifth.
“I couldn’t really hear it properly yesterday. I don’t know. I’m sure if somebody actually wrote it, then I can’t knock it, because they’ll get a few bob of it,” he said.
In response to the Irish Independent query, a spokesperson for RTÉ said the current theme tune is a “placeholder”, with a new jingle to be announced next year.
In a statement, the spokesperson said: “The current piece of music is being used as a placeholder ahead of a wider planned refresh of the RTÉ Radio 1 station imaging and sound.
“This refresh will be integral to the repositioning of RTÉ Radio 1. This reimaging project began early-stage scoping over the summer and is expected to be completed early next year.
“The RTÉ Concert Orchestra will be playing a role in this project, which we will announce in early 2026,” they said.
Yesterday, a spokesperson for the national broadcaster said it has “not received any complaints in relation to changing Liveline’s sig tune”.
“A decision was made to retire the Liveline sig tune when Joe Duffy left in preparation for the relaunch of the programme in its new iteration under Kieran Cuddihy,” they added.
This article was amended on November 11, 2025, to correct the spelling of Marian Finucane’s name.