Joe Duffy becomes the presenter of the RTÉ Radio 1 phone-in show 'Liveline'.
In August 1998, RTÉ broadcaster Gay Byrne announced his plans to retire. He bid farewell to listeners of his morning radio programme 'The Gay Byrne Show' with a live Christmas Eve broadcast from Dublin city centre. He continued to present 'The Late Late Show' until May 1999.
Gay Byrne's impending departure was the catalyst for director of radio Helen Shaw to shake up the RTÉ Radio 1 schedule. After 13 years of presenting the phone-in radio programme 'Liveline', Marian Finucane was to leave the afternoon slot and move to the morning schedule.
Following a successful summer run on 'Liveline’ in 1998, Joe Duffy was chosen as the show's new presenter. Despite winning a Jacob's Award for his work on 'The Gay Byrne Show' and being regularly lauded for his frontline reporting, 'Liveline' was the first show that Joe Duffy would present on a full-time basis.
When the new RTÉ Radio 1 schedule launched on 4 January 1999, Marian Finucane was in the former Gay Byrne slot presenting a new weekday show, 'Marian Finucane'. From 1:45 pm - 2:45 pm, Joe Duffy was presenting 'Liveline'
Joe Duffy's first ‘Liveline’ caller is Boyzone's Ronan Keating, who, as part of the National Millennium Committee in Ireland, is considering various initiatives to celebrate the millennium. A caller named Catherine goes on air to make her suggestion to mark the millennium, but first she addresses Joe Duffy,
Happy New Year and welcome to your new post of presenter of ‘Liveline'.
Before getting Catherine back on track, Joe Duffy replies,
Thank you very much, you're very kind, you're very kind.
The show also features a lively debate about the UK's New Year Honours List. A caller Ciarán is disappointed that, following the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, members of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) will not be accepting honours from Queen Elizabeth II. His final statement on the subject,
I predict that one day Gerry Adams will become Sir.
This episode of 'Liveline' was broadcast on 4 January 1999. The producer is Carol Louche.
At the close of his 'Liveline' show on 8 May 2025, Joe Duffy informed listeners that he would be broadcasting his final programme on 27 June 2025.
