Ireland's new radio service informs people about the first census conducted under the Irish Free State.
The newly established radio service 2RN was used to provide information about the first census of the population held since the establishment of the Irish Free State. The census was taken on the 18th April 1926 and offered the first detailed look at society in Ireland since the 1911 census.
2RN had begun broadcasting on the 01 January 1926 and now the new radio station was being used as a public service to inform listeners about the importance of the survey of the Irish population and how to complete the census form.
Stanley Lyon from the Department of Industry and Commerce gave a talk explaining the census paper to listeners of the new radio service on Saturday 17th April. He made a broadcast again the following day ahead of census night, Sunday 18th April.
The Department of Industry and Commerce which was managing the census was keen to stress the importance of citizens completing the census return for future planning for Ireland.
The early days of broadcsting by 2RN offered listeners a mix of live music and talks from guest speakers on a range of subjects.
On Friday 16th April 1926 ahead of census night the writer and actor Cathal MacGarvey was on 2RN with a humorous monologue, in which he expressed the fears of one Tim Finnegan.
'The Census Paper Old Tim Finnegan Tells of His Worries'
Holy pipers that played before Moses
Will yez play a lament for me!
Tis out o' my senses, Lord help me, this Census is drivin' me clean
And somehow I feel that before the 18th
The grass o'er my grave will be green
