2fm presenter Damian Farrelly is celebrating three years presenting Early Breakfast and the fact that the show has doubled its listenership during that time.
Speaking to RTÉ TEN, Farrelly said: "Three years on Early Breakfast, I can't believe it. It really has flown by! I love the early starts because you're first with everything people need and want to know.
"It's all go in the mornings because as well as all the features on the show we have to play the music – that's 10 or 11 songs in the hour, [from 6am to 7am].
He added: "If you listen for the hour we are on, you'll be up to date with everything that's going on in the world of sport, entertainment, celeb birthdays, weather, news, traffic, the papers and of course you can win with the First quiz of the day!"
"We've doubled the listeners since the show began in 2010, so I'm really chuffed with that because it makes the early start rewarding from the get go."
How does he cope with the early mornings and how early is early?: "The phone goes off at 03.45 and I'm in for around 5am, we go live at 6am after we check on-line and in the papers as to what went on around the place overnight."
He added: "It's about 50 miles from my house [in Kells] to the RTÉ studios in Donnybrook in Dublin 4, and I find that time of the morning is a great time to think. We've three children aged 6, 4 and eight months so it can be crazy sometimes...and NOISY! But I wouldn't change a thing.
"In fact some mornings when I'm leaving the house [my wife] Leona is up with one of the children...so it's early starts all round."
The weekends are busy too: "I do a show on a Saturday too, 90'S,00'S, NOW and it does what it says on the tin! Not a whole pile of talk...I just play loads of great music which is going down a treat because that show is gaining listeners too.
"Bedtime is usually between 8 and 9.30pm (rock 'n roll eh?) No two days are ever the same which I love."
Tune in to Early Breakfast weekdays from 6am and Saturdays from 5pm for 90's, 00's and Now on 2fm 90-92fm or via the RTÉ Radio Player and for further info on the shows click here
