Broadcaster David McCullagh has been announced as the new presenter of Radio 1's Today programme as its current presenter Claire Byrne is set to leave RTÉ later this year.
Ms Byrne will join Newstalk in early 2026 to host a new mid-morning programme.
Mr McCullagh currently anchors Six One News and presents the Behind the Story podcast.
Ms Byrne, one of the top broadcasters in the country, took the helm of the flagship programme in 2020.
During her time in RTÉ, she presented a range of programmes across TV and radio, including News At One and Claire Byrne Live.
Claire Byrne Live, her weekly current affairs programme, was on air for seven years, with interviews, debates and a live studio audience.
At the same time, she was presenting the Radio 1 programme, Today with Claire Byrne, each weekday morning.
We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
In a tribute to Ms Byrne when she left her television programme to focus on her radio programme, RTÉ said that she had hosted Ireland's biggest conversation, giving the audience a voice on key issues of the day.
At the time, Ms Byrne said: "When we started Claire Byrne Live in 2015, we wanted it to be a forum for people in Ireland to shape the news, respond to unfolding events and most importantly, to have their say.
"We came through two general elections, two hugely significant referendums and one global pandemic in the time that we have been on air," she added.
Of the Today programme, she said, that her role would see her always ask the questions the listeners want answered at this most critical time.
The most recent JNLR figures, published in August, showed that Today with Claire Byrne was one of the most listened to radio programmes in the country with 354,000 listeners.
The figures showed that RTÉ Radio 1 remains the most popular station in Ireland, reaching 1.4 million listeners every week, an increase of 25,000 since the last figures. It is the first choice for adults aged 35–54 nationwide, with a share of 14%.
Award-winning journalist and author David McCullagh will start his new role on 3 November.
In addition to his new radio role, Mr McCullagh will continue to present general, European and presidential election coverage for RTÉ.
Mr McCullagh worked at the Evening Press from 1989 until he joined RTÉ in 1993 as a reporter for RTÉ News.
He went on to be RTÉ News Political Correspondent for 12 years before joining Prime Time in 2013 before rejoining the This Week team on RTÉ Radio 1 in 2018.
RTÉ’s Director of Audio Patricia Monahan said: "David's unparallelled grasp of the political scene at home and abroad, as well as his incisive skills as an interviewer, make him the perfect choice for the Today programme.
"And as we know from his work on Behind the Ballot and Behind the Story, he has a sharp wit too, and is sure to entertain as well as inform listeners as the Today programme continues to tackle the serious stories as well as offering listeners much-needed changes of pace from the lighter sides of life."
She added: "Claire has made the Today seat her own, and her contribution to public service broadcasting across her years in RTÉ has been outstanding. We wish her the very best, and thank her for her dedication to the audiences in Ireland and around the world over many years."
David McCullagh said: "I’m delighted to be joining the Today programme and am excited about the challenge ahead. I’m really looking forward to working with the team to build on the programme’s strong record of providing first class coverage and analysis of the stories that are important to our audience."
Mr McCullagh will continue to present RTÉ's Six One News until the end of October.
In a statement marking the announcement of her move to Newstalk, Ms Byrne said: "This new chapter marks a really significant milestone for me in my career, and I'm thrilled to be doing it with the vibrant team and listeners at Newstalk as they continue to thrive and cement their position in the Irish media landscape.
"It’s a particular honour for me to take up the reins from Pat Kenny, a broadcaster whose career, skill and passion for the job is an inspiration to all of us."
Pat Kenny announced this morning that his radio programme will be moving to weekends from next year.
