Ray D'Arcy

D'Arcy began a career at RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta and in 1988 moved to RTÉ television, with a presenter spot on Jo Maxi. His first spell at RTÉ lasted for 13 years.[1]

D'Arcy replaced Ian Dempsey as the presenter of The Den, RTÉ's flagship children's television series, from 1990 to 1998. His career in children's television later featured in the 2008 documentary Best Bitz From Back Den.[7] D'Arcy also presented the quiz show Blackboard Jungle at the time before presenting youth music quiz 2Phat. In addition, he presented the UTV and RTÉ collaborative travel show Bon Voyage! for one season. He has presented several once-off events, including Ireland's version of the Test The Nation franchise and the Irish Young Scientist Awards. Until 2005 he presented You're a Star,[8][9] the talent show established to find Ireland's entrant for the Eurovision Song Contest. In 2005, D'Arcy took over as Rose of Tralee presenter.[10] On 1 April 2010, after five years, he stood down so as to spend more time with his family as they grew older.[11] Television roles dried up as the 2000s progressed, though he presented When Dreams Come True in 2005[12] and hosted Eurosong 2008 at the University of Limerick Concert Hall.[13] and presented one episode of The Panel later that year.[14] That same year, he ruled out applying to host The Late Late Show,[15] despite being linked to this prime-time slot.[16] On 1 December 2008, he announced on his Today FM radio show (see next paragraph) that he would be participating in the second season of Celebrity Bainisteoir; he managed County Kildare team Rathangan.[17][18][19]

D'Arcy moved to Today FM radio in the late 1990s. He took over Tim Kelly's mid-morning show, which went out from 10:00 to 12:45. This slot was later changed to 9:00 to 12:00, entering direct competition with The Gerry Ryan Show on RTÉ 2fm. He credited much of the show's success to the team that served him well over the years: Jenny Kelly, Will Hanafin and Mairead Farrell.[1] D'Arcy's Today FM show achieved something of a cult status due to its quirky segments, among which were "Fix-It Friday" and the "Odd One Out Quiz".[4][20] In June 2008, D'Arcy was one of more than 1,200 people who stripped naked for a Spencer Tunick art project - he later spoke of the experience on the radio.[21] On the weekend of 21–22 March 2009, someone placed nude images of the then Taoiseach in the National Gallery of Ireland and the gallery of the Royal Hibernian Academy.[22] The artist anonymously emailed D'Arcy's radio show, claiming responsibility for the creation of the paintings, but not their hanging. Gardaí subsequently raided the Today FM studios and producer Will Hanafin was asked to hand over the emails, on the basis that the placing of the paintings constituted indecency, incitement and criminal damage. Hanafin refused to provide the emails without a warrant.[23] In July 2014, D'Arcy incurred the wrath of mixed martial arts fans by inviting Cathal Pendred onto his show then grilling him on his part in the "violent and disturbing" sport.[24]

After being approached by RTÉ over the years and considering leaving Today FM,[25] D'Arcy did just that abruptly in December 2014, quitting his Today FM show to rejoin RTÉ.[26] It was later announced that his wife Jenny Kelly would join him at RTÉ to produce the new radio show.[27] His first show back at RTÉ went out on 2 February 2015 on Radio 1. His show began airing every weekday from 3 to 4.30pm.[28] Incoming RTÉ Board chair Moya Doherty said at the time that sponsorship would "more than cover" D'Arcy's RTÉ salary.[29]

On 26 September 2015, D'Arcy's new television talk-show called The Ray D'Arcy Show started on RTÉ One.[30] On 6 October 2019 it was revealed that the show would only run from September to December and be replaced by a female-led chat show for the January to May run.[31]

In December 2018, RTÉ published his salary of €450,000 for 2016, up from €400,000 which he earned in 2015.[32] In June 2023, D'Arcy gave a current salary of €250,000 per year, just for the radio show (he was not working in television at the time).[33]

D'arcy's programmes have been the source of several complaints to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. In December 2015 the BAI upheld three complaints (it partially upheld two complaints about the same broadcast and rejected two others) of bias about an interview D'Arcy had with Colm O'Gorman about Amnesty Ireland's campaign to change Ireland's laws on abortion.[34] In May 2016, the BAI ruled for a second time that D'Arcy's programme lacked objectivity when he interviewed Graham Linehan and his wife, Helen, on her need to have an abortion in the UK following the discovery that a foetus she was carrying had a fatal abnormality.[35] In December 2016 the BAI upheld two complaints about an interview D'Arcy conducted on 9 June 2016 surrounding the United Nations Human Right's Committee periodic assessment of Ireland's human rights record. D'arcy conducted an interview with campaigners for abortion but failed to mention that they were campaigners. The unanimous opinion of the BAI committee was that the program lacked objectivity and impartiality and went so far to note that this was the third time a complaint was upheld against D'Arcy on this issue and it was a matter of concern to them. They issued RTE with a 'Warning Notice' over the violation in order to underline the seriousness.[36]

Previously engaged to TV presenter Geri Maye (only for the wedding to be halted at the last minute), D'Arcy married Jenny Kelly, his producer and co-presenter, on 24 August 2013. The pair were stalked by the press when D'Arcy publicly exposed their partnership on Saturday Night With Miriam in 2005.[38] Afterwards, D'Arcy was dismissive of the public interest in the relationship:

"I guess once we have actually told people we are together that will be the end of it. Our listeners probably care that we are a couple, but beyond that I don't know why anyone would be interested."

Their daughter was born on 25 November 2006[39] after Jenny went into labour while laughing at Pat Kenny being heckled on The Late Late Show.[4] In January 2012, D'Arcy and Kelly announced their engagement and pregnancy with a second child.[40] In June that year, D'Arcy and Kelly welcomed their second child, a boy. Earlier that year, D'Arcy tripped and broke his nose and had to have surgery.[41]

The D'Arcy family have a dog called Teddy.[42]

D'Arcy's father Ray D'Arcy Snr died on 28 December 2017.[43][44]