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AFTER 41 YEARS at the station, Pat Kenny announced today he will be moving from RTÉ to Newstalk in September.
Judging by the reaction on Twitter, where the topic trended worldwide, people are shocked by the departure.
We went out to get the public’s reaction in Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre, just beside Newstalk HQ in Marconi House, and where Pat will probably be picking up his lunchtime sandwiches in future.
Watch the reaction, and then have your say in the comments below.
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One less over paid employee of the taxpayer.
Agree. Good news for the taxpayer. I can readily think of a few more overpaids I’d like to see off the Taxpayer funded payroll at RTE.
Oh right the tax payer might save 50k. Let’s divide that up if we can into the 2 million or so license fee payers. I think ill put that 2.3 cent aside every year and save up for a holiday.
The intelligence level of some comments is amusing !
He makes money for the “taxpayer”.
The arrogance of other comments is frustrating Niall! Yours, for example!
He made his millions out of the license fee payer. He had the last laugh
Niall are ya having a laugh people are just pointing out that the money can be used elsewhere say….oh i dunno maybe stop rte looking for a future tv licence rise or something. But I am guessing you just prefer to attack rather than think
I wonder could he bring miriam and joe with him
Nial you ain’t amusing, never was or will be.
Miriam is married to the DG or RTE, so, sadly, I doubt she will be leaving.
Joe Duffy is someone I don’t listen to because he makes mountains out of mole hills far too often.
Niall, it’s more like €650k. It takes the entire licence fee contributions of. Large town to pay this man’s wages. It is a compete sham. FFS he is essentially a glorified DJ or continuity announcer.
Joe works nearly six hours a week. Maybe its his researchers that should be getting his salary.
Miriam is the only good presenter on RTE. pat was a complete waste of space
@enola Kenny generates many many multiples of his wages in advertising revenue. Not a cent of the license fee has ever been needed to pay him. Why do you think Newstalk are wiling to pay so much for him?
Miriam talks to people like a teacher, not an interviewer. RTE don’t have many good presenters.
Pat Kenny earns a lot more than 50K. Try 600K. Still not a huge amount but less is less
@Scotty. They shouldn’t have ad revenue in the first place. It should be either licence or ad revenue – not both. Nothing can excuse these obscene salaries in a public service broadcaster.
Rob – it is a huge amount. An obscenity
Saying that he is going to Newstalk for the opportunities is like saying he went to a prostitute for a hug…it just ain’t true!
@Max. Lol! Comment of the week!!
Pat Kennys radio show was v good, he may have been grossly overpaid but that doesn’t take from the fact that his show was excellent! The way you’d hear independent broadcasters ramble on though I’m surprised Newstalk can afford teabags, never mind outbid the national broadcaster, more spoof I presume from independent broadcasters?
It’s not about the money ….. It’s about the new job … A radio show
That line from Pat is just another soundbite! If DOB subsidises Traps wages I doubt Pat was offered the average industrial wage?
Seems like the journal are the only ones upset about it given ye have done 5 different headlines about it in as many hours
Hear hear Ian
He was sound enough all the best to him
Will this mean we see and hear more of Mary Wilson and Catherine Thomas? Noooooooo
Does Pat Kenny have shares in the journal ffs.. must be a slow news day.
Pat Kenny… what a guy… you could feel the bond he created with the kids on the toy show.. The robotic tone… the robotic emotion…. terrible interviewer… zzzz…system…zzzz….overload…
Funnily enough, the Toy Show was one of the few occasions that Pat did a great job. I actually thought he was very good with the toys, and he also let the kids do the job of reviewing them rather than Gaybo’s job of bringing in Adults to show off the toys. Oh, and major, major plus points to Pat….NO MORE Billy Barry kids. Oh dear God, those twerps were like those creepy kids from The Village of the Damned, just disturbing, irritating and, much like Gremlins, seemed to multiply if you got water on them. Pat actually let kids from all around the place, not just that *&@king kids school, come on the show to perform. So for that, he practically deserves a medal. (I think you can guys can guess that I’m not a fan of those…things.)
I can’t watch a Toy show with Tubridy on it. He bullies and picks on the kids, rather than letting them have fun on the show. I watched one show of him, and that was it…never again.
Never liked Pat Kenny until I saw him being a bad ass on Frontline ignoring ridiculous questions from idiots in the audience and cutting across others when they were rambling or making dumb comments! The Jerry Sein FIELD fiasco was a major fail tho
The guy is so wooden and rehearsed its not even funny. No more articles please…
Its time for pat to retire and let some young blood have a chance .
I knew I could recognise the last guys voice in the video. Good ole Pat Courtenay from radio Nova. Best station on Irish radio :-)
I am glad he is gone. An arrogant, biased overpaid muppet for the Govt.
How the penny didn’t drop with people on this moron years ago is beyond me.
Wherever he goes I hope he fails miserably.
Its time he left hopefully tubs will be next
I don’t listen to him and I don’t watch him.He always reminded me of the teacher’sl pet.
BREAKING NEWS: TV License 25% cheaper as Pat Kenny leaves RTE!!
Not sorry to see him go, no loss.
What’s with all the articles?? He ain’t dead yet.
As if this vox pop isn’t overkill enough, The Irish Examiner carries the headline “Pat Kenny: Move to Newstalk excites me”
TMI.
Just wait for Gay Byrne to apply for Pats job. Jaysus the thought..
Ahh Pat Kenny is leaving RTE.
I can feel the country rising a little out of the Atlantic today.
It was slowly sinking under the weight of his fat salary.
Pity there wasn’t a job in Siberia somewhere for Tubridy,Finucane O’Callaghan and Co.
No doubt he secured his fat pension before he left.
Pat who?
Pat courtney from Nova
Cool
Mr rte … Or so he thought …..
I always enjoyed Pat on the late late show.
Jesus, I watched him through my fingers. Light entertainment sections were the scariest. Dawn French, briget Nielsen…
No no no no no nooooooo the worst moment in the history of the late lates “light entertainment” has to be the cringe worthy moment The Plank tried on that perve Freddie Stars used underwear,
I suppose somebody had to
We were scoffing at the level of salary our Taoiseach was earning while here was another Kenny earning three times as much for a less onerous job. However I wish him the best as he was expert at his work
Marian Finucane is getting much the same amount as Pat, and she only works two hours a week.
am sure ur man that won the election in Dublin South F/G ;LEFT FOUD TO HARD WENT BACK TO A LITTLE JOB IN r.t.e. cant rember his name. he will prop move into his slots now.
George Lee. And I have not, and will not, be watching/listening to anything that little jerk every does ever again. The way he talked, I presume the guy expected to get elected, and then, in 6 months, be made leader of Fine Gael.
Give me more cocktail sticks and vinegar for my eyes!!
2 things are certain. What niall said is very very true and also radio 1 will suffer hugely in the ratings over it.
PK was self styled expert on everything. Frontline always had interesting topics but PK always wanted to dominate the discussion and cut across anyone who wanted to say something. Let Newstalk finance him. He is a lot easier to ignore there than on RTE.
Pat Kenny was a plodder who honed his image as he went but lacked spontaneity. He was lucky to get so far for so long without talent
‘tweetgate’ was dreadful.
That Frontline Presidential election debate was a total farce.
very unprofessional of both RTE – & Pat Kenny
Keep em’ coming. What’s that, 5 Plank articles now.
Bring back derek davis
Delighted…………just hope he is not replaced by Miriam
Now hes movin to an independant station he might move away from RTÉs staunch uber-liberal left wing pro-euro pro-government bias and start talking some sense… bahaha nope its pat kenny!
Anyone ever listen to David Harvey 4fm ? Easiest way to rile up me and my colleagues haha!!
The parasite pat the plank will be collecting his big pension from rte and on top of that a nice big salary of newstalk how greedy this man is
Well that’s a weight off the taxpayer anyhow newstalk can enjoy paying his inflated wages
Hon the first guy tellin it how it is!
He’s taking Tom Dunnes slot so where is Tom gonna go?
Noe that he’s leaving for an independent station, he might move away from RTÉs staunch pro-government pro-eu uber-liberal left wing anti Sinn Féin bias and start talking sense…. BAHAHA nope shur its pat kenny
Macroni house or Marconi House?
Alan partridge was based on kenny
The best of luck to you and family you one nice guy and you make a great coffee. Met you when I worked in your house ages years ago I hope all works out very well for you
How much did Nova pay for the plug?
Love the english accent
Any respect I had for him was gone when he interviewed Pete Doherty. Was as cringe worthy as the Fox News interview with Reza Azlan. Only talked about drug addiction and not his music and the amazing album he just released. As if he would just talk about Alcohol if it was Shane McGowan.. epic research fail
Educated,intelligent,dependable and well informed.Mediocrity honed to perfection.
have your say