Ian Dempsey facts for kids

Ian Dempsey, born on January 16, 1961, is a famous Irish TV and radio presenter. He is well-known for hosting The Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show on Today FM, which is on every weekday morning from 6 to 9 am. He has won many important awards for his shows. In 2010, he helped host the opening of the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games Irish events at Thomond Park.

Early Life and Radio Start

Ian Dempsey started experimenting with radio when he was just six years old in 1967. He made his first radio show at a friend's house. In 1978, he joined a pirate radio station in Dublin called Capitol Radio. He also worked for other stations like Alternative Radio Dublin before joining the national broadcaster.

Career Highlights

Working at RTÉ

On February 29, 1980, Ian Dempsey joined Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ), Ireland's national broadcaster. He started by presenting The Weekend Breakfast Show on RTÉ 2fm. Later, he hosted other popular shows like Poparama and The Hotline.

In the mid-1980s, he moved to the breakfast radio slot. He quickly became popular because of his friendly and natural personality. He connected well with his listeners.

Dempsey's Den on TV

In 1986, Ian Dempsey became a big name in television with the children's show Dempsey's Den. This show also introduced the famous alien puppet twins, Zig and Zag, to TV. Ian was known for wearing bright, colorful jumpers on the show. He hosted The Den until the summer of 1990.

He also worked on other TV shows, including the music quiz show Number 1. He hosted three seasons of The Beatbox, a music video show. Ian Dempsey was also the first host of the Irish version of the game show Talkabout.

Moving to Today FM

In 1998, Ian Dempsey made a big move that surprised many in Irish radio. He decided to leave RTÉ and join the newly relaunched Today FM. He started his breakfast show on Today FM on September 21, 1998. His show became very popular, partly thanks to the funny comedy sketches from the Gift Grub team.

Since he left, RTÉ 2fm has tried to find someone to fill his shoes. Many presenters have hosted the breakfast show there. Ian Dempsey also presented an online radio show called The Craic for Irish people living abroad.

In August 2015, Ian Dempsey and his Today FM colleague Louise Duffy hosted The Seven O’Clock Show on TV3. They filled in for the regular hosts for a short time.

Personal Life

Ian Dempsey lives in Sutton, Dublin, with his wife, Ger. They have three children together. His son, Evan, is a member of the band The Kapitals. This band has performed at the Oxegen Festival twice. Another son, Shane, works as an engineer for Today FM.

Awards and Recognition

Ian Dempsey has received several honors for his work in radio.

• In 2010, he was nominated for Best Radio DJ - National at the 2010 Meteor Awards.
• On September 16, 2016, he was inducted into the PPI Radio Awards Hall of Fame. This is a special honor for people who have made a big impact in radio. He was inducted alongside other well-known DJs like Dave Fanning.