Ian Dempsey facts for kids

Ian Dempsey was born on January 16, 1961. He is a well-known Irish TV and radio presenter. Many people know him for his popular breakfast radio show. This show is called The Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show. It plays every weekday morning on Today FM. Ian has won many important awards for his work.

In 2010, Ian Dempsey helped open the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games Irish heats. This big event took place at Thomond Park.

Early Life and First Steps in Radio

Ian Dempsey started playing around with radio when he was very young. He was only six years old in 1967 when he made his first radio show. Later, in 1978, he joined a pirate radio station in Dublin called Capitol Radio. He also worked for other local stations like Alternative Radio Dublin.

Career Highlights

Working at RTÉ

On February 29, 1980, Ian joined Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ). This is Ireland's national broadcaster. He started by presenting The Weekend Breakfast Show on RTÉ 2fm. After that, he hosted many other shows. These included Poparama and The Hotline.

In the mid-1980s, Ian moved to the breakfast radio slot. He became very popular because of his friendly personality. He made listeners feel like they were chatting with a friend.

In 1986, Ian Dempsey became famous on TV. He hosted a children's show called Dempsey's Den. This show also introduced the alien puppets Zig and Zag. Ian was known for wearing bright, colorful jumpers on the show. He hosted The Den until 1990. He also worked on other TV shows. These included Number 1, a pop music quiz show. He also hosted The Beatbox, which showed music videos. Ian 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 change. He announced he was moving to Today FM. This radio station had just been relaunched. He started his breakfast show there on September 21, 1998. His show on Today FM became very successful. It features a comedy team called Gift Grub.

Ian Dempsey also appeared on the TV show The Restaurant. On this show, he cooked different dishes for food critics. In 2015, he also presented The Seven O’Clock Show on TV3 for a short time.

Personal Life

Ian Dempsey lives in Sutton, Dublin. He is married to his wife, Ger. They have three children together. His son Evan is a member of a band called The Kapitals. Another son, Shane, works as an engineer for Today FM.

Awards and Recognition

Ian Dempsey has received several awards for his broadcasting work. In 2010, he was nominated for Best Radio DJ - National at the 2010 Meteor Awards.

On September 16, 2016, Ian Dempsey was honored. He was inducted into the PPI Radio Awards Hall of Fame. This is a special recognition for people who have made a big impact in radio.