Larry Gogan facts for kids

Lorcan Gogan (born 3 May 1934 – died 7 January 2020), known as Larry Gogan, was a famous Irish broadcaster. He worked for RTÉ, Ireland's national broadcaster. Larry was a disc jockey on RTÉ Gold and before that, on RTÉ 2fm. His show, The Golden Hour, played many classic songs. He was the first person to play a song on Radio 2 when it started. Many people, including music manager Louis Walsh, called him one of the "kings of Irish broadcasting."

He received a special Industry Award at the 2007 Meteor Awards for his long career.

Early Life

Lorcan Gogan was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1934. He grew up in an area called Fairview. Larry had seven brothers and sisters. His father owned a shop in their local area.

A Long Career in Radio

Larry Gogan started working in radio in the 1960s. This was after he finished school. His first radio show was on RTÉ Radio 1. He quickly became a very popular presenter. He was one of the few presenters who played mostly pop music.

In 1979, RTÉ started a new station called RTÉ Radio 2. This station later became RTÉ 2fm. Larry was part of the very first team of presenters. He even played the first song on the new station! He continued to have a regular show there until 2019.

In January 2019, it was announced that Larry would move from 2FM to RTÉ Gold. This ended his 40 years of broadcasting on 2FM. His last show on 2FM was on January 31, 2019.

The Golden Hour

Larry Gogan hosted his popular show, The Golden Hour, for many years. On this show, he played old favourite songs. In 2010, he returned to a weekday slot for the show. He had previously been on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

In February 2014, it was announced that The Golden Hour would change. Larry would then present a new two-hour weekend show. This new show was called 'The Larry Gogan Show'.

"Just a Minute Quiz"

Larry Gogan was very famous for his "Just a Minute Quiz." This fun quiz was a regular part of his radio show. Contestants had to answer questions quickly. If they didn't get many correct, Larry would often say, "They didn't really suit you."

The quiz was known for some funny answers, which became famous in Ireland. For example, in 2006, he asked: "What famous star is followed by travellers?" The answer given was: Joe Dolan.

Larry on Television

Larry Gogan also presented different television shows. These included Pickin' The Pops and Go 2 Show. He hosted these shows in the early days of RTÉ Television in the 1960s.

He also commentated for the Eurovision Song Contest on radio. He provided commentary from 1984 to 2001. He also did it again in 2008. Larry was part of the Irish team for Eurovision until 2011.

In 2008, Larry Gogan appeared on Irish television. He officially opened a new community centre in Carrigstown. He was also the face of Daz Washing Detergent in Ireland for many years.

Personal Life

Larry Gogan met his wife, Florrie Duffy, when she was 15 years old. Both of their fathers owned newspaper shops in Dublin. They got engaged two years later. They married when Florrie was 21. Larry and Florrie had five children together.

Sadly, Florrie passed away in January 2002. Larry was recovering from heart surgery at the time. He often spoke about how much he missed her. He said that he would still think, "I must tell Florrie that," when something happened at work.

Death

Larry Gogan passed away on January 7, 2020. He was 85 years old. He died in a care centre in Dublin after a short illness. His funeral took place on January 10, 2020, in Templeogue.

Awards and Recognition

Larry Gogan received many awards during his career. These awards recognised his great contribution to Irish music and broadcasting.

• In 1986, he was honoured at the Jacob's Awards. This was for his weekly show, Ireland's Top Thirty.
• In 2005, he received the IRMA Honours Award. This award was for his "outstanding contribution to Irish music."
• He also received the Industry Award at the 2007 Meteor Awards. This happened on February 1, 2007.
• In 2010, he was nominated for Best Radio DJ – National at the 2010 Meteor Awards.