Ray Foley facts for kids

Raymond Foley is a well-known Irish television and radio host. He has worked at several popular radio stations. These include Dublin's 98FM, SPIN 1038, and Today FM.

Ray Foley started his career in radio. He later moved into television. He is known for hosting The Ray Foley Show on radio. He also hosted the TV dating show Take Me Out in Ireland. In 2022, Ray returned to Today FM with a new afternoon show.

Ray Foley's Early Career

Ray Foley first got interested in broadcasting in 1997. This happened after he entered a "DJ For a Day" competition. It was on the 2FM radio show Hotline.

He then decided to study journalism. He went to the Dublin Institute of Technology. Ray graduated in October 2004. While studying, he worked at East Coast FM. He also worked at 98FM and Lite FM as a newsreader. Later, he moved to SPIN 1038. There, he presented The Zoo Crew with Clionadh O'Leary.

Time at Today FM

In 2004, Ray Foley joined Today FM. He started hosting a late-night show called The Blast. He worked with his college friend, JP Gilbourne. Ray and JP often filled in for other popular DJs. These included Ray D'Arcy and Tony Fenton.

In 2006, the radio schedule changed. Ray moved to a midday slot. This slot was previously held by Tony Fenton. In 2008, Ray was disciplined by Irish authorities. This was because he played a song with inappropriate lyrics during a lunchtime show.

The Ray Foley Show (2006–2012, 2022-present)

Ray Foley hosted his afternoon show on Today FM for six years. It aired right after The Ray D'Arcy Show. The show's motto was "Just a bit of fun for your lunchtime, nothing too serious."

The show featured calls from listeners. They discussed many different topics. It also played popular chart music. There were also regular segments and the National Lunchtime News. Sometimes, guests like Ann Gleeson and Alan Metcalfe joined the show.

After almost ten years away, Ray and JP returned to Today FM. They started presenting Ray Foley on weekday afternoons. Their return was on February 14, 2022.

Essential Rock Anthems

In 2009, Ray Foley and JP presented The Essential Rock Anthems. This show was part of "The Essential..." slot on Sunday nights. They presented a few shows, and it became a regular monthly feature.

In November 2009, a CD called Ray Foley and JP's Essential Rock Anthems was released. It was a two-CD collection. It included songs from famous artists. Some of these artists were Meat Loaf, Thin Lizzy, and Journey.

Moving to 98FM

On October 12, 2012, it was announced that Ray and JP were leaving Today FM. They moved to Today FM's sister station, 98FM. There, they hosted the breakfast show.

Their show on 98FM ended on December 24, 2015. Steven Cooper and Luke O'Faolain took over their slot.

TV Career

Ray Foley also became a television presenter. He hosted the Irish version of Take Me Out. This was a popular dating game show.

From 2015 to 2022, Ray presented the Friday edition of The 6 O'Clock Show. This show aired on Virgin Media One, which was previously TV3. He has also occasionally presented Ireland AM.

Awards and Recognition

Ray Foley has won several awards for his work. He won a Meteor Music Award for Best National DJ in 2008, 2009, and 2010. When he won in 2008, he sang a part of Journey's song "Don't Stop Believin'" as a celebration. In 2009, he sang the theme song to the TV show Home and Away.

He also won the PPI Radio Award's Music Broadcaster of the Year Award in 2009 and 2010. In 2009, Ray Foley and JP won the award for Best Specialist Music Programme. This was for their Sunday evening show, The Essential Rock Anthems with Ray & JP.

Ray Foley's Family Life

Ray Foley married Kate Carolan in 2007. Kate is a newsreader for RTÉ 2fm. They first met while working together at SPIN 1038.

Ray proposed to Kate on O'Connell Street in Dublin City Centre. For their honeymoon, they went to the Oxegen Music Festival. On April 2, 2012, Ray announced on his show that Kate had given birth to their first child. He announced the birth of their second child in June 2014.