Ceol na nGael

The most popular Irish radio program in New York celebrated its 35th anniversary in February, 2009. Ceol na nGael ("Music of the Irish") began as the brainchild of two Fordham students, Gerry Murphy and Mary Maguire, back in 1974. Over the years it has continued to be hosted by students, who have kept the tradition alive.

Nearly 75,000 listeners tune in to 90.7 FM every Sunday between 12 noon and 4 pm to hear all kinds of Irish music, often accompanied by dedications, and to stay connected through the community bulletin boards. Two of the program's highlights are the weekly news from Ireland, reported by Declan O'Byrne in Dublin, at 2pm and the sports from Ireland, with Brendan Tier, immediately following.

Gerry Murphy had first proposed an Irish music program on WFUV in 1973, but it wasn't until the winter of 1974, when the station needed to fill time during a fundraiser, that he got his chance. The show was an instant hit with listeners. "We were going to give them a slice of the music they loved," says Gerry, who has since served as an Assistant District Attorney in Westchester County.

The current hosts of Ceol na nGael, Tara Cuzzi and Colleen Taylor, exude enthusiasm about continuing the show's tradition of celebrating Irish music and culture.

Tara Cuzzi’s Irish heritage has always been a significant feature in her life which is why she says, “being a co-host on the show and sharing Irish music with the WFUV listeners really makes me feel right at home."  Tara grew up listening to the show with her mother and grandmother Sunday afternoons in her hometown of Montrose, NY.  With grandparents from Ireland, Tara was filled with stories of their Irish past, providing her with much inspiration and appreciation for her broadcast.  It comes as no surprise then that she harbors a passion for Irish music and arts.  She is a third generation step dancer who says dancing has taught her to be determined, persevering and competitive and she hopes to apply those traits in her time at Fordham and WFUV.

Irish traditions have also been a part of Colleen Taylor's life from an early age. Since her childhood in Sherman, Connecticut, Taylor has been involved in Irish step dancing. Though the bustle of college life has lessened her participation in Irish dancing, Ceol na nGael and learning Irish language at Fordham University keeps her tapped in to Irish culture.  Colleen traveled to the Connemara Gaeltacht for an Irish language immersion program as a part of Fordham's Irish language scholarship for a summer and studied Irish Studies abroad in Ireland for a semester.  With these experiences, Colleen says, “I am thrilled to share what I learned with our listeners.  My time in Ireland has made me even more appreciative of what a unique and special program Ceol na nGael is.”  Nowadays Colleen teaches beginner Irish language classes at the Danbury Irish Cultural Center in Connecticut.

Ceol na nGael has expanded Taylor's knowledge of and interest in all things Irish. "Being an Irish dancer, I thought I had a strong understanding of Irish music and tradition," she said. "Ceol na nGael has taught me how little I knew and how much I still need to learn."

Cuzzi agrees. "Being a part of the Ceol na nGael team has helped me gain invaluable work experience, and it has further deepened my knowledge of the music and culture of Ireland," she says.

Many of the Ceol na nGael hosts over the years continue to work in the media, long after they've graduated. They include Marie Hickey, Anne Bowen, Gerry Lavin, Mary Snow, Jim Driscoll, and Eileen Byrne. The program was hosted in the mid-80's by Patti Anne Brown, an anchor at Fox News Channel, and by Kathleen Biggins, a CBS Radio producer who is also the host of A Thousand Welcomes, WFUV's popular Saturday morning program of traditional Irish music.

Kathleen is proud that she and Patti Anne introduced listeners to many new artists who are still popular today. She remembers a musical tour of the 32 counties (by news and 'Celtic Closeup' presenter Paul Farry) as a listener favorite, and fondly recalls live remote broadcasts from the United Irish Counties Feis at St. Joseph Seminary in Yonkers. "I learned there that the bagpipes are really loud," Kathleen laughs. "And when you get a group of five or more together, you should never cue them to play while a politician is speaking!"

Liz Noonan and Maggie Dolan are the program's producers, working with the hosts on the music, booking interviews with figures in the Irish community, and developing new features. Both producers hosted the show when they were students at Fordham. Noonan, who hosted the show from 2002 through 2005, works at the station full time as the assistant promotions directior. Dolan, who hosted Ceol na nGael from 2004 through 2007, works in fundraising for Catholic charities. Their longtime commitment to the program can be attributed to their love of Irish culture and their knowledge of Ceol na nGael's merits.

Irish musicians understand just how special Ceol na nGael is. According to singer Cathie Ryan, "Ceol na nGael reconnects us to our roots and reinforces our values as a community. There are millions of us in the tri-state area, but Ceol na nGael, with its music, news reports, and community bulletin boards, makes us a small village."

For more information, email Ceol na nGael.

Our man in Dublin:

Though the show's title translates as "Music of the Irish," Ceol na nGael listeners also enjoy hearing about goings-on in the homeland each week with newscaster Declan O'Byrne.

A Dublin native, Declan taught English in Spain before beginning a career in journalism in 1980. A senior journalist at The Irish Independent for 10 years, naturally he's a fan of soccer, rugby and the G.A.A.

Declan's glad that 90.7 provides news, and considers his position a privilege. "I hope my reports to WFUV help bridge the miles between the U.S. and home for both recent immigrants and those with links to Ireland through the generations."

Hear Declan's reports every Sunday at 2 pm on 90.7 FM. You can also write to him by e-mail.