National Community Radio Day celebrates the participation of more than 2000 volunteers in a nationwide movement

Today marks the first ever National Community Radio Day in Ireland. Communities all across Ireland will be celebrating the special role that Community Radio Stations play in their locality. There are currently 21 fully licensed community stations in all corners of Ireland from Youghal to Donegal and from Connemara to Dublin, and there are a further 7 stations running 100 Day pilot community licences. These stations are licensed and regulated by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland.

National Community Radio Day is an opportunity to celebrate this vibrant and vital aspect of Ireland’s media landscape.  Today, stations across the country are organising an array of events and activities to mark the day.  Many stations are extending their broadcasting hours and opening their doors to the public, Athlone Community Radio will have an Open Studio from 4pm to midnight. Other stations are getting out into their communities with special Outside Broadcasts; Claremorris Community Radio will be setting up studio in the town square for the entire day. Many stations are hosting link ups with other community stations across the country and farther afield, Raidió Na Life in Dublin are teaming up with Raidió Fáilte in Belfast, while Limerick’s student station Wired FM will be linking up with Tera FM, in Austria. A number of stations, including Galway’s student station, Flirt FM and South West Clare’s Raidió Corca Baiscinn are celebrating with all-Irish playlists for the day, while others are having live music sessions in studio.

According to Craol, The Community Radio Forum, Community Radio Day offers an opportunity to acknowledge the contribution individual stations make to the wider community radio movement in Ireland and the positive contribution the movement makes to media diversity and media literacy here. The day is also a reminder to local communities that their station is part of this wider movement, under the auspices of Craol – the The Community Radio Forum of Ireland, which is the representative, co-ordinating, lobbying, training and support organisation for Irish Community Radio.

Community Radio is a rapidly growing third broadcasting sector and a force for community development, identity, and expression. Community Radio Stations are set up, owned, and driven by the communities they serve.

Stations will also be active on social media during the day, sharing pictures and posts on their activities with the hashtag #NationalCRDay. Craol will share these via twitter (@craol) and facebook (facebook.com/craolhelpline). For more information about Community Radio in Ireland please visit www.craol.ie