The news that Billy McCarthy has passed away will be greeted with great shock and enormous sadness by his colleagues in the radio industry the length and breadth of the country.
Billy was a trailblazer in Irish radio broadcasting, on air from the very start of the industry in the 1980’s. From that time forward he was considered one of the best broadcasters in the country, a reputation that he maintained right up until his untimely death and which was reflected in his continued popularity with the listening public in his beloved Waterford.
As well as being a great broadcaster Billy was enormously well liked and respected not only by his listeners but also by his colleagues in the radio industry. His passing leaves a gap in Irish radio and also in the lives of so many people.
On behalf of everyone involved in independent radio in Ireland I want to express our heartfelt condolences to Billy’s family and his partner Des O’Keeffe; Des Whelan and all the team in WLR FM, all his colleagues in the Broadcast Centre in Waterford, his countless listeners and friends throughout Waterford who will miss Billy’s voice from the airwaves and who will have so great many memories of him over the years.
May he rest in peace.
