RTÉ has confirmed that Clare woman and former Clare FM journalist Rachael English will be the new presenter of News at One on RTÉ Radio 1 following the retirement of Bryan Dobson.
After 14 years as part of the team of Morning Ireland presenters, the broadcaster will move to be a permanent presenter on RTÉ Radio 1’s flagship lunchtime radio programme with over 300,000 listeners each weekday.
Speaking about the move for the first time, Rachael English said: “One of my first jobs in RTÉ was as a reporter on the News at One. It was also where I first worked as a stand-in presenter. I’ve always hoped that one day I’d get to return, so I’m delighted to be doing so now. It feels like coming home. It’s been a privilege to present Morning Ireland, and I’d like to thank the colleagues who have made getting up at 4am bearable. I’m looking forward to working with the fantastic team on the News at One.”
Deirdre McCarthy, Managing Director of News & Current Affairs said: “Rachael is a highly respected journalist and outstanding broadcaster. I am delighted that she will now be joining the exceptional team of journalists on our flagship News at One programme.
Recently inducted into the IMRO Radio Awards Hall of Fame, Rachael is very familiar to our listeners from presenting Morning Ireland. She will continue to bring her focus and integrity in this new role, representing the public interest on the programme. She is exceptional at asking the probing questions, the questions the listeners want answers to and holding those in power to account. Her extensive broadcast experience along with her measured tone, reassuring and calm delivery will ensure listeners will continue to tune in everyday.”
Rachael joined RTÉ in 1991 as a 2fm news reader and later worked as a reporter for Morning Ireland; the News at One, Today With Pat Kenny and RTÉ Television News. Rachael’s first full-time presenting job was on Five Seven Live on RTÉ Radio 1. She presented The Late Debate and Saturday View before joining Morning Ireland in 2010. She has also worked on a number of special series. These include The Constituency which focused on the issues and candidates in all of the Dail’s constituencies and The Big Science Debate where an expert panel discussed the ethical challenges presented by scientific developments.
Since 2002, she has been a presenter on RTÉ Radio 1’s General Election results programmes. She has also presented coverage of local, European and presidential election counts and has anchored election coverage from Belfast, London and Washington. As a reporter and presenter, she has worked on a huge range of national and international stories from the signing of the Good Friday Agreement to the Olympics Games to the 9/11 attacks. In 2022, Rachael’s outstanding contribution to radio broadcasting in Ireland was recognised and she was inducted into the IMRO Awards Radio Hall of Fame.
Rachael is the author of seven novels, most recently the top-ten bestseller, Whatever Happened to Birdy Troy?. A communications graduate of Dublin City University, she began her career in local radio at Clare FM in Ennis. She is a native of Shannon in Co. Clare.
Rachael will beginning presenting the News at One on RTÉ Radio 1 on Monday 15th July.
*Watch Rachel’s interview with Alan Morrissey on Clare FM’s In Profile series.