Rick O'Shea

I have some personal news... To say that I am humbled, honoured and thrilled to be the new presenter of the mighty Arena on @rteradio1.bsky.social would be such an understatement. It is the greatest job in radio, and I'm working with such incredible people on the team. There's lots more to come x

It was an interesting weekend... www.irishtimes.com/culture/tv-r...

My first new work headshot in, I think, over ten years. I've included the previous, moody, men's fashion catalogue one(!) for comparison - look, I have dark hair! I try to never look at pictures of myself, but this one isn't bad...

Listen back to Aoife Ní Bhriain and Cormac McCarthy on @rteradio1.bsky.social RTÉ Arena with @rickoshea.bsky.social ahead of their concert with the RTÉ CO this Thursday: www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...

Don't get to do this often enough but you know you can listen back to everything we do on Arena wherever you get your podcasts or here... www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...

Don't get to do this often enough but you know you can listen back to everything we do on Arena wherever you get your podcasts or here... www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...

Come along and see me talk to Doireann about my favourite book of the year so far...

Delighted to be taking part in the Dalkey Book Festival where I'll be interviewed by my old pal @rickoshea.bsky.social on 21 June at 12pm. Do come! www.dalkeybookfestival.org/thursday

Shall we? Live from 7 with the first Arena of the week on @rteradio1.bsky.social. www.rte.ie/radio/radio1/

For an article, @lokapila.bsky.social is looking at the rise of "landlord tech" in Dublin, from apps for building access and "digital butlers" to systems for rental payments and maintenance requests. Have there been recent changes in your building? She'd love to hear from you lois@dublininquirer.com

Chat to you tonight at 7 on @rteradio1.bsky.social for a brand new one...

Some week for one week on Arena... Catch up with everything on the @rte.ie radio player app, wherever you get your podcasts,or at www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...

Happy St. Patrick's Day, New York.

Around today at 2pm.....? We have an Arena special quiz on @rteradio1.bsky.social. Happy St. Patrick's Day 😘 #StPatricksDay

This is what I do when the show finishes at 8pm. Now you know...

Big thanks to @rickoshea.bsky.social and @paulashields.bsky.social and the rest of the crew on @rteradio1.bsky.social Arena for their fantastic interview with @jlod.bsky.social Click here to listen back www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...

Listen back to @rteradio1.bsky.social's Arena programme from Wednesday evening, where Jess Fahy, a regular contributor, discusses the new line-up of exhibitions at the RHA, with host @rickoshea.bsky.social. 📻 www.rte.ie/radio/radio1... Why not visit us today – we’re open from 12 – 5pm.

Busy week already on Arena. Spoke to John Bishop about 'Is This Thing On?' & Rob Doyle about 'Cameo'. Tonight it's George Saunders on 'Vigil' and @johnmaguire.bsky.social about the Godard season @irishfilminstitute.bsky.social. Tonight at 7 @rteradio1.bsky.social or wherever you get your podcasts.

Haven't been here for a while. We did a whole other live show with an audience since this one....

Today on 746 Books I'm looking forward to all the great fiction coming in 2026 from Irish authors! 746books.com/2026/01/08/i...

This was a lovely chat with the fantastic @eithneshortall.bsky.social about all things SISTER WAKE, Sam, and a dinner party argument about why, no, colonialism was not a 'mixed bag...'

@rickoshea.bsky.social and I had a good natter about translated fiction on Arena @rteradio1.bsky.social earlier in the week. You can listen back here if you fancy it. www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...

If you are still on "X", you have to ask yourself why. It's been a cesspool for years, recent days are a new low, it's not compulsory to be there. If you don't leave it now, you have to ask what it would take to make you drop it?

If you are still on "X", you have to ask yourself why. It's been a cesspool for years, recent days are a new low, it's not compulsory to be there. If you don't leave it now, you have to ask what it would take to make you drop it?

Delighted that my next novel Richard Heart Julianne will be coming out on the mighty @ofmooseandmen.bsky.social next year. Hope you enjoy it. I loved writing it.

In case you missed this last week - I took a quick run through some of the books I'm looking forward to most in 2026 for @independent.ie. m.independent.ie/entertainmen...

Good to see @davetynan.bsky.social's We Used to Dance Here in @rickoshea.bsky.social's Best Books of 2025 list. 'Cracking, straight from the opening story...I rarely find a collection without a dud story somewhere - this is one of them.' www.independent.ie/entertainmen...

It's time for a break. I'll be back online on Jan 5th to tell you all about the first regular Arena of 2026. Stay safe x

We've had live events for Culture Night, The Poems of Seamus Heaney, the RTE Short Story Competition, the 100th Dublin Review. Everyone has been so lovely at every turn, don't think that every kind word hasn't meant the world to me.

It has been the most extraordinary and challenging time since then. I've spoken to hundreds of reviewers, musicians, filmmakers, actors, academics, composers, writers, poets, opera singers, photographers, artists, fashion designers...

But, it was the year I began on one @rte.ie channel and finished on another. The year I found myself, for the last five months, sitting in the seat my late colleague Seán Rocks made his own for sixteen years before his sudden, tragic death at the end of July. No-one could have seen that coming.

It's been two years of a year... It was the year we started with two dogs and ended with three, the year I wrote and ended a book column, the year the @laibluesky.bsky.social gave me their Presidents Medal, the year I interviewed authors and filmmakers on stage, curated events, gave away awards. 🧵

€18,850.......

€18,850.......

Now at €18,000 with €2,000 to go.....

A few things to note about Arena next week: Monday it's our inaugural Arena Arts quiz! Two teams of Arena contributors take each other in for the title of champions... Tuesday we have a panel looking back at their favourite film, books, TV, and music of 2025. 7pm on @rteradio1.bsky.social.

A few things to note about Arena next week: Monday it's our inaugural Arena Arts quiz! Two teams of Arena contributors take each other in for the title of champions... Tuesday we have a panel looking back at their favourite film, books, TV, and music of 2025. 7pm on @rteradio1.bsky.social.

Now at €18,000 with €2,000 to go.....

Friends. €2,500 gets us to target... The appeal is open until Christmas, but if we do this by Friday I can knock off for the break 🙂 Donate €2.50, €25 or the full €2,500(!!!!!) Shares also hugely welcome! Almost there....... www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/r...

It has happened every year for as long as I can remember when I run my Xmas Appeal. One anonymous person sends me a card with a €50 cash donation. Whoever you are, thank you so very much *again* ! Donations are at €16,000 with nine more days to get us to €20,000... www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/r...