This summer saw a mass exodus in RTÉ 2FM.
Doireann Garrihy was the first to announce her departure from the station, followed by The 2 Johnnies and Jennifer Zamparelli.
It wasn’t long after that Donncha O’Callaghan also confirmed that he would be leaving the breakfast slot which he hosted alongside Doireann Garrihy and Carl Mullan.
Carl has soldiered on and has been reunited with his former co-host Aifric O’Connell in the slot.
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Now the former rugby star has opened up about his decision to leave the station after three years.
“I’m glad that I did it, and that I’m out the other side of it,” he confessed to Life Magazine.
“I was incredibly lucky as I know how difficult it is for people to get roles like that. And for me to come in from a sports background isn’t the norm, so I can’t thank them enough.
“I genuinely loved it. It was such an education. I remember having a row with a rugby friend of mine and I was making the example that it was all matches and no training.
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“You could practice all your ins and outs, but there is nothing like the red light of live, a caller dropping or making changes on the fly.”
He went on to say: “I didn’t really know it, early on, but it was a huge energy requirement. It’s not only the three hours of presenting every day, and we used to joke that it was an all-day breakfast.”
He admitted: “I was finding it, without wanting to sound lazy, very demanding. Like, I look at someone like Ian Dempsey and I feel like genuflecting.
“Anyone that sees that man should hug him. To have done what he has done [presenting breakfast shows] for well over 30 years is amazing.
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“The standard in Ireland is through the roof and we probably don’t celebrate these people enough. Irish people love conversation and stories. They love a good storyteller and we have the best in the business, at it.”
Donncha has since announced his podcast with Tommy Bowe – The Offload.
