On Liveline, Kieran Cuddihy receives a gift from the radio gods

The Irish Times · Mick Heaney · 2026-11-06 05:15 UTC

The RTÉ Radio 1 host marks a year in the job with an unforgettable episode, but the station’s revamped schedule approaches its first birthday in muted fashion

Religious observance has been declining in Ireland for years, but the Catholic Church can still answer the prayers of those souls searching for memorable radio, as Kieran Cuddihy discovers on Liveline (RTÉ Radio 1, weekdays).

What starts out as an unpromising repast of meagre ingredients is transformed into a bountiful feast of unforgettable listening when a marginal theological argument is enlivened by divine intervention, or at least a call from the fervently faithful.

In truth, Cuddihy knows what he’s doing when he discusses the claim of the former president Mary McAleese that baptising babies breaches their human rights: raising religious-themed controversies is a well-thumbed page in the Liveline playbook.

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