Donal Dineen
Encyclopedia
Donal Dineen is an Irish
radio presenter, photographer, film maker
and former television presenter from County Kerry
. He currently presents an assortment of electronica
and world music
on his Small Hours
(formerly Here Comes the Night
) late-night radio show on Today FM
. He is also known for presenting the now defunct No Disco
TV series on Network 2
.
s in Dublin City University
. It was here that he first picked up a camera as it was part of his course. From this point onwards he developed a fascination with the visual image. His first exhibition, This Storm is an Angel, for Galway Arts Festival
in 1993, was a series of photographs taken around his home in Kerry, which focused on family, place and identity. 2009 exhibitions include an installation for the Dublin Electronic Arts Festival (DEAF) entitled Words Are Something Else, and solo photographic shows for Kilkenny Arts Festival and The Joinery Gallery, Dublin.
Musically, Dineen is credited with breaking David Gray
amongst other artists in Ireland. His programme, Here Comes The Night, was first aired on the opening day of Radio Ireland (now Today FM)'s existence, 17 March 1997.Still with Today FM he now presents Small Hours between Monday - Thursday from midnight - 02:00.
On 30 December 2007, The Small Hours had a two-hour radio special broadcast from the living room of David Gray's London
home, where Gray and Liam Ó Maonlaí
traded songs and stories on the piano and acoustic guitar, "intermittently picking their Desert Island
discs for Dineen to spin". Dineen also had a line-up in the Body & Soul area of Electric Picnic 2008
.
As a Curator Dineen has worked on several musical series, most significantly A Month of Sundays http://www.myspace.com/onemonthofsundays which was devised with The Model Arts and Niland Gallery Sligo in 2006 and evolved into a touring series in 2007.
In November 2009 he curated a mini festival called Fresh Air which profiled "his selection of the most exciting and experimental sound makers working today. The aim is to bring to light the sheer diversity and calibre of music being made on these shores, and to bring new music, live or recorded, to air". http://freshairfestival.wordpress.com
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
radio presenter, photographer, film maker
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
and former television presenter from County Kerry
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
. He currently presents an assortment of electronica
Electronica
Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
and world music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
on his Small Hours
Small Hours
Small Hours is the current late night radio show hosted by Donal Dineen on Today FM. It commenced broadcasting in 2004, following the seven-year tenure of Here Comes the Night...
(formerly Here Comes the Night
Here Comes the Night (radio show)
Here Comes the Night was a late night radio show hosted by Donal Dineen on Today FM. It commenced broadcasting on 17 March 1997, lasting for a seven-year period before being replaced by Dineen's current show Small Hours. It was Dineen's first radio show on Today FM, airing from the station's...
) late-night radio show on Today FM
Today FM
Radio Ireland Ltd, trading as 100-102 Today FM is an Irish commercial FM radio station which is available nationally. The station, which commenced broadcasting on Saint Patrick's Day in 1997, can be received nationally and carries a mix of music and talk...
. He is also known for presenting the now defunct No Disco
No Disco
No Disco was RTÉ's flagship music television programme, broadcast on Irish television channel, Network 2, from 1993 - 2003. It was presented by Donal Dineen, Uaneen Fitzsimons and, following the death of Fitzsimons, Lawrence "Leagues" O'Toole...
TV series on Network 2
RTÉ Two
RTÉ Two is a free-to-air general entertainment channel operated by Irish state broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann. RTÉ Two is available throughout the island of Ireland through digital terrestrial service Saorview, VHF and UHF bands, and is also available via satellite to Irish subscribers of...
.
Career
Dineen studied communicationCommunication
Communication is the activity of conveying meaningful information. Communication requires a sender, a message, and an intended recipient, although the receiver need not be present or aware of the sender's intent to communicate at the time of communication; thus communication can occur across vast...
s in Dublin City University
Dublin City University
Dublin City University is a university situated between Glasnevin, Santry, Ballymun and Whitehall on the Northside of Dublin in Ireland...
. It was here that he first picked up a camera as it was part of his course. From this point onwards he developed a fascination with the visual image. His first exhibition, This Storm is an Angel, for Galway Arts Festival
Galway Arts Festival
Galway Arts Festival is an annual arts festival that takes place each July in Galway, Ireland. It is Ireland’s leading arts festival and one of the most successful and influential arts enterprises in the country. The Festival is one of the key European arts festivals...
in 1993, was a series of photographs taken around his home in Kerry, which focused on family, place and identity. 2009 exhibitions include an installation for the Dublin Electronic Arts Festival (DEAF) entitled Words Are Something Else, and solo photographic shows for Kilkenny Arts Festival and The Joinery Gallery, Dublin.
Musically, Dineen is credited with breaking David Gray
David Gray (musician)
David Gray is an English singer-songwriter. He released his first studio album in 1993 and received worldwide attention after the release of White Ladder six years later...
amongst other artists in Ireland. His programme, Here Comes The Night, was first aired on the opening day of Radio Ireland (now Today FM)'s existence, 17 March 1997.Still with Today FM he now presents Small Hours between Monday - Thursday from midnight - 02:00.
On 30 December 2007, The Small Hours had a two-hour radio special broadcast from the living room of David Gray's London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
home, where Gray and Liam Ó Maonlaí
Liam Ó Maonlaí
Liam Ó Maonlaí is an Irish musician best known as a member of the Hothouse Flowers. Ó Maonlaí formed the band in 1985 with his schoolmate Fiachna Ó Braonáin....
traded songs and stories on the piano and acoustic guitar, "intermittently picking their Desert Island
Desert island
A desert island or uninhabited island is an island that has yet to be populated by humans. Uninhabited islands are often used in movies or stories about shipwrecked people, and are also used as stereotypes for the idea of "paradise". Some uninhabited islands are protected as nature reserves and...
discs for Dineen to spin". Dineen also had a line-up in the Body & Soul area of Electric Picnic 2008
Electric Picnic 2008
Electric Picnic 2008 was the fifth Electric Picnic festival to take place. The three-day event took place on the weekend of Friday–Sunday, 29–31 August at Stradbally in County Laois, Ireland...
.
As a Curator Dineen has worked on several musical series, most significantly A Month of Sundays http://www.myspace.com/onemonthofsundays which was devised with The Model Arts and Niland Gallery Sligo in 2006 and evolved into a touring series in 2007.
In November 2009 he curated a mini festival called Fresh Air which profiled "his selection of the most exciting and experimental sound makers working today. The aim is to bring to light the sheer diversity and calibre of music being made on these shores, and to bring new music, live or recorded, to air". http://freshairfestival.wordpress.com