BREAKING: Laois star Claire Byrne to quit RTÉ

In a shock move, Mountrath woman Claire Byrne is set to leave RTÉ after over a decade with the station to work for a commercial competitor of the national broadcaster.

RTÉ news has reported that the Laois woman is leaving the station later this year with her place on the RTÉ Radio 1 schedule to be taken by David McCullagh who presents the Six O'Clock news on TV.

Byrne presented The Daily Show from September 2010 to March 2012. In 2013, she became an anchor on RTÉ's flagship current affairs programme Prime Time. From January 2015 until May 2022, she hosted her own self-titled weekly current affairs television programme, Claire Byrne Live. In August 2020, she took over the hosting of the Today with ... programme, presenting it as Today with Claire Byrne on RTÉ Radio 1.

In its statement announcing that David McCullagh would be the new presenter of RTÉ Radio 1's flagship Today programme, RTÉ’s Director of Audio, Patricia Monahan, thanked Ms Byrne.

"The Today show has been home to some of the most iconic voices in Irish broadcasting, from Pat Kenny to Sean O'Rourke and, most recently, Claire Byrne. Claire has made the Today seat her own, and her contribution to public service broadcasting across her years in RTÉ has been outstanding. We wish her the very best, and thank her for her dedication to the audiences in Ireland and around the world over many years," it said.

The statement added that Claire Byrne would leave RTÉ later this year. Today with David McCullagh launches on Monday November 3 on RTÉ Radio 1. MORE BELOW PHOTO.

Ms Byrne is moving to commercial broadcaster Newstalk where it will soon have a vacancy in the morning roster.

Broadcaster Pat Kenny has announced that his radio programme will be moving to weekends from 2026. The Pat Kenny Show is broadcast on Newstalk on weekdays from 9am to 12pm.

She replaces Mr Kenny who also worked for RTÉ for many years, including hosting Today with Pat Kenny on Radio 1.

Today with Claire Byrne now has a daily audience of 354,000 while the audience for Pat Kenny is 216,000 listeners. Byrne will move to the Bauer Media Audio Ireland station in the new year.

"I’m very excited to join Newstalk from next year," said Ms Byrne in a Bauer statement.

"This new chapter marks a really significant milestone for me in my career, and I’m thrilled to be doing it with the vibrant team and listeners at Newstalk as they continue to thrive and cement their position in the Irish media landscape. It’s a particular honour for me to take up the reins from Pat Kenny, a broadcaster whose career, skill and passion for the job is an inspiration to all of us," she said.

Newstalk Managing Editor Eric Moylan also commented.

"We’re delighted to announce that Claire Byrne will return to Newstalk in the New Year. Claire is a seriously talented and skilful broadcaster with a wide range and will be a fantastic addition to the Newstalk schedule. She is a central part of our ambitious plans for continued audience growth at Newstalk across FM and digital listening. We look forward to getting started next year," he said.

According to the latest JNLR figures, Byrne added 10,000 listeners year-on-year and Today with Claire Byrne now has a daily audience of 354,000, making it the joint-fourth most popular radio show in Ireland behind Morning Ireland and the Saturday and Sunday editions of The Brendan O'Connor Show.

Ms Byrne took over from Sean O'Rourke as the permanent host of Today five years ago, beating out Sarah McInerney, who filled in following O'Rourke's following his retirement from RTÉ in 2020. During the pandemic, the show's audience grew from 315,000 to 369,000.

RTÉ salary figures show Ms Byrne earned €280,000 in 2023. Her wage peaked at the national broadcaster at €350,000 when she was also presenting Claire Byrne Live for RTÉ TV and the radio show.

She was the bookies favourite to replace Ryan Tubridy as the host of the Late Late Show before withdrawing her name as a candidate. 

Daughter of Tom and Breda Byrne, Claire Byrne grew up on the family farm near Mountrath. She was educated at the Brigidine Convent in Mountrath. She later studied Politics, Sociology and Social Science at University College Dublin, but did not complete the course. She subsequently attended the Rathmines College of Further Education where she studied journalism.