Ger Gilroy Joins RTÉ to Launch New Daily Sports Podcast in Major Expansion of National Broadcaster's Digital Audio
RTÉ has announced that Ger Gilroy, one of the most recognisable voices in Irish sports broadcasting and the former Managing Director of the Off The Ball brand, will join the national broadcaster to present a new daily sports podcast — a move that represents the most significant expansion of RTÉ Sport's digital audio output in years and that will reshape the competitive landscape of Irish sports media.
Background
Ger Gilroy has been one of the defining voices of Irish sports broadcasting for over two decades. His long association with Newstalk's Off The Ball programme, which he helped to build from a late-night radio show into one of the most listened-to sports programmes in the country, established him as a broadcaster of exceptional range and depth. His ability to move fluently between GAA, soccer, rugby, boxing, and athletics — and to bring genuine insight and passion to each — made him a rare commodity in a media landscape that often rewards specialisation over breadth.
Off The Ball, which Gilroy helped to develop into a multi-platform sports media brand, became one of the most successful Irish media ventures of the podcast era, building a loyal audience that extended well beyond the traditional Newstalk listenership. The brand's success demonstrated the appetite among Irish sports fans for long-form, intelligent sports discussion — an appetite that RTÉ has been seeking to tap into with its own digital audio strategy.
RTÉ's digital audio output has been growing in recent years, with the national broadcaster investing in podcast production across news, current affairs, drama, and entertainment. However, sports has been an area where RTÉ's podcast offering has lagged behind the competition, and the appointment of Gilroy to lead a new daily sports podcast is a clear signal that the broadcaster intends to address that gap.
Key Developments
The announcement of Gilroy's appointment was made in late June 2026, with the new podcast expected to launch later in the year. The daily format — a significant commitment in terms of production resources and presenter time — reflects RTÉ's ambition to create a sports podcast that can compete with the best in the market and that will attract a substantial and loyal audience.
The podcast will cover a wide range of sports, including GAA, soccer, rugby, boxing, and athletics, reflecting Gilroy's own breadth of sporting knowledge and interest. The format is expected to combine news and analysis with longer-form interviews and discussion, drawing on RTÉ's extensive network of sports journalists, commentators, and contacts to provide access and insight that other podcasts cannot match.
Gilroy's appointment is a significant coup for RTÉ, which has been competing with commercial rivals for talent in a media market that has become increasingly competitive. His move from the commercial sector to the national broadcaster is a reflection of the opportunities that RTÉ's scale and resources can offer, as well as the broadcaster's commitment to investing in quality sports content.
Why It Matters
Gilroy's move to RTÉ matters for the Irish sports media landscape because it represents a significant shift in the competitive dynamics of the sector. Off The Ball, which Gilroy helped to build, has been one of the most successful challengers to RTÉ's dominance in sports broadcasting, and his departure to the national broadcaster will inevitably affect the competitive balance between the two organisations.
The launch of a daily sports podcast by RTÉ also matters because it reflects the broader shift in media consumption towards on-demand audio. The podcast format has grown dramatically in popularity in Ireland over the past decade, and sports podcasts have been among the most successful in terms of audience numbers and engagement. RTÉ's investment in this format is a recognition that the future of sports broadcasting is not just on television and radio but on the platforms where audiences increasingly choose to consume content.
For Irish sports fans, the launch of a new daily RTÉ sports podcast is a genuinely exciting development. The combination of Gilroy's broadcasting talent, RTÉ's resources and access, and the daily format promises a product that could become an essential part of the daily routine for sports enthusiasts across the country.
Local Impact
In the Irish sports media community, Gilroy's move to RTÉ has generated significant discussion and interest. His departure from the commercial sector will be felt by his former colleagues and by the audiences who have followed his work over the years. However, his arrival at RTÉ is expected to energise the broadcaster's sports output and to attract new audiences to its digital platforms.
For RTÉ's sports department, the appointment of a broadcaster of Gilroy's calibre and profile is a significant boost. The department has been working to strengthen its digital offering in recent years, and the new daily podcast will provide a flagship product around which other digital sports content can be organised and promoted.
What's Next
The new RTÉ daily sports podcast is expected to launch in the autumn of 2026, with a specific date to be announced in the coming weeks. RTÉ has indicated that the podcast will be available on all major podcast platforms, as well as through the RTÉ Player and the RTÉ website. The broadcaster has also confirmed that the podcast will be supported by a social media presence across all major platforms. Gilroy is expected to begin his new role at RTÉ in the coming weeks, with the production team for the podcast already being assembled.
