October is an exciting month on RTÉ lyric fm which is welcoming new programmes across its schedule, including the return of The Lyric Feature, and continued celebrations of Black History Month – an ode to the remarkable legacy of Black composers, conductors and performers as we tell their stories.

Arena’s Seán Rocks has commenced his new RTÉ lyric fm programme Seán Rocks on Sunday, guiding listeners through three hours of compelling music; from baroque to romantic, including folk and contemporary.

“On Sunday afternoons I hope to share the wide variety of music I’ve been listening to, keep you up to speed with the theatre, concerts, books, films and tv that have been entertaining me and reflect on revealing moments in recent Arena interviews with musicians, actors, writers and artists.” – Seán Rocks.

Aedín Gormley will host a new Friday afternoon show from 1.00- 4.00pm called Aedín in the Afternoon, while also continuing to present her ever-popular Movies and Musicals programme on Saturdays between 1.00 – 4.00pm. Aedín in the Afternoon is a new music programme to kick-off the weekend in style, and features a compelling mix of movie music, jazz and classical favourites alongside recommendations on what to watch, read, and listen to as the weekend approaches. 

“I’m really looking forward to being on air a little earlier in the week, building up to the weekend, highlighting what is happening in the arts world and sharing my love of all kinds of great music on Fridays with our listeners.”  – Aedín Gormley

The Lyric Feature makes a welcome return on Sundays at 6.00pm with 14 new programmes creatively exploring aspects of Irish cultural life. The centerpiece of the season is a six-part series Root and Branch, a timely collaboration between ecologist Anja Murray (Nature File, Eco Eye) and musician Brían MacGloinn (Ye Vagabonds) looking at Ireland’s native trees through the lenses of science and folklore to see what lessons we can draw for our own fragile ecological era.

The Lyric Feature also goes behind the scenes at Music for Galway’s community opera Paper Boat: An Opera for Galway and the Wexford Festival Opera, to show the processes behind people and communities coming together to develop large scale creative works.

Other new additions include Piano Passions, on Weekend Drive with Evelyn Grant, Saturdays at 6.00pm, where pianist Úna Hunt explores some piano music associated with Ireland that counts among her favourite repertoire. Ambient Orbit on Sunday nights from midnight to 1.00am, features a carefully curated mix of ambient sounds and field recordings to allow the listener to reset and escape the noise of everyday life.

RTÉ lyric fm continues to celebrate Black History Month across the station this October. Every day this month, listeners will hear prominent musical figures honouring the lives of Black musicians.

Leading musical figures from the world of contemporary music such as Tara Erraught, Eimear Noone, Alexis Ffrench, Zoe Conway, Berginald Rash, Braimah Kanneh-Mason, Samantha Ege guide us through the remarkable lives of Black musicians such as Leontyne Price, Marian Anderson, Terence Blanchard, Nina Simone, Nora Holt, Margaret Bonds, Florence Price and more.

Enter our competition to win tickets to Hallowe’en Fantasy with Aedín Gormley and RTÉ Concert Orchestra at the National Concert Hall here