Ray D'Arcy
| Ray D'Arcy | |
|---|---|
A D'Arcy pencil portrait
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| Born |
1 September 1964 Kildare, Ireland |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Education | Psychology graduate |
| Alma mater | Trinity College, Dublin |
| Occupation | Irish Radio Presenter |
| Employer | Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ) |
| Spouse(s) | Jenny Kelly (2013) |
| Children | Kate & Tom |
Raymond "Ray" D'Arcy (born 1 September 1964) is an Irish television and radio presenter currently on his second spell at state broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ). He once presented a self-titled weekday morning radio programme on the Denis O'Brien-owned Today FM. His professional partner on that show, Jenny Kelly, became his wife on 24 August 2013 and they have two children: Tom (born June 2012) and Kate (born 25 November 2006).
D'Arcy came to prominence with a television career on RTÉ, presenting children's television on The Den, a quiz show called Blackboard Jungle and the youth music show 2Phat. He presented television coverage of The Rose of Tralee beauty pageant each August for four consecutive years until 2010. He rejoined RTÉ in 2015.
D'Arcy is a household name in Ireland, but does not consider himself a celebrity, and rarely gives interviews.
D'Arcy was born into a working-class family of nine with one earner, his father, a non-commissioned officer, in Tipperary in 1964. His grandmother died at the age of 54 from lung cancer when D'Arcy was 11. Always into his music and his broadcasting, he began discoing in 1979 at the age of 15. He attended Trinity College, Dublin, to take a degree in psychology, and graduated in 1985. He began a career at RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta and in 1988 moved to RTÉ television, with a presenter spot on Jo Maxi. His first spell at RTÉ lasted for 13 years.
D'Arcy replaced Ian Dempsey as the presenter of The Den, RTÉ's flagship children's television series, from 1990 to 1998. His career in children's television later featured in the 2008 documentary Best Bitz From Back Den. D'Arcy also presented the quiz show Blackboard Jungle at the time before presenting youth music quiz 2Phat. In addition, he presented the UTV and RTÉ collaborative travel show Bon Voyage! for one season. He has presented several once-off events, including Ireland's version of the Test The Nation franchise and the Irish Young Scientist Awards. Until 2005 he presented You're a Star, the talent show established to find Ireland's entrant for the Eurovision Song Contest. In 2005, D'Arcy took over as Rose of Tralee presenter. On 1 April 2010, after five years, he stood down so as to spend more time with his family as they grew older. Television roles dried up as the 2000s progressed, though he presented When Dreams Come True in 2005 and hosted Eurosong 2008 at the University of Limerick Concert Hall. and presented one episode of The Panel later that year. That same year, he ruled out applying to host The Late Late Show, despite being linked to this prime-time slot. On 1 December 2008, he announced on his Today FM radio show (see next paragraph) that he would be participating in the second season of Celebrity Bainisteoir; he managed County Kildare team Rathangan.
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