With March named in honour of the country's patron saint we felt there was another Patrick that deserved the honour; Mr Patrick! Listeners to Energy 103's Breakfast Club would instantly get the reference.

And so, across our social media channels, we declared February 2021 as 'Mr Patrick Month', a tribute to the great man in which every day we delved into his past radio history and included photos, newspaper cuttings and loads of recordings of him in action.

The first day, on February 1st, we concentrated on his career before he landed in Ireland, in particular with stations such as BFM and Christchurch-based 3ZB, in particular the successful breakfast pairing with John Craig. To accompany the post we included this photograph of Pat at BFM, which drew many enamoured responses (and that was just the males!). It also got a response on air from Greg Gaughran (tap on the photo to listen)!!!

Continuing the series...
Despite a successful period on New Zealand & Australian radio, Pat Courtenay came to Ireland in the 1980s. What brought him here? Fabulous weather, beaches, great scenery, idyllic living...he obviously hated all of them!
"I got an interview with Robbie at Sunshine because my Uncle Pat lived across the road from one of the owners..."
So started his career in Irish radio, mainly looking after the breakfast time audience from the station's studio in Portmarnock.
This recording, though, is from Drivetime in July 1986 and we join Pat's show just as Justin McKenna concludes the news at 5pm.

Feel the Energy...
How often does triumph spring from a major setback? The departure of Colm Hayes from Energy 103 at the start of May 1987 could have spelt disaster for most radio stations. Energy, however, had a ready-made replacement for their breakfast, a man who had spent the previous few months hiding away, in plain sight, in production. In plain sight because Energy's on air output had jumped many notches.
We join the recording just as Lisa Moore finishes reading the 7am News (hitting play takes you direct to the file hosted on DX Archive).

The Dream Team...
Pat had urged listeners to tune in to The Breakfast Club at 7am on Monday, May 25th for a surprise. He didn't disappoint.

One of Nova's most famous voices was back (well, in a manner of speaking) alongside Lisa Moore reading the News. Bob Gallico had joined the Breakfast Club and what developed over the next few weeks and months was, what is still, one of the most talked about shows on Irish radio. This is the first show with all three on board, clicking play takes you direct to the file hosted on DX Archive.
Exactly six months later, Chris Cary's brand new Radio Nova merged with Energy 103 and as a direct result, Pat was moved out of the breakfast club timeslot to mid-morning. Despite his disdain for the breakfast timeslot, Pat had no input whatsoever on the decision. A month later the merger was finished, and two months after that Energy was gone altogether - and that's a whole other story.

Hi, from the sky...
Following the closure of Energy, Pat Courtenay was working with KLAS in Dublin when he got the call to work with the new satellite-delivered Radio Nova, as he revealed in an interview with Radiowaves back in 2007:-
"I was working as a consultant on a tiny little pirate station up beside the Garda HQ when Chris asked me over. Jim O’Neill was over there at the time, so I thought: “Well, if Jim’s there it’ll be alright.” And it was…for a bit. It was weird, I was in Production as well and I was making promos in other languages, only one of which I could speak!"
Recorded in Ayrshire in Scotland, which carried The Nova Night Network, we join Pat for the start of his midnight shift. Dublin listeners without access to satellite would have been able to tune in to an FM relay.

Licensed to Thrill...
After a short stint with satellite Nova, Pat next appeared on Classic Hits 98FM where he was part of an award-winning breakfast team. This recording is from Christmas morning in 1989

Pat departed 98FM in controversial circumstances in 1997. The station eventually settlled out of court.

After leaving Classic Hits 98FM it would be ten long years before Pat Courtenay was heard again on Dublin radio. Although he became involved on shows for both Australian and New Zealand stations, he seemed to be drifting from job to job - often as not, nothing to do with radio.

He spent time working as Head Waiter on a friend’s riverboat as well as recording books for the blind.

It was during this time that his association with Radiowaves was formed

Following the original publication of these articles Pat returned to Ireland to work on the newly-launched Dublin rock music station Nova 100. He is still there to this day (July 2026).

We have so much to thank Robbie Dale / Robbie Robinson for. His drive and vision played a huge role in shaping pre-legislative radio in Ireland; which undoubtedly was, and still is, the most exciting radio era ever to exist anywhere on the planet. The overseers criminally overlooked him when licences were finally handed out but his legacy will forever remain untarnished and he will always be remembered by true radio people - listeners and staff alike. Not forgetting, of course, those to whom he gave a job.

This was Pat's tribute to him shortly after news of his death broke in 2021.