*Mike Hanrahan. Photograph: Arthur Ellis.
THE LIVELINE has closed for Stockton’s Wing.
Clare band Stockton’s Wing have been associated with Liveline for four decades. Their tune ‘Over the Moor’ had been the signature tune for the flagship RTÉ Radio One programme until Monday.
Kieran Cuddihy sitting in the presenter’s chair was not the only change noticed by Liveline listeners with RTÉ inserting a “placeholder” as it prepares a new signature tune for the show.
Stockton’s Wing released Over the Moor in their debut album ‘Full Flight’ which was released in 1986.
Ennis’ Mike Hanrahan a founder of Stockton’s Wing said the song was now “iconic” and had been “associated with an iconic show”. He admitted, “I think the time is to move on. We’ve had the tune associated with the shows since Marian [Finucane] was there”.
RTÉ did contact Hanrahan on Friday evening to inform him the tune would be replaced. “We’ve little to complain about. There was seven of us involved. It paid for quite a few dinners and a few drinks over the years, so all good. It’s an old Irish tune, a reel, and then the album we recorded was called Full Flight, and it was probably our most advanced album. We really pushed so many boundaries on the album, and as a result, it flopped, but it is definitely my favourite album, and having one of the tunes from the album last so long in our ears was great”.
He praised RTÉ for the “class” gesture in notifying them in advance of the new show. “The show is very important for Ireland. It’s all about Ireland. And I think that showed with the phone call”.
