# 2RN > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/2RN > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/2RN.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2RN > Source revision: 1355873231 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|First radio station in the Irish Free State}} {{about|the early Irish radio station|the Australian station|ABC Radio National|the RTÉ Broadcasting Network|2RN (RTÉ Networks)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Use Hiberno-English|date=April 2014}} '''2RN''' was the first {{dubious|date=March 2026}} [radio broadcasting station](/source/Radio_broadcasting) in the [Irish Free State](/source/Irish_Free_State). It began broadcasting on 1 January 1926 and continued until 1933, when it was succeeded by Radio Athlone (later Radio Éireann; now known as [RTÉ Radio](/source/RT%C3%89_Radio)). The station was run by the Irish Post Office, under the [Department of Posts and Telegraphs](/source/Minister_for_Posts_and_Telegraphs) and first transmitted from 1 January 1926 from Little Denmark Street until 1928 when they moved to the GPO.{{cite book |last1=Ferguson |first1=Stephen |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hV1mDwAAQBAJ&dq=%22little+denmark+street%22+dublin&pg=PT562 |title=The Post Office in Ireland: An Illustrated History |date=26 July 2018 |publisher=Merrion Press |isbn=978-1-78855-054-3 |language=en |access-date=26 June 2024}} Early broadcasters included [Seamus Hughes](/source/Seamus_Hughes_(trade_unionist)) and [Sidney Gifford Czira](/source/Sidney_Czira).{{Cite web |last=Doyle-O'Neill |first=Finola |date=13 January 2026 |title=2RN and the birth of Irish radio |url=https://www.dib.ie/blog/2rn-and-birth-irish-radio |website=[DIB.ie](/source/DIB.ie)}} The station's name has since been repurposed by [RTÉ](/source/RT%C3%89) (Raidió Teilifís Éireann) for the identity of [their broadcasting network](/source/2RN_(RT%C3%89_Networks)) (formerly RTÉ Transmission Network Ltd) since 2013. == Studios and wavelengths == The original studio for 2RN was located at Little Denmark Street, off [Henry Street](/source/Henry_Street%2C_Dublin) in Dublin.{{cite web |title=RTÉ Libraries and Archives – Irish Public Service Broadcasting – 1920s |url=http://www.rte.ie/laweb/brc/brc_1920s.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070716200055/http://www.rte.ie/laweb/brc/brc_1920s.html |archive-date=16 July 2007 |access-date=2007-07-17 |publisher=RTÉ}} In October 1928 the station moved into the newly rebuilt [GPO](/source/General_Post_Office_(Dublin)) acquiring three new studios. The first director was [Seamus Clandillon](/source/Seamus_Clandillon), who served from 1926 to 1934.{{cite book |last1=Boylan |first1=Shaun |title=[Dictionary of Irish Biography](/source/Dictionary_of_Irish_Biography) |last2=Ní Mhunghaile |first2=Lesa |date=2013 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |editor1-last=McGuire |editor1-first=James |location=Cambridge |chapter=Clandillon, Seamus ('Clan') |editor2-last=Quinn |editor2-first=James}}{{cite web |last1=Carolan |first1=Nicholas |title=From 2RN to International Meta-Community: Irish National Radio and Traditional Music |url=https://journalofmusic.com/focus/2rn-international-meta-community-irish-national-radio-and-traditional-music |access-date=8 December 2020 |website=The Journal of Music |language=en}} The 1.5 [Kilowatt](/source/Kilowatt) [Marconi](/source/Marconi_Company) transmitter{{cite book |last=Sexton |first=Michael |title=Marconi: the Irish connection |date=2005 |publisher=Four Courts Press |isbn=1-85182-841-9 |pages=104}} was located at [McKee Barracks](/source/McKee_Barracks), near the [Phoenix Park](/source/Phoenix_Park). The station initially broadcast on 380 metres (790 kHz), although the choice of this wavelength led to complaints from members of the public as, due to the limitations of the receiver technology of the time, transmissions led to interference to and by other stations, especially [6BM](/source/6BM) in Bournemouth and the Hamburg radio station.{{cite book |last=Pine |first=Robert |title=2RN and the origins of Irish Radio |date=2005 |publisher=Four Courts Press |isbn=1-85182-604-1 |pages=143}} Reception of the station for many Irish listeners outside Dublin was problematic, although even at the time of the inception of the station, there were plans for a high-power transmitter to serve the whole country. In 1927 the Cork broadcasting station [6CK](/source/6CK) was established, which relayed many of 2RN's programmes, as well as contributing programmes to the network. Initially the station broadcast three hours a night, from 19:30 to 22:30, with only a two-hour broadcast on Sunday nights.{{cite web |title=Dáil Éireann - Volume 14 - 28 January, 1926. COMMITTEE ON FINANCE. - SUPPLEMENTARY AND ADDITIONAL ESTIMATES FOR PUBLIC SERVICES. VOTE 66—WIRELESS BROADCASTING. |url=http://historical-debates.oireachtas.ie/D/0014/D.0014.192601280039.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607092455/http://historical-debates.oireachtas.ie/D/0014/D.0014.192601280039.html |archive-date=7 June 2011 |access-date=2007-07-13}} ==Notes== {{Reflist}} == See also == * [Radio in Ireland](/source/Radio_in_Ireland) * [RTÉ](/source/RT%C3%89) Category:Defunct radio stations in the Republic of Ireland Category:Radio stations established in 1926 Category:Radio stations disestablished in 1933 --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [2RN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2RN) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2RN?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.