We’re excited to launch the next episode of our interview series at IRS+, dedicated to celebrating and amplifying the voices of talented women in our network. In this series, we highlight the journeys, achievements, and perspectives of women in radio, with the goal of inspiring other women to explore careers in this dynamic industry and to champion greater gender diversity in media. The stories of these incredible women within the IRS+ network are not just inspiring – they’re essential to share.

In this latest episode, we had the pleasure of interviewing Hannah Kelly, Producer, News Reader and Journalist at KFM Radio.

From listening to breakfast shows on the school run to becoming a voice behind the mic herself, Hannah has always had radio in her heart. A passionate advocate for local media, she’s carved out a space for herself at KFM, where she juggles producing, news reading, and reporting – all while championing the importance of women’s voices in the industry. In this interview, she reflects on her journey from sending cold emails to landing a full-time role, the power of local radio in building community, and her hopes for the next generation of women in media. With warmth, honesty, and refreshing humility, Hannah shares what it’s like to find your voice in radio – and help others do the same.

Listen to the full interview now or to read about Hannah’s journey below.

 

What inspired you to pursue a career in radio, and how did you get started in the industry?

I remember always listening to the radio when I was younger. It was always on when I was getting ready for school, and when I was having my breakfast in the morning, and then on the way to school in the car the breakfast show from the radio was always on and I always just found it so interesting and fun to listen to the people. They were always laughing and chatting and it just seemed like a different career that I didn’t know personally anyone who was in and I just thought that is something that I would love to do for myself. When I was in primary and secondary school, whenever we were asked the question of you know what do you want to be when you grow up, a radio presenter was always my answer. It was definitely something from a really young age that I aspired to be and I was fortunate to eventually become one.

I did new media studies in college in IADT and once I was finished there in 2023 I knew that the only real way for me to get my foot in the door was just to put myself out there. I didn’t have any connections in the radio or media industry, which was actually really scary, because in college you’re kind of told that that is the way to get in. So, I sent a load of emails out and just asked if there was any work experience or internships going and luckily for me KFM got back to me and said they’d be interested in just having a quick chat with me about you know doing work experience. I went in and I sat down and chatted with them and they said “you can do work experience here for a few weeks” and those few weeks ended up turning into a full-time job at KFM as a producer and a newsreader and as a journalist as well I suppose. I got my foot in the door by emailing and just you know putting myself out there which was terrifying to do but it got me where I am now which is great.

 

What has been the most rewarding experience in your radio career so far?

There have been a lot of rewarding experiences in my career in radio so far. I mean I’ve only been in it about a year and a half maybe, not even, but there’s been a lot both professionally and personally. I think one of the main ones is because KFM is such a local station there is a real emphasis and drive to report on what’s happening locally and what will affect local people and getting the likes of texts and emails and calls in from listeners who are concerned about something or want to find out information and getting the chance to work with them and maybe help them in certain issues is always a great feeling. And it’s a nice feeling to know that although you’re a local radio station, which some people might not think has a lot of impact, you actually do, and it is it is a big deal for people in communities. So, that is definitely one of them.

Another one is, I actually got to do my own kind of feature interview with the KWWS PCA, which is an animal rescue and charity in Athgaravan. For me this was rewarding because it not only kind of forced me a little bit out of my comfort zone by doing a feature interview by myself but it was also really nice to have an idea that I pitched to the team here actually come to fruition and see it come to life and then be able to play it on the radio. The feedback from that was really great as well.

On a personal level I’ve grown so much over the past year and a bit and my confidence has increased massively and I think the person I was when I first came in here for the initial chat of work experience compared to who I am now, is so different but in all the great ways and I just think I have grown as a person and have seen myself progress in a career that I can progress even further in the future.

 

 

What are your thoughts on the current representation of women in radio?

I think I have been really lucky to have grown up in a generation where there are more women in every sector of work, including the media sector and radio in particular. There is no doubt that there still is work to do, you don’t really see a woman or you know a duo, a female duo, host one of the lead breakfast shows, they do tend to be more male dominated, but there is no doubt that women have so much to offer in the world of radio and hearing their voices is obviously something that I would love to see more of and hopefully we will continue to see the rise of us women in the sector both on air and behind the scenes.

I do count myself lucky to be able to be surrounded by a lot of strong women just in my life that don’t really take no for an answer I guess and I’ve always been raised in the thing that there’s no reason for you not to be able to do something. I think with this new generation coming up, we are, fingers crossed, hoping to see a new generation of women come into the media sector, and in radio, and really have their voices heard and see the work and the impact that they can have and can improve it.

 

In your view, what steps do you think could be taken to have female voice in media more equally represented?

There’s no doubt that there is still a lot of steps that need to be taken to have a female voice in media, and in the radio sector, more equally represented. I think continuing to actively promote and support women and young girls to consider a future in the media is the way to go. I definitely think that in the past few years that there has been a shift towards what jobs certain genders can do and I think that that barrier is being worked on to be broken down, which is great to see you. There is still work to be done within that but now there kind of is no excuse for someone to think that the radio sector or the media sector as a whole is limited to a certain gender. I mean women are able and capable of working in it just as much as anyone else is.

And I know, from personal experience, in my college course, it was about 50% women, which was great. At no point we were ever made feel that we couldn’t do something or achieve our goals because of our gender. And I think being in an environment like that from a young enough age can help retain a girl’s confidence in herself and it will give them the push and let them know that they belong in all areas in media, just as much as anyone else, just as much as any man should, because it has been a hugely male dominated field for so long but now, we are seeing these breakthrough women in radio coming out and being just as strong as these men that have been dominating the sector for so long, which is really great to see. I think if we continue to implement that confidence and encouragement into young girls and women no matter what age that can really drive forward that more women will come into the sector.

 

What advice would you give to women aspiring to enter the radio industry?

I mean I’m definitely not super wise about this whole radio sector yet, you know I still feel pretty new to the whole the whole area, but I think one piece of advice that sticks out to me the most and one that kind of I would say to other people like my peers is don’t be afraid to put your foot in the door. There is no reason for you not to try to get into the radio sector, especially if it is something that you want to do and it is a career that you want to pursue. Of course, it can be really scary to put yourself out there especially in the world of media where it feels like you know you do need to get connections in order to get in, but you can send that email, reach out to companies and different stations and just ask if they’re offering some work experience or an internship or if they have any roles going. The worst they can say is no and you know that can be a bit soul destroying at times, especially if you find yourself constantly trying, but all of that effort doesn’t go to waste because eventually you will get there or you will you will get somewhere with that.

Unfortunately, a job in radio isn’t going to land in your lap suddenly, you have to show initiative and say to yourself that you’re going to do this and you know you’re going to put yourself out there despite how terrifying it can feel. That is exactly how I did it, that is exactly how I felt. I came to that realisation once I finished college and it kind of did create a pit in my stomach that realisation of I have to act on this and I have to put myself out there, but I’m in a full-time job now in the radio sector. So, all of that work doesn’t go to waste at all. I’d also say definitely be open to trying new things, maybe things that you’re not fully confident in yet, but you can develop your confidence the more you do it. Also, don’t be afraid to ask questions, you’re not really going to learn a lot if you don’t put yourself out there and don’t ask the questions. And then also, don’t be afraid to voice your thoughts and opinions if you have an idea, a suggestion, you should say it, because your voice matters and it can bring something new to the table. Again, the worst they can say is no and you just learn from that and you grow and you know nothing will go to waste and everything that you do will benefit you in some way if you are aspiring to be in the radio sector.

 

 

What role do you believe radio plays in today’s media environment, especially with the rise of digital platforms and podcasts?

You can’t deny that digital platforms and podcasts are dominating the media we’re now consuming, but I do think that radio is still as powerful. It’s been a vital source for people’s information and entertainment for decades now and working in a local radio station and that really shows. Also, not to mention that it’s live, which is very powerful especially for local radio like KFM, the likes of live traffic updates the weather, especially during especially during the likes of Storm Dara and Storm Eoghan that we just had, these are all things you can’t really get with the likes of pre-recorded podcasts. I also think it’s such a personal form of media, I mean you’re listening to a presenter’s every day and eventually you do get to know them.

As I was saying before, being younger and always listening to the same breakfast show every morning whilst having my breakfast before school and then in the car on the way to school, it became such a comforting routine, that I think a lot of people really like to have. and that is what they enjoy about radio. Say, if like one of the presenters do something funny, say something funny, it adds a touch of personality and humility which I think is what ultimately makes radio shine through even in this age of podcasts and digital entertainment. During our morning chat on our Kildare Today show on KFM, we do achieve that same relationship with listeners. They can listen to us whilst having their breakfast on the way to school or work, wherever, and have a laugh and just enjoy themselves as they ease into the day and then that continues throughout the day with the rest of the presenters. I think that’s what radio has to offer in this world of new media and these podcasts and all these pre-recorded segments that you can listen to whenever you want, wherever you are, that is what makes radio so special and I think that that is what makes it still shine through after all of these years.

 

Can you talk about any mentorship experiences you’ve had, either as a mentor or mentee, and how they’ve impacted your career?

I’m so lucky to say that working at KFM, I have had the best of people to learn from, who have both shown me the ropes and also helped me build my confidence up. In the likes of presenting and doing journalism and writing stories and producing for the Kildare Today show, I think that is the beauty of local radio, because it tends to be smaller than a major radio station, you get to know the staff more personally all whilst you know getting an in-depth understanding of the work that is being done and how you can do it to the best of your ability.

I really can’t speak highly enough of the news team that I work with here at KFM, Eoin and Martin, who have basically shown me all I need to know around here. I think we do make a great team which was so beneficial when I was still new to the job and continues to be you know a year and a half later, because without a good team around you, in a good environment, I think that can impact your work and you know how you perceive it. And also, how you do it. I’m really lucky to say that I’ve had great mentors throughout working in radio this past year and a half.

In terms of actually giving mentorship to other people, I mean I’m only 24, so I can’t really consider myself a mentor, but I do know since working at KFM, we have had more women take on roles for the likes of the weekend schedule, which I’ve played a role in in training them up on the likes of producing for the show and working on news bulletins. It has been really great to get to meet all of the girls here and become genuine friends with them.  We’ve had these kind of connections of being women in radio and also, we all want the same thing. We have our own goals and we can all kind of encourage each other from that. It’s just been a really great experience overall.

 

What projects are you currently excited about?

There’s definitely a good few projects that I’m excited for this year. I think one of them is definitely featuring more on the Kildare Today show as an interviewer. That has been something I’ve been doing for the past few months, but I think 2025 will really be the year where I feature a lot more on and actually push myself out of my comfort zone a bit more by doing these interviews with people.

Then another project that I’m excited for is continuing to host the Friday night playlist. I do that every Friday, I’ve been doing it for about two or three months now I’d say. And every time I do it I am learning more about myself and learning more about presentation and getting the songs right and putting them in an order that works well for the show. That is something that I do that I’m really keen on learning more about. And I think in general, just for all projects, even though maybe we’re not entirely sure of some of them yet you know you’re learning something new every day and a lot of unexpected things can happen, but I know from all of those, that it is going to be something that I learn and will benefit me for my future in this career which is really exciting. It’s a really a job I’m really grateful to be in that. Every day is a new is a learning day and you’re constantly stimulated by all this information that’s going around and by constantly working on stuff. I’m looking forward to it. Sounds like it will be a busy year, but you know, that is what radio can be and it’s something that I’m really lucky to be in.

 

Hannah Kelly, Producer, News Reader and Journalist at KFM Radio.