What Radio Kerry does

Radio Kerry (legal entity Raidio Ciarrai Teoranta) is a privately held, full-service local radio station founded on July 14, 1990, headquartered at Maine Street, Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland, with additional studios in Killarney. It holds the broadcast franchise for County Kerry under a 10-year licence signed in May 2014, broadcasting on five FM frequencies (96.2, 96.6, 97.0, 97.2, 97.6) with coverage extending into parts of Cork, Limerick, Tipperary, and Clare. The station holds a 59% market share in its franchise area (highest ever recorded per IPSOS MRBI survey), with 74% of listeners tuning exclusively to it weekly. It employs approximately 60 people across full-time, part-time and freelance positions, supported by a management team led by General Manager Fiona Stack, who received the Outstanding Achievement in Radio award at the PPI National Radio Awards in 2012.

The core product is FM radio broadcasting featuring local news, sport (notably GAA coverage including the award-winning Terrace Talk programme), current affairs, weather, music, and community programming. The technology infrastructure comprises digital broadcasting and production facilities in Tralee, an IP satellite-equipped Outside Broadcast Unit (introduced 2007), a broadcast network with five frequencies, plus iOS/Android mobile applications and global internet streaming via radiokerry.ie. The product portfolio extends beyond core broadcasting to podcasts (Kerry Today, The Music Tree, Caint Chiarraí, Terrace Talk, In Focus, A Problem Shared), community services (death notices, classified ads, recruitment listings), owned events (Kerry Wedding Show, Kerry's Got Talent, Best of Kerry Awards, Bingo in Castleisland, Country in Foilmore concerts), a Shopify-hosted merchandise store, and a standalone training centre established in Tralee in 2018.

The business model is anchored on advertising sales (sold through a dedicated team covering North Kerry/Tralee, South Kerry, and national accounts), supplemented by event ticketing and sponsorships (e.g., €32 per ticket for Country in Foilmore), podcast advertising, and merchandise revenue. The listener side is freemium — broadcast access is free-to-air via FM, website streaming, and mobile apps. The company has expanded from a single-station operator into a regional radio group via the 2005 acquisition of Shannonside/Northern Sound (covering Longford, Roscommon, Cavan, Monaghan, Leitrim) and the 2019 acquisitions of Clare FM and Tipp FM. Radio Kerry has accumulated 44 awards from 98 nominations at the PPI National Radio Awards since 2005, including five PPI Local Station of the Year titles, and remains compliant with the Broadcasting Act 2009 and the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022 under Coimisiún na Meán oversight.

Name

Radio Kerry

Legal name

Raidio Ciarrai Teoranta

Website

https://radiokerry.ie

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Radio Kerry is a privately held Irish local radio station broadcasting on five FM frequencies across County Kerry from its Tralee headquarters, serving a primary audience aged 25-65 with local news, sport, music and community programming, and generating revenue from advertising sales, event ticketing and sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Radio Broadcasting

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

News Talk Radio & Current Affairs Stations (MPABAIAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Internet Radio & Streaming Broadcast Stations (Simulcast/Online-only) (MPAIAEAE)

Keywords

• Local radio broadcasting
• FM radio network
• Audio podcast production
• Live sport commentary
• Community event ticketing

Headquarters

HQ city

Tralee

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Advertising Sales: Radio advertising sold to local businesses in Kerry and national advertisers through direct sales team
2. Event Ticketing and Sponsorships: Revenue from events such as Country in Foilmore concert (€32 per ticket) and community events
3. Podcast Content: On-demand podcast content including shows like The Music Tree, Caint Chiarraí, Kerry Today, and Terrace Talk

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Radio Kerry is a full-service licensed local radio station broadcasting from Tralee and Killarney in County Kerry, Ireland. Its core offering is free-to-air FM radio programming (news, sport, weather, current affairs, music) on five frequencies, monetised primarily through advertising sales to local and national businesses, with supplementary revenue from event ticketing, sponsorships, podcast content, and branded merchandise.

Product overview

Radio Kerry is a traditional local radio station (Raidio Ciarrai Teoranta) offering a unified broadcast service with digital extensions. The core product is FM radio broadcasting across five frequencies in Kerry plus surrounding counties, complemented by a digital ecosystem comprising podcasts (Kerry Today, Terrace Talk, The Music Tree, Caint Chiarraí, In Focus), community services (Death Notices, Classified Ads, Recruitment listings), events (Kerry Wedding Show, Bingo, Best of Kerry Awards), and a merchandise shop. The station also provides live sport commentary and streaming video content through its website and mobile applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Radio Kerry FM Broadcast Free-to-air local radio broadcasting across County Kerry on five frequencies (96.2, 96.6, 97.0, 97.2, 97.6FM), reaching parts of Cork, Limerick, Tipperary and Clare; serves general adult Kerry listeners with local news, sport, weather, current affairs, music and community information.
• Radio Kerry Mobile Apps Mobile applications for iOS and Android enabling global listening to the Radio Kerry live stream for displaced Kerry listeners.
• Kerry Today Podcast Daily on-demand podcast covering local news, current affairs and community issues for Kerry listeners.
• The Music Tree Podcast On-demand music podcast featuring Irish and international music content for Kerry listeners.
• Caint Chiarraí Podcast Irish-language podcast featuring Irish-language content for Kerry listeners.
• In Focus Podcast Monthly podcast featuring in-depth interviews and analysis on current topics for Kerry listeners.
• Terrace Talk Sports Programme Award-winning sports analysis and review programme covering Kerry GAA Gaelic football, hurling and ladies football; won Gold for Sports Programme of the Year at PPI awards.
• Live Sport Commentary Live radio and streaming commentary for GAA matches including Kerry's National Football League and Championship games for Gaelic football, hurling and ladies football.
• Death Notices Service Online death-notice service for County Kerry allowing families to publish and the community to view local death announcements.
• Events Platform Event listings and ticketing platform for local events including Country in Foilmore, Timeless & Irish and various concerts across Kerry, with ticketing fees paid per attendee.
• Kerry Wedding Show Annual wedding exhibition event showcasing local wedding vendors, venues and services, first introduced in February 2009.
• Weekly Bingo Weekly bingo events held in Castleisland every Tuesday evening with a guaranteed jackpot, sold as a recurring owned-and-operated event to local attendees.
• Best of Kerry Awards Annual awards programme recognising excellence in local Kerry businesses across 19 categories including restaurants, hotels, cafés and entertainment venues, sponsored by partners such as Lee Strand.
• Outside Broadcast Unit Mobile broadcasting unit equipped with digital broadcasting and IP satellite technology for remote live coverage of events across the franchise area.
• Radio Kerry Shop Online merchandise store selling Radio Kerry branded products to listeners and supporters.
• Classified Ads Local classified-advertisements section on the Radio Kerry website featuring community listings including pets, items for sale and services.

Quantifiable outcome

• 59% market share in Kerry region
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Shannonside/Northern SoundcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2005Radio Kerry completed the purchase of Shannonside/Northern Sound in August 2005, becoming the first of the original local radio stations to go on to this level of expansion. Shannonside/Northern Sound broadcasts to Longford, Roscommon, Cavan, Monaghan and Leitrim.
• Quinlan's FishcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRadio Kerry partnered with Quinlan's Fish and Seafood Bars for the 'Thanks a Thousand' €3,000 listener giveaway promotion. Over three weeks, one listener won €1,000 cash weekly plus four finalists received €50 vouchers. Quinlan's Fish is a family-owned Kerry business with shops in Tralee, Cahersiveen, Killarney and seafood bars across multiple locations.
• MD O'Shea's Builders MerchantsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity group promotion partnership with €3,000 MD O'Shea's Voucher for first prize and two €1,000 vouchers for runners-up. Community groups in County Kerry eligible to enter.
• The Rose Hotel, TraleeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for 10th Anniversary Schools Giveaway offering €10,000 in Technology Vouchers (10 x €1,000) to primary schools in County Kerry.
• Lee StrandminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLee Strand (dairy company) associated with Best of Kerry Awards 2023 as a sponsor. Best of Kerry Awards allow listeners to nominate favourite Kerry businesses in 19 categories.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• KCLR 96FM: Local commercial radio station covering Carlow and Kilkenny in the south-east of Ireland. Comparable in scale and operating model to Radio Kerry — community-rooted, multi-frequency, SMB-ad-funded regional broadcaster.
• Highland Radio (Donegal): Local commercial radio station serving County Donegal in the north-west of Ireland. Comparable as a single-market regional broadcaster with similar news/sport programming mix, event monetization, and community-focused audience approach.
• Midlands 103: Regional commercial radio station covering the Irish Midlands (Laois, Offaly, Westmeath). Comparable multi-county regional broadcaster with similar local-news-and-sport programming and SMB advertiser base.
• Live 95 (Limerick): Local radio station serving Limerick and the mid-west of Ireland. Closely comparable in scale, GAA-led sports focus, multi-frequency regional coverage, and reliance on Kerry-adjacent SMB advertisers in the same Munster region.
• Cork's 96FM: Independent local commercial radio station serving County Cork, the adjacent county to Kerry. Directly comparable as an Irish regional broadcaster monetizing through local advertising, events, and digital extensions in a similar competitive and regulatory environment.
• East Coast FM: Local commercial radio station serving Wicklow and north Wexford. Comparable community-rooted Irish local radio operator with overlapping digital distribution (streaming, podcasts) and a similar SMB ad-funded revenue model.
• Galway Bay FM: Local commercial radio station operating across County Galway on the west coast of Ireland. Comparable format mix of local news, GAA sport, and listener promotions; competes for many of the same regional and national ad budgets as Radio Kerry.

Regional players

• Radio Nova: Regional commercial radio station based in Dublin serving the Greater Dublin area. Comparable Irish commercial broadcaster, though operating in a denser urban market with a different competitive set than Rural Kerry.

Broad incumbents

• RTÉ Radio: Ireland's national public service broadcaster, operating RTÉ Radio 1, 2fm, Lyric FM, and RnaG. Overlaps with Radio Kerry in news, current affairs, Irish-language programming (Caint Chiarraí) and GAA sports coverage; competes indirectly for national ad budgets and listenership spillover.
• Newstalk: National news/talk commercial radio station licensed in Dublin. Competes for talk and current-affairs listenership in Kerry and competes for the same national advertiser spend that Radio Kerry targets through its national sales team.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/radiokerry
• Facebookfacebook.com/radiokerry
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/radio-kerry

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Radio Kerry