TO MARK 2FM’s 40th birthday today, RTÉ is paying tribute to the late Gerry Ryan by re-opening the Ryan Line. 

The show will air from 9am to 10am this morning.

Gerry’s daughter, Lottie Ryan, who is also a radio presenter, will introduce the one-off hour-long special presented by her father.

Ryan joined RTÉ as a DJ in 1979 and brought The Gerry Ryan Show to RTÉ Radio in March 1988. For three hours every weekday morning he invited listeners to call him with their stories, problems and opinions, right up to the day of his death in April 2010.

In a clip of today’s programme, Ryan says he remembers his first day working with the station, adding that he was very nervous. 

One of the most memorable radio moments from the broadcaster was his interview with rape victim Lavinia Kerwick.

After her attacker was given a suspended sentence, Kerwick gave up her anonymity after her sister rang The Gerry Ryan Show in 1993.

Lavinia went on to appear on the show to tell her story, and became the first Irish rape victim to go public.

Gerry Ryan was credited with handling the issue and Kerwick credited him with helping her to tell her story.

Speaking about it on RTÉ’s Late Late Show this year, she said Gerry was the first person she told. 

“It was like sitting beside him, I didn’t realise there were 100,000s of people listening. It was very personal, he was hugely compassionate. From start to finish, I did not hear him interrupt that conversation.”

Ryan died in April 2010 at the age of 53.