THE LATE LMFM presenter Michael Reade has shared reflections on his radio career and his personal life, including sharing that he was sexually abused as a child, in an interview recorded before his death.

The radio station confirmed yesterday that the long-time host had died at the age of 58, a month after he had released a statement sharing that he had been diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Before his death, he recorded an interview that aired on LMFM this morning. 

“As you probably heard on LMFM’s news, my beloved family have announced that my death has occurred and I’ve left this earth. This is, of course, the strangest radio program that I’ve ever been involved in,” he said about the programme, adding later: “I’ve never heard anything like this, so I hope it’s unique in that sense.”

He thanked the people who have listened to his programme over the years, noting that he took satisfaction in feeling that he had the opportunity to help create positive change and make a difference in people’s lives through the show.

He recounted his career in radio, including a trip to Albania during the Kosovo war, which he said left a “lasting impression” on him and his world view, and discussed his love of music

LMFM’s Pat O’Shaughnessy, who hosted the interview, asked the accomplished broadcaster about his many years of interviewing politicians.

“I wouldn’t have very much bad to say about anybody who puts themselves into public life. I think it’s very admirable, and I think they pay a very high cost for it,” he said, but added: “I think I also have a real feeling of disappointment in Irish politics and about a lack of honesty in what people are saying and how it seems to me that some people are willing to sell their souls for politics.”

“I don’t know how long the discussion on child sexual abuse is going to go on, but I’m sure that there’s politicians in the Drogheda area – and I’m sure that there’s media in the Drogheda area who will be reporting – on the need for an inquiry into Michael Shine’s abuse and into the day schools and how nobody listened, and how those people who didn’t listen were wrong, and we all should have listened, and that’s what we’re going to hear from all of the politicians, including the ones who didn’t,” he said.

He continued: “The ones so really should be asking themselves questions. I think internally, they should examine their consciences.”

“I say this Pat, as somebody who’s never said it on the public airwaves before, but as a person who was sexually abused and raped from the age of seven.

“What can be difficult for people to understand about this is that it’s not just an assault, it’s something that goes way past that. The assault is irrelevant as time goes on. It’s something that cuts you up, chews you up, and it spits you out and scars your soul.

“That’s something that I think people don’t understand is what is at stake here. It’s not that there were bad people out there assaulting other people – of course, that’s terrible – but it’s the impact that that has had on people, and I know how shameful that is in this country because of the attitude.”

The full interview is available on the LMFM website.