Dublin, Cork, Limerick & Galway
Bay Broadcasting is now firmly Ireland’s second largest radio group, with 834,000 listeners
Bay has posted continued growth in its daily and weekly listenership as well as market share across its radio stations. The group includes Classic Hits Radio, Sunshine 106.8, Radio Nova and Galway Bay FM and now connects with 834,000 weekly listeners, placing it 137,000 ahead of Onic, according to the latest JNLR, released today, 5th November, 2026.
As well as its FM radio stations, the group also broadcasts various DAB services including Sunshine Soul, Nova Classic Rock, Energy Dance and Pure Country, with Nova and Sunshine now broadcasting on DAB around the country.
In Dublin, Sunshine 106.8 and Radio Nova hold the #1 and #2 positions by market share of 10.2% and 8.7% respectively, with the next closest being FM104 at 6.1%. In addition, Nova is now the #1 station in the capital by daily reach, on 9.7%. In Cork Classic Hits Radio now boasts 12% daily reach while Galway Bay FM continues to be the #1 radio station Galway, with 24.3% market share.
Sunshine 106.8 continues as the number one music station in the capital by market share for the third successive report, holding on 10.2%. The station boasts the top two shows on music radio in Dublin — More Music Drive with Carol Dooley, on 79,000 listeners, and Sunshine Gold with Joe Harrington, on 74,000. Sunshine is also the number one commercial station for share of female listening in Dublin, on 12.2%.
Radio Nova has increased its weekly listenership to 277,000 and daily to 159,000 in its franchise area of Dublin city, county and commuter belt.. In addition, it’s market share has increased from 8.3% to 8.8% in the region. Morning Glory with PJ & Jim continues to be the #1 breakfast show in Dublin, with a 12,000 daily lead over FM104’s Strawberry Alarm Clock. Meanwhile, Nova is now the #1 music station by daily reach in the capital, with 126,000.
Classic Hits Radio has recorded its highest daily and weekly listenership to date, with 389,000 weekly and 221,000 daily listeners, representing a 20% growth over three years.
The station’s daytime shows have also increased with Classic Hits At Work with Trina Mara increasing by 6,000 to 101,000 daily and Damian Farrelly in the Afternoon increasing by 3,000 to 114,000.
Galway Bay FM continues to be the #1 radio station in Galway city and county, with 24.3% market share, 62.000 daily and 118,000 weekly listeners.
Kevin Branigan of Bay Broadcasting said “I'm delighted to see continued growth for Radio Nova, Classic Hits Radio, Galway Bay FM and Sunshine 106.8. The four stations combined present a powerful audience and the latest numbers firmly place Bay as the 2nd largest radio group in the country. We hold the #1 and #2 positions in Dublin, Classic Hits Radio is the largest commercial radio stations in Ireland outside the two nationals with a solid urban reach across Dublin, Cork, Limerick & Galway and Galway Bay FM continues to be the largest radio station in Galway. The radio market in Ireland is changing and it's gratifying to us, as an Irish-owned radio group, to be achieving such strong performance in the market”
Sean Ashmore, CEO of Sunshine 106.8, said: “To be the number one music station in Dublin for the third report running, with the top two shows on music radio in the city in Carol Dooley and Joe Harrington, is a brilliant result and a real credit to the whole team. On top of that we’re now the number one commercial station for share of female listening in the capital. Sunshine has built its success on doing one thing exceptionally well — helping our listeners to relax, with best in class presenters the audience has genuinely taken to. And with Sunshine 106.8 and Sunshine Soul now reaching audiences right across the country on DAB+, there’s plenty more to come.”