Dr Daithi McMahon

About

My background is as a writer, director and producer for radio, particularly radio/audio drama for which I have won multiple international awards and critical acclaim. I am a Senior Lecturer in Media and Programme Leader for the BA Radio Production specialising in radio/audio production and scriptwriting. I continue to write and produce radio productions and artistic audio pieces including, more recently, ambisonic audio drama.

Teaching responsibilities

I primarily teach modules in radio, audio and podcast production and scriptwriting across both undergraduate and postgraduate media programmes. At undergraduate level, I teach on the BA Media Production and the BA Radio Production. I also teach and supervisor dissertations on the MA Writing for Performance programme. I supervise undergraduate and postgraduate final year projects across a number of media including audio drama, feature length film and long form drama screenplay projects. I am also regularly involved in collaborative projects that work across a number of programmes within the University.

Professional interests

I love radio and audio in all its forms. I continue to write, direct, produce and executive produce radio dramas and documentaries. I also have a growing interest in TV/film production including screenwriting for long form TV drama and short and feature length films.

Research interests

My doctoral thesis explored the impact of Facebook on the Irish Radio Industry and my other research interests are in media convergence, the digitalisation of radio and young radio audience's uses of radio. I am also a multi award-winning radio playwright and producer and continue to practice in this capacity. I am currently experimenting with ambisonic audio drama through the multidisciplinary collaborative project When the Boys Come Home involving University of Derby students as well as other podcast and oral history projects including Our Story: A History of the Irish in Derby with The Derby Irish Association. I am involved as leader of the Media Unit of S.H.E.D. The Artistry of Conversation research project led by Dr Rhiannon Jones.

I would be happy to hear from other academics interested in collaborating on future research projects in the above or related areas.

Qualifications

PhD, MA, PGCHE, FHEA, BSc

Recent conferences

Conference Papers

McMahon, D. 2019, Social Media, Radio’s Frenemy: The Case of Facebook and the Irish Radio Industry, paper presented at The International Perspective on Radio Centenary Conference,
November 7-8, Hilversum.
McMahon, D. 2019, Save The Wave: The Fight by the Irish Diaspora in Britain to Retain RTÉ’s Longwave 252 Service, presented at the ECREA Radio Research Conference 2019, Sept 18-20, Siena.
Randell, M., McMahon, D. & Brown, M. 2019, When The Boys Come Home: Managing a Collaborative Multi-Disciplinary Ambisonic Audio Production, presented at Sounds in Space Symposium 2019, June 25-26, University of Derby, UK.
McMahon, D. 2018, Connected to the Auld Sod: Media Practice, Diaspora and Irish Identity, paper presented at the Humanities, Heritage and Public Policy Conference, Derby Museum & Art Gallery, July 16, Derby.
McMahon, D. 2017, Closer to Home: The Use of Facebook by Irish Radio Stations to Engage with Diaspora Communities, paper presented at the Connecting Canada Conference 2017, Dec 7-9, York University, Toronto.
McMahon, D. 2017, Building Relations with the Millennial Audience – Sveriges Radio’s ‘Voices of the Dead’ Radio Drama Series, paper presented at the ECREA Radio Research Conference 2017, Sept 12-14, Lublin.
McMahon, D. 2017, Radio Drama for the Millennial Audience – Sveriges Radio’s ‘Voices of the Dead’, paper presented at the IAMCR Conference 2017, July 16-20, Cartagena.
McMahon, D. 2016, Opening up the debate: The phenomenon of transnational cultural public spheres on Irish radio station Facebook pages, paper to be presented at The Radio Conference 2016, July 5-8, Utrecht.
McMahon, D. 2016, Friends and Feelings: The Appropriation of Facebook by Irish Radio Stations to Enhance Audience Engagement Through Affective Media Experiences, paper presented at Media Engagement: Connecting Production, Texts and Audiences Symposium, May 4, London.
McMahon, D. 2015, Like for Like: Comparing the social media strategies of public service and commercial radio sectors in Ireland, paper to be presented at Colloque Radio Perpignan 2015, June 4-5, Perpignan
McMahon, D. 2015, Old Dog, New Tricks: Can Social Media Help Youth Radio Stations Grow Their Audience?, presented at the MeCCSA Conference ’15, January 7-9, Newcastle
McMahon, D. 2014, Radio 2.0: How Facebook is Enhancing Audience Participation for Irish Radio Audiences, European Conference on Social Media, June 5-7, Brighton

Experience in industry

I am a multi-award winning and critically acclaimed playwright, director, performer, producer, editor and sound engineer with a wealth of experience in writing and media production, particularly in radio/audio. During that time I have built a strong body of radio productions in live and pre-produced formats with the bulk being radio drama, documentary or docu-drama productions. Below is a list of my work to date.

Authored & Produced Projects

McMahon, D. and O’Connor F. 2019 (forthcoming), “Belong”, radio drama, Newstalk, Dublin.
McMahon, D. and O’Connor F. 2015, “William Melville: Eve of War”, radio drama, Radio Kerry, Tralee. * **
McMahon, D. and O’Connor F. 2014, “William Melville: The Queen’s Detective”, radio drama, Radio Kerry, Tralee. * ** ††
McMahon, D. and O’Connor F. 2014, “Lusitania: Beneath the Surface”, radio drama, Radio Kerry, Tralee. †‡
McMahon, D. and O’Connor F. 2012, “End of the Line”, radio docu-drama, Radio Kerry, Tralee. †
McMahon, D. and O’Connor F. 2012, “Tom Crean: Endurance”, radio drama, Radio Kerry, Tralee. * †
McMahon, D. and O’Connor A. 2011, “Derailed”, radio drama, iRadio, Athlone.
McMahon, D. and O’Connor F. 2010, “Tom Crean & the Terra Nova Expedition”, radio drama, Radio Kerry, Tralee. †
McMahon, D. and O’Connor F. 2010, “Living Memory: A Blasket Island Story”, radio drama, Radio Kerry, Tralee. †‡
McMahon, D. and O’Connor F. 2009, “The Levellers”, radio drama, Radio Kerry, Tralee. †
McMahon, D. and de Barra, C. 2010, “Compass Ceoil”, music documentary series, RTE Lyric FM, Limerick.
McMahon, D. and Hensey A. 2009, “Sceal ar gCeoil”, music documentary series, Radio Kerry, Tralee.

Produced Projects

Daly, B. & McMahon, D. 2017, “Surfing for God”, radio documentary, Newstalk 106-108fm, Dublin (Exec. Producer)
O’Connor, A. & Clarke, S. 2016, “Yummy Mummy”, radio drama, Newstalk 106-108fm, Dublin.
Daly, B. & McMahon, D. 2015, “Surfing at the Crossroads”, radio documentary, Newstalk 106-108fm, Dublin (Exec. Producer)
O’Connor, S. 2014, “Matches”, radio drama, Newstalk 106-108fm, Dublin. *
O’Connor, A. & Clarke, S. 2014 “Left Behind”, radio drama, Shannonside/Northern Sound, Longford. * †
O’Connor, S. 2013, “Home Again”, radio drama, Newstalk 106-108fm, Dublin.
O’Connor, A. 2013, “The Choice”, radio drama, Spin South West, Limerick.
O’Connor, A. 2013, “Delivery”, radio drama, Shannonside/Northern Sound, Longford.
O’Connor, A. 2012, “The Cry”, radio drama, iRadio, Athlone.

* New York Festivals International Radio Award Winner
** Prix Europa Nominee
† PPI Radio Award Winner †‡ PPI Award Nominee
†† Writers' Guild of Ireland Zebbie Award Nominee

International experience

A number of projects which I have produced have won national and international awards and commendations. I have also attended several international radio festivals.
New York Festivals Int'l Radio Awards Gold Award (Best Writing 2013, 2015)
New York Festivals Int'l Radio Awards Silver Award (Best Drama 2013, 2016)
New York Festivals Int'l Radio Awards Bronze Award (Best Drama 2017, 2017)
Prix Europa Nominee (Radio Fiction 2015, 2016)
Grand Prix Nova Nominee (Radio Drama 2017)
PPI Radio Award Winner - Ireland (Best Drama 2015, Best Station Imaging 2007)
Writers' Guild of Ireland Zebbie Award Nominee (2015)

In the media

I am generally available to the media to discuss matters related to my work and research.

Recent publications

McMahon, D. (forthcoming 2019) “Memories of Our Youth: The Viral Spread of Radio Station Facebook Posts”. Westminster Papers in Communication & Culture. Vol 4(2), pp.
McMahon, D. (forthcoming 2019) “Informed & Educated on Social Media Management: What Public Service Radio Can Learn From the Commercial Radio Sector in Ireland”, VIEW Journal Themed Edition on Public Service Broadcasting In The Digital Age.
McMahon, D. & Abel, I. (forthcoming 2019) “The Use of Nostalgia by Radio Producers to Attract and Engage Millennial Audiences” in Global Millennials: Transnational and Intercultural Perspectives. Atay, A., Lengel, L., Kluch, Y. (Eds.) Bowling Green State University Popular Press
McMahon, D. (2018) “Transnational cultural public spheres on Irish radio station Facebook pages: A Case Study of Radio Kerry” in: Follmer, G. and Badenoch, A. (ed.) Transnationalizing Radio Research: New Approaches to and Old Medium, Badenoch, A. & Föllmer, G. (eds.). Bielefeld: Transcript Verlag. pp. 247-255
McMahon, D. (2016) ‘With a Little Help From My Friends: The Irish Radio Industry’s Strategic Appropriation of Social Network Sites for Commercial Growth’, in Analyzing the Strategic Role of Social Networking in Firm Growth and Productivity. Hershey PA: IGI Global
McMahon, D. (2014) “Radio 2.0: How Facebook is Enhancing Audience Participation for Irish Radio Audiences”, Proceedings of the European Conference on Social Media, A. Rospigliosi & S. Greener (eds.), Brighton, pp. 665-72

Portfolio

Belong

Belong is an original radio drama by Fred O’Connor and Daithí McMahon about one man’s experience of homelessness in modern Dublin. It was first broadcast on the Newstalk radio station in July 2020.

William Melville – Eve of War

William Melville – Eve of War is an original radio drama about an Irish immigrant who became the first chief of the British Secret Service Bureau. It was written by Fred O’Connor and produced by Daithi McMahon. It was first broadcast on Radio Kerry in January 2016.