Chicago Irish Radio-The O'Connor Show. Portions of our some of our live broadcasts & long form pre-recorded interview/chats f

Siobhainn O'Connor & Breege Looney & guests
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Raw, mostly unedited portions of our live broadcast sans music. Esp the super entertaining bits. This is also the home of long-form pre-recorded chats/interviews with everyday people, musicians, singers, movie makers, politicians. It's all here.  These are real conversations, real life.  Unpolished, unvarnished. Listening in might feel a bit like eavesdropping....without that awkward guilty feeling.  Chicago Irish Radio is live radio at it's finest. Broadcasting continuously since 1971! 

  1. 12/23/2025

    Chicago's own Willie Joe Casey & Tom Dolan share their personal stories of their emigration from Ireland & illuminate the history of the Chicago GAA & more...

    Send us a text Honestly.  I LOVE these fellas! Willie Joe Casey & Tom Dolan are both frequent visitors to the live radio broadcast. We've made plans to record their stories & things never worked out until this day.   The opening of the Chicago GAA Hall of History, an idea hatched by these two, has come to fruition at Chicago Gaelic Park.  The fellas were live on the radio show on this Saturday to promote this permanent exhibition.  I asked if they'd be willing to hang around after the live broadcast for a chat about the Chicago GAA.  I'm so grateful Willie Joe & Tommy were enthusiastic about the idea! If you are at all familiar w/our live broadcast, you know we are all about unscripted real conversations. That happens here. You never know where a question will lead you-you just follow along. That's the magic. Both gentlemen share their emigration stories, the impact the GAA has had on their lives, and so much more.   I hope you enjoy listening in as much as I enjoyed this important afternoon in our studio!  https://chicagogaelicpark.com/gaa/ https://usgaa.org/division/central-division/ Discovered this as I was doing some research! https://chicagology.com/chicagoirish/historyirish/ Tune in LIVE each week, we broadcast around the world! Saturdays, 11-1pm Central Standard Time. Go to www.1490.am to access the free stream! We would LOVE to hear from you! Shoot us an email info@chicagoirishradio.com, or contact us via FB-@chicagoirishradio Send requests or dedications, or just say "HI!"

    54 min

  2. 12/18/2025

    Chicago Irish Radio-The O'Connor Show; 13th of December 2025

    Send us a text Oh my goodness! We had so much fun on this day! Willie Joe Casey & Fr. Mick Madigan stop up for a visit and the STORIES flowed! Absolute gold. So funny and 100% REAL! All the music & MOST of the ads are stripped out of the recording of the live broadcast.  The rest is just real live radio.  Unvarnished. Raw. REAL.  Tune in some Saturday.  Our show runs from 11-1 CST, streams on all platforms. The most crystal clear, I've heard, is the one from the stations website. Go to www.1490.am and click the "Listen Now" button.  Easy peasy. Send us a request, a note, or just a "hello"! We love to hear from you! Tune in LIVE each week, we broadcast around the world! Saturdays, 11-1pm Central Standard Time. Go to www.1490.am to access the free stream! We would LOVE to hear from you! Shoot us an email info@chicagoirishradio.com, or contact us via FB-@chicagoirishradio Send requests or dedications, or just say "HI!"

    1h 9m

  3. 11/17/2025

    Breege Rowley-film maker "All of our Yesterday's" stories of 250 years of life in & around Swinford, Co Mayo Ireland

    Send us a text Breege Rowley is a GEM! She shares her time so generously and eloquently discusses all the things about her film "All of our Yesterday's"   This is the full chat. the abbreviated was featured on the radio show November 15, 2025. You will truly feel you are eavesdropping on our conversation.  Breege is passionate about saving the social history of life in and around Swinford, Co Mayo all the way back 250 years- Penal times, the famine, the wars, the great exodus of population  & more told through the lens of the people of the area.  Sitting around kitchen tables.  Poring through letters and photographs.  Old films uncovered. Treasured memories shared.   Plan to be in Chicago for iBAM? Be sure to see the screening on Saturday Nov 22 @ 3:30pm at the Irish American Heritage Center, the home for the Irish Arts Books and Music celebratory weekend-iBAM!  https://www.facebook.com/p/All-Our-Yesterdays-61569855254145/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9S74xlPMEg https://www.ibamchicago.com/ Tune in LIVE each week, we broadcast around the world! Saturdays, 11-1pm Central Standard Time. Go to www.1490.am to access the free stream! We would LOVE to hear from you! Shoot us an email info@chicagoirishradio.com, or contact us via FB-@chicagoirishradio Send requests or dedications, or just say "HI!"

    34 min

  4. 11/17/2025

    Live show October 15, 2025

    Send us a text This show has SO MUCH chat, it is a great one to share.  All music has been stripped out.  Meet Tom O'Connor, Dublin native & recent Northwestern Masters of Journalism graduate, our own Breege Looney, Brandi Barry Benson of Bach & Beethoven Experience, Kelly Doherty from iBAM, https://www.ibamchicago.com/and an edited interview w/Breege Rowley talking about her documentary "All of our Yesterdays" https://www.imdb.com/title/tt36221035/ and the FB page- https://www.facebook.com/p/All-Our-Yesterdays-61569855254145/ This is a live broadcast, so very little editing.  We broadcast every Saturday live.  It is an unscripted, unrehearsed show.  Real life!  Tune in live via the stream sometime! www.1490.am.  11-1pm CST, rebroadcast 10-12pm CST every Saturday.  We'd LOVE to hear from you!  Tune in LIVE each week, we broadcast around the world! Saturdays, 11-1pm Central Standard Time. Go to www.1490.am to access the free stream! We would LOVE to hear from you! Shoot us an email info@chicagoirishradio.com, or contact us via FB-@chicagoirishradio Send requests or dedications, or just say "HI!"

    1h 37m

  5. 11/18/2024

    Chicago Irish Radio-Chicago'sGaelic Park Players-Bridget Christianson & Betty Kort, originally broadcast live Oct 5, 2024

    Send us a text The production of Frank McGuinness's "Factory Girls" leads to Bridget Christianson sharing HER memories of working at a shirt factory in Ireland as a young woman.  Originally aired live October 5, 2024 Tune in LIVE each week, we broadcast around the world! Saturdays, 11-1pm Central Standard Time. Go to www.1490.am to access the free stream! We would LOVE to hear from you! Shoot us an email info@chicagoirishradio.com, or contact us via FB-@chicagoirishradio Send requests or dedications, or just say "HI!"

    30 min

  6. 11/18/2024

    Chicago Irish Radio- Chat Sinn Fein's Dáire Hughes-orig broadcast live Oct 5, 2024

    Send us a text Chat  w/Sinn Fein's Dáire Hughes He explains his role, the state of Armagh & we learn about strides forward to unify Ireland under one flag Dáire's biography Dáire Hughes is from the Meadow in Newry and is a graduate of Queen’s University, Belfast. Dáire is a former trade union representative and spent years working in the community voluntary sector locally. He joined Newry and Mourne District Council, representing South Armagh, and served as it’s last and youngest Mayor. Dáire was the political manager of the Sinn Féin team in the European Parliament and played a leading role in the campaign against the disastrous Tory Brexit, making sure there was no hard border and that the Good Friday Agreement was protected. Dáire is currently Sinn Féin Deputy General Secretary and has a keen understanding of issues facing workers and families across Ireland. If elected, Dáire will provide new leadership for Newry and Armagh to deliver positive change and will work hard for all in our community. Dáire Hughes is from the Meadow in Newry and is a graduate of Queen’s University, Belfast. Dáire is a former trade union representative and spent years working in the community voluntary sector locally. He joined Newry and Mourne District Council, representing South Armagh, and served as it’s last and youngest Mayor. Dáire was the political manager of the Sinn Féin team in the European Parliament and played a leading role in the campaign against the disastrous Tory Brexit, making sure there was no hard border and that the Good Friday Agreement was protected. Dáire is currently Sinn Féin Deputy General Secretary and has a keen understanding of issues facing workers and families across Ireland. If elected, Dáire will provide new leadership for Newry and Armagh to deliver positive change and will work hard for all in our community. Tune in LIVE each week, we broadcast around the world! Saturdays, 11-1pm Central Standard Time. Go to www.1490.am to access the free stream! We would LOVE to hear from you! Shoot us an email info@chicagoirishradio.com, or contact us via FB-@chicagoirishradio Send requests or dedications, or just say "HI!"

    25 min

  7. 11/17/2024

    Chicago Irish Radio-Writer Mary Santarelli & Actress Josephine Craven

    Send us a text YES! This interview started live on-air and continued after.  Unedited-you get to hear ALL THE THINGS we discuss.  Tangents galore! Josephine Craven brought Mary up to the show to talk about her play "Clifden's Daughter"  which had it's first public performance at iBAM. Mary Santarelli is a writer.  She's a creative that has explored many avenues & byways of this profession.  You will learn about her, her journey & her work.  She's so generous.  I hope you enjoy a bit of eavesdropping.  This convo is EXACTLY what it sound like-a chat among old & new friends Mary Santarelli bio-  Wisconsin based writer, I hold a B.A. in English Communications and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing (Screen & Stage) from Queens University-Charlotte. Industry awards for past screenplays include second place—Wisconsin Screenwriters Forum Contest; first place—Chicago ScriptWorks Contest (staged at the Bailiwick Theatre); “Best Comedy” category—Chicago Screenwriters Network Contest; Festival of Shorts Finalist—King’s Theatre, Nova Scotia. A full-length stage play was recently published with Scripts for the Stage UK in London Josephine Craven- Irish Native Josephine Craven of LISTEN TO LIT has been producing Bloomsday events since 1998.  Accomplished Actor, producer, director and playwright, Josephine is an endless source of boundless creativity.  Her one woman show about Jane Wilde (aka Speranza) shone a light on this largely forgotten amazing woman.  She is the mother of Oscar Wilde. Josephine is a talented Voice Over artist and books narrated with her beautiful books will be available on your favorite app soon. Tune in LIVE each week, we broadcast around the world! Saturdays, 11-1pm Central Standard Time. Go to www.1490.am to access the free stream! We would LOVE to hear from you! Shoot us an email info@chicagoirishradio.com, or contact us via FB-@chicagoirishradio Send requests or dedications, or just say "HI!"

    59 min

  8. 09/06/2024

    The Mike O'Connor Show (01/12/1973)-Vintage show featuring Mike O'Connor himself in the early days of the broadcast

    Send us a text Super vintage!  The radio show was a little over 2 yrs old.  Mike O'Connor(the OG) w/a little help from Joe(last name unknown)  on this Friday night from the WOPA studios.  Featuring music by Brendan Furey(pipes), Connie Foley,  and more classic musicians.  Mike also gives his report & opinion on the recent visit to the US by then Taoiseach of Ireland Jack Lynch.   Tune in LIVE each week, we broadcast around the world! Saturdays, 11-1pm Central Standard Time. Go to www.1490.am to access the free stream! We would LOVE to hear from you! Shoot us an email info@chicagoirishradio.com, or contact us via FB-@chicagoirishradio Send requests or dedications, or just say "HI!"

    59 min
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Raw, mostly unedited portions of our live broadcast sans music. Esp the super entertaining bits. This is also the home of long-form pre-recorded chats/interviews with everyday people, musicians, singers, movie makers, politicians. It's all here.  These are real conversations, real life.  Unpolished, unvarnished. Listening in might feel a bit like eavesdropping....without that awkward guilty feeling.  Chicago Irish Radio is live radio at it's finest. Broadcasting continuously since 1971! 

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