Where In The World!!!???

It's a tough one today so here is todays Blog Clue.....

Joe Kinnear managed todays destinations football team for a number of years.

Text 53104 or email andyp@fm104.ie with your answer to be in with a chance to win a 2 day break in The Imperial Hotel, cork City's finest!

Andy

Clondalkin Calling!!!!!

Some pics from yesterdays Bug visit to Dublin 22:-)

Wednesday Stuff.

Ah yes, it's the lazy persons way of guessing FM104's "Where In The World" and sure why not:-)

The Barrakka Gardens in Valetta are a popular tourist attraction of todays destination.

Text your answer to 53104 or email andyp@fm104.ie for your chance to qualify for fridays draw for 2 nights bed and breakfast at cork City's Imperial Hotel:-)

A Clue....Eventually!!!

Sorry for being late today, we lost our net connection just as I was about to post todays clue so here goes....

Todays destination is home to Old Trafford.

Told you it would be worth logging on!!!!

Text your answer to 53104 or email andyp@fm104.ie for a chance to qualify for fridays draw:-)

Andy

Even More Pics!

And just as I posted the last few pics on the blog, our Babbles sends me through more! Sooooo, thanks to our friends in Glasnevin for a very warm welcome last week!!!:-)

On The Road!!!

Nutgrove Shopping Centre was one of the Bugs destinations last week, here are the photos:-)

Need A Break???

I'm sure on this monday morning the answer to that question is a resounding YES!!!

This week we're celebrating the release of the nail biting thriller Adrift, hitting cinemas this friday.

Our overall end of week prize this week is 2 nights bed and breakfast in Cork City's fabulous Imperial Hotel, we''also throw in a four course meal at The Pembroke Restaurant. And that's not all........ The prize also includes an Escape Spa Ritual for 2 with time at The Vitality Suite, a dry float, a wash and blow dry, an aveda finishing make-up touch up for her and a back neck and shoulder massage and time at The Relaxation suite for him.

Want to win this? Well then have a go at FM104's 'Where In The World'

Your blog clue is..... Todays destination takes it's name from a Huron Peoples word meaning 'meeting place'

Text your answer to 53104 or email andyp@fm104.ie - todays qualifier goes forward for our end of week draw on friday.

Good Luck!

Andy

Thank You:-)

In the radio world the equivalent of the leaving cert results were released yesterday. I am of course talking about the dreaded JNLR figures and I am very happy to say that the 10 - 3 show now reaches 99,000 listeners every day!

I can't thank you enough for being there day after day and I'm particularly pleased that FM104 has managed to maintain it's number one position in Dublin, despite a rival station proclaiming they had it "in the bag" Sorry guys, this has been our sweetest victory yet:-)

And so to todays questions for our final set of tickets for the Franz Ferdinand 'secret' gig next thursday....

1) In 1987, U2's Joshua Tree tour came home to Croke Park. How many nights did they play - 1 or 2?
2) What year did Michael Jackson last play in Dublin?
3) Where did the Homelands dance festival take place, Mosney or Punchestown Race Course?
4) Live Magic is the title of a live album by which band?

Text 53104 or email andyp@fm104.ie with your answer to any one of the above questions and good luck!!!

Thursdays Franz Questions

Once again today we have the most sought after tickets in the city, VIP tickets to see Franz Ferdinand play a 'secret' venue somewhere in the city centre.

And todays questions are.......

1) George Michael is coming to Dublin in December, where is he playing?
2) What is the name of Thin Lizzy's legendary 1978 live album?
3) Who opened last years Live8 concert?
4) Who supported Red Hot Chilli Peppers at their Landsdowne Road gig in 2002?

Just answer one of the above questions and text your answer to 53104 or email andyp@fm104.ie

Best of luck:-)

Andy

Don't Read This If You Have A Weak Stomach!!!

It may sound like it could be fun to some of you sick people but I could feel the blood rushing through me while I was reading this - wince!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:-(

An Indian businessman born with two penises wants one of them removed surgically because he wants to marry and lead a normal sexual life. The 24-year-old man from the northern state of Uttar Pradesh admitted himself to a New Delhi hospital last week with an extremely rare medical condition called penile duplication or diphallus. The surgery was expected to be challenging as both organs were well-formed and full blood supply to the retained penis had to be ensured to allow it to function normally. Two fully functional penises is unheard of even in medical literature. In the more common form of diphallus, one organ is rudimentary. There are about 100 such reported cases of diphallus around the world and it is known to occur among one in 5.5 million men…

Wouldn’t it be better to transplant one penis onto the end of the other?

VIP Franz Tickets!!!

More ticklets to give away today for the Franz Ferdinand gig next thursday the 31st and here are the questions....

1) Franz Ferdinand played Dublin for the first time in 2004, where did they play?
2) In what year did Queen play Slane Castle?
3) What band is due to play Marley Park this friday the 25th of August?
4) U2 released their first live album in 1983, recorded at Red Rocks Colorado. what is the title of the album?

All you have to do is answer one of the above questions and send your answer via text to 53104 or email andyp@fm104.ie for your chance to win!

Tuesdays Questions.

We had a huge response for the Franz Ferdinand tickets yesterday so thank you for keeping our text and email system busy for the duration of the show:-)

As was yesterday, you only have to answer one of the following four questions to qualify for the draw for a pair of VIP tickets to see Franz Ferdinand perform at a secret location in the City Centre, thanks to Vodafone Access Music.

And the questions......

!) Who played in Marley Park last saturday august 19th?
2) Who performed with Elton John at Live8?
3) A concert for George in 2002 was a tribute concert for who?
4) Robbie Williams played Dublin in 2001, where did he play?

Text your answer to 53104 or email andyp@fm104.ie

Now I'm Not A Big Brother Fan But....

In the interest of keeping you up to date with events....

It looks like Big Brother winner Pete’s romance with Nikki is off after she confessed to working as a five hundred pounds an hour vice-girl…

Probably explains why she moaned so easily…:-)

Taking You Out!!!!!!

Vodafone are with us this week on the 10 - 3 show and every day this week we're giving you the chance to win VIP tickets to see Franz Ferdinand play live in a "secret" city centre location. I know it's a cheesy phrase but how cool is that!!!?:-)

Here's how the mechanic will work.....

Every hour I will ask a question and you must answer one of them in order to get into the draw.The added advantage for bloggers is that I will post all 5 questions here before I announce them on air, thus giving you the choice to answer what ever question you want!

So, here are todays questions....

1) Who headlined Oxegen this year on sunday night?
2) What year did Live Aid take place?
3) What act played in Marley Park last thursday (august 18th) ?
4) In what city did U2 make their famous rooftop performance?

All you have to do is answer one of those questions and you're in todays draw for VIP tickets to see Franz Ferdinand so text 53104 or email andyp@fm104.ie

See you at the gig, with a bit of luck!

Friday At Last!!!:-)

Todays "Who Am I" won oscars for his parts in " The Usual Suspects" and "American Beauty"

It's your final chance to get into our draw for a holiday for 2 to Dubai so get your entry in before 3!

Andy

Thursdays Clue.

Hello!!!

Just back from a few days in Blackpool, I'll post some pics a bit later:-)

In the meantime here's a clue for todays "Who Am I"

Go f**k yourself, San Diego.....

For thise of you that have seen the movie that's a dead giveaway:-)

Text your answer to 53104 or email andyp@fm104.ie

It's your chance to win a luxury holiday to Dubai for 2 people with flights and accomodation at the prestigious Shangri-La Hotel looked after by us!

Get your entry in before 3 to qualify for the draw tomorrow and good luck:-)

And Your Blog Clue Is....

P. Diddy goes to number one with "I'll Be Missing You"

It's your last chance to qualify for Tj O' Mahony's 2k worth of decking for your garden!

Text 53104 or email andyp@fm104.ie

Andy

A Trip Down memory Lane...

So once again today we're asking you "What Was The Year?"

Here's a clue.....

Ghost and Pretty Woman are just 2 of the years big movies....

2k worth of decking is up for grabs from our friends at Tj O' Mahony's, our host today for FM104's Roadhog!

Text 53104 or email andyp@fm104.ie with your answer and good luck:-)

Andy

There are teachers, and then there are educators.

Thanks to Tara for this one:-)

Subject: Teachers/Educators According to a news report, a certain private school in Washington recently was faced with a unique problem. A number of 12-year-old girls were beginning to use lipstick and would put it on in the bathroom. That was fine, but after they put on their lipstick they would press their lips to the mirror leaving dozens of little lip prints. Every night the maintenance man would remove them and the next day the girls would put them back. Finally the principal decided that something had to be done. She called all the girls to the bathroom and met them there with the maintenance man. She explained that all these lip prints were causing a major problem for the custodian who had to clean the mirrors every night. To demonstrate how difficult it had been to clean the mirrors, she asked the maintenance man to show the girls how much effort was required. He took out a long-handled squeegee, dipped it in the toilet, and cleaned the mirror with it. Since then, there have been no lip prints on the mirror.

Aaaaaaaaaaahhh Shaaaaaaaaaa app!!!!!!!!!!

FM104's programme director Dave Kelly, was yesterday proudly showing myself and Jeremy Dixon some photos of him in his early radio career, so I decided to do a bit more digging and found this gem of our beloved (?) boss keeping it tight on a prominent Dublin pirate station in the 80's. Although the picture would suggest that Buddy found it difficult to let go of the seventies judging by his bushy DJ tasche and his pornstar hairstyle!!!:-)

So What Was The Year???

And wednesdays clue is......

The Shamen go to number one with "Ebeneezer Goode"

It's your chance to get into fridays draw for 2k worth of decking from Tj o' Mahony's at Ballymount Cross.

Text your answer to 53104 or email andyp@fm104.ie

Andy

On The Deck!

This week FM104's 10 - 3 show is with thanks to TJ O'Mahony who are celebrating the opening of their new store at Ballymount Road.

And to mark the grand opening we're giving you the chance to win 2,000 euro worth of decking for your garden!

Here's your blog clue for todays 'What Was The Year?'....

B*witched score their first number one with "C'est La Vie"

Go on admit it, you bought the single!!!!:-)

Get your entry in before 3 for your chance to qualify for the draw on friday!

Text is 53104, email andyp@fm104.ie

19 Years.

It's a figure that's been going through my head all day today for one reason.... I did my first radio show on this date the 4th of august 1987 - 19 years ago! To say that's scary is to put it mildly! It's no eggageration to say that my life changed completely on that fateful day and my future career was sealed.

I was 13 years of age, naieve, curious, never been kissed and most definitely shouldn't have been let anywhere near a radio station! But, somehow, I managed to convince the station manager of a lost dog radio station called Radio Diamond that I was up to the challenge of presenting their breakfast show. Maybe a career in the legal or sales trade would have been a more suitable career for this teenage waffler?:-)

When I visited Radio Dublin in 1986 I decided there and then that I wanted to be a radio dj, how though could I make this happen? I had to wait a year for my dream to come through and I can still remember the moment my dad told me some very exciting news. My dad got chatting to a barman in his local one evening and he happened to mention my interest in radio to him. As it happened the barman, David Morrisey, was a part time dj on Radio Diamond and said that I was welcome to come along with him one evening to have a look around the station. I can remember my heart skipping a beat when my dad told me and I immediately ran upstairs to gather my extensive record collection together to plan what I would play. How foolish was I thinking that they would let me on air on my first evening visiting!? Read on.....:-)

So the evening arrived and David called for me. He lived just across the road from me on Carrow Road in Drimnagh so we walked from my house on Galtymore Road to the stations headquarters above the Star snooker hall in Crumlin, just across from Our Lady's Hospital. We entered the reception area cum doss quarters for the staff which was filled with junk, disco decks and disco lights and on the window ledge the transmitter tuned to 106.1FM. The mast was up quite high on the building so even though the transmitter power was quite low, Radio Diamond was putting out a half decent signal all over the west of Dublin. I can't remember the name of the guy on air at the time but he couldn't have been nicer and explained how everything worked. Not that I was taking any notice of him, I was just completely in awe and was just so excited to be there!

It was just 8PM and David took over but didn't seem particularly interested in what he was doing - he was far more interested in the collective of girls outside the studio answering the phone (that never rang) and discussing make up and where they were going that night. The station manager was a guy called Keith Doyle and he asked me what age I was, I replied straight away telling him that I was 16. David told me to tell anyone that asked that I was 16 and although I looked slightly older than my 13 years, everyone knew that I was lying through my teeth. Before I knew it Keith sat me down at the console and began showing me how it all worked.

The studio was equipped with a 4 channel mixing console, 2 turntables, a twin tape deck and a microphone. Primitive even by standards back then but it might as well have been the cockpit of concorde to me, I was lost!!! So I cued up Whitney Houston "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" on one of the turntables and Keith told me to put the headphones and "do a link" Without thinking I pushed up the microphone slider and said "That was A-ha The Living Daylights and now here's Whitney Houston" My parents and my sister Elaine (lord rest her) were listening at home and almost jumped out of their skin when they heard me on the radio! I, by this time was ready to pass out but I continued for a few minutes more before David decided to come back in and finish off his show. Nobody said anything to me when I went back outside to the reception area but I could tell that they had been rolling around the floor laughing at my pathetic attempt at being a dj and I couldn't blame them to be honest:-) I went home later that night and told my parents that I would "never ever go on the radio again" Not so......

I temporarily forgot my friends and began hanging around Radio Diamond at any given opportunity pestering Keith to give me my own show, which was met each time with "no, you're shite!" One day I caught him off guard when he was stuck for someone to do the breakfast show the folloing morning so me being the chancer that I was, I offered to do it. He grumbled for a few seconds eventually agreeing. I can remember running all the way home to tell my dad and not being able to sleep that night, I was so excited!

The morning of august the 4th came and I jumped up out of bed at 6.15, gathered up my collection of Now albums and my favourite album at the time which was "Clutching At Straws" by Marillion, and walked to the Radio Diamond studio. When I got there the gates to the Star Snooker Hall car park were locked and a rather old alsatian dog was bleating out what sounded like a mixture of an old man coughing and a bark. I had been told that the security man would let me in but he was nowhere to be seen. I rattled the gates, much to the annoyance of the alsatian thinking that the noise would disturb the security guard but still there was no sigh of him. I was due to start on air at 7 and it wasn't until 7.15 that the security guard decided to rise and open the gates for me. I walked through the snooker hall, upstairs through the arcade and into the radio station - my first radio show was about to begin!

I sat down at the console, powered up the equipment and cued up Los Lobos "La Bamba" on one of the turntables, cued up the 'Top Of The Hour' jingle on the tape deck and sat in silence for a few seconds to compose myself.

So I pressed the pause release on the tape deck - nothing happened. The tape was playing but nothing was coming out on air! I realised then that whoever was on air the night before had switched off the transmitter so after powering it up I returned to the studio, re cued the tape and sat for a few seconds while I tried to contain my nerves. Something inside me just said "to hell with it, just go for it" so I fired the jingle and said "And a very good morning to you, this is Andy Preston starting off the show, right now here's Los Lobos and a great number one from them called La Bamba" The record started, I was off! I can't remember very much else from that first morning but I do remember compaining on air about the squeaky studio chair and playing my sisters favourite record "Respectable" by Mel & Kim. After I finished I ran home to be greeted by my dad who gave me a hug and told me that I had done brilliantly. I guess we both knew in our hearts that I was awful but for a relatively shy 13 year old clueless kid, I hadn't done too bad at all:-)

The funny thing is that almost as quickly as my radio career had started, it looked like it was about to end as quick! I ended up going up to the station later that evening to see Keith the station manager and was disappointed when he told me that he hadn't heard me that morning. A few minutes passed by and two heavies appeared at the studio door and told Keith to close the station down. No reason was given but Keith wasn't going to argue with them and announced to the audience that Radio Diamond was going off air owing to "technical difficulties". It later transpired that the stations phone bill was somewhere in the region of £900 and the station owner was refusing to pay. So the two large gentlemen made off with the transmitter in a jeep and that was it.... I was devastated!

2 weeks later the bill was paid and the station went back on air. I spent 4 hours on air that day announcing test transmissions for "The New Diamond 106FM" and a few weeks later I joined Smile FM in Ballyfermot after I failed to secure a regular slot on Diamond. I wouldn't have said it at the time but it was a wise move on their part:-)

Every year that passes I mark this anniversary and rembember fondly the events of that day and remind myself how lucky I am to be still working in the business and for what is the number 1 station in Dublin. If someone had told me back then that I would be in the position I am in now, I would not have believed them. It can be a cruel and heartless business at times but the good elements certainly outweigh the bad.

To those with whom I have worked with and befriended in this business both past and present, it has been both and honour and a privilege to have worked with you all. A special mention to my Dad Tony who believed in me right from the start and still supports me in everything I do. I love you very much Dad.

And one more thing..... If there's another 19 years to come in this business well I'm up for it!!!:-)

Have a great bank holiday weekend!

Andy

Your Friday Clue....

Todays 'Who Am I' is involved in comedy and is part of the Bulmers Comedy Festival, which is running in Dublin next month.....

Text your answer to 53104 or email andyp@fm104.ie

Good Luck:-)

Growing Old....

We're Flying!!!

Today Topgifts.ie are giving you the chance to win a 30 minute flying lesson in Leixlip, Co Kildare. You've always said that you wanted to take up flying lessons so this is your chance to do just that:-)

Todays 'Who Am I' was the main man behind the legendary comedy Faulty Towers.

Dead Giveaway or what!?

Get your entry in before 3 to 53104 or andyp@fm104.ie

Londis vs Spar!!

Don't get too excited, we're not setting up a battle between these two convenience giants! It's just our picture gallery from tuesdays Beetle Bug expedition:-)

Above ; Donal from Londis Grafton Street, clearly happy to be standing beside all the booze!

Catherine from Spar Baggost Street.

More Bug Pics!!!

Thanks to our Babbles for working the FM104 digital camera overtime!:-)

It's All About The Pampering!!!

Today, Topgifts.ie are giving you the chance to win a Heaven Sent Pamper Session which includes a facial, a full body massage and a manicure.

Todays 'Who Am I' is an actor with blonde hair...... As you can tell I'm struggling with clues today, sorry:-(

Entries before 3 please on 53104 or andyp@fm104.ie

Andy

Bug Me!!!:-)

More Bug pics from a recent visit to Liffey Valley Shopping Centre.....

Tuesday stuff!!!

Once again today Topgifts are with us and it's your choice as to what you do for todays prize!

We're giving you the chance to win a 100 euro voucher for Top Gifts - check out their website at www.topgifts.ie for some ideas on what to spend your voucher on:-)

Todays Blog clue is....... "My real name is David John White"

I'll announce todays winner before 3 this afternoon:-)

Andy