PCP ina Shuí

Posted by homoludo on November 16th, 2007 filed in radio, RTE, tv, writing

I do a radio show every week on Radio Na Life, called PCP ina Shuí, which is my Dj name.

The name PCP in Shuí ( ina Shuí means – sitting down) is kinda of a gag in Irish. Only people with some knowledge of seventies and eighties broadcast culture in Ireland get it, so I’ll explain: There used to be an Irish language chat show on RTE 1 tv called SBB ina shuí. This was presented by Séan Ban Breathnach – at the time a part of the seventies wave of cool gaeilgoir. This meant speaking and being proud of the Irish language and culture and wearing beads and chunky jumpers. Current exponents of the look would be the Kila lads and lassies. SBB had the same kinda kudos level.

At the time I started the show (94/5)it was unheard of to have beats on legal radio and it was odd (in a good, funny way) to be presenting them through Irish. This was the time of repetitive beat legislation in England and there was a frisson of danger to the whole thing. The name was a rhyming pun, mixing up the incongruous ideas of Dj names, chemistry culture, Irish language, beats on “official”the radio etc. It was funny at the time…

SBB has become a figure of fun for many, participating in b list celeb singing contests. But tall in my memory is the hirsute and beaded seventies culture warrior and the scandal in the RTE Canteen when his co-presenter breast fed her baby.

SBB’s case is good illustration of the nature and longevity of ‘Cool’ and inevitablity of ending up as a dodgy cabaret performer( see Orson Wells, Dawkins) . So might as well embrace it.

I’ll try and find and post a picture of SBB in all his seventies gaeilgoir glory.