Dave Fanning

Born in Dublin, Ireland on 27 February 1956, David Fanning is the youngest of six children (one sister, four brothers).{{fact|date=April 2024}} His father, Barney, was a commissioner in the Irish Office of Public Works, his mother, a retired schoolteacher. Obsessed with music from an early age and fascinated by his older brothers’ music interests (jazz, folk, pop), his twin obsessions, during an "idyllically happy childhood" were music and movies. He was a member of The Beatles fan club from the age of eight. He was educated at Blackrock College,{{Cite news |last=Louise Holden |date=8 December 2009 |title=A celebration of difference united behind a humbling credo |work=The Irish Times |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/news/education/a-celebration-of-difference-united-behind-a-humbling-credo-1.786337 |access-date=20 December 2009}} graduating from University College Dublin (UCD), with a degree in English and Philosophy and a Higher Diploma in Education. He began working as a DJ on the fledgling pirate radio station, Radio Dublin; that same year he took over as editor of Ireland's rock magazine (Scene). Fanning then moved to Big D when it was formed by Radio Dublin deejays in 1978. On both pirates, he presented rock shows. He continued with that format when he made the move to legal radio in 1979.

He met Gerry Ryan in 1978 while both were working in Dublin pirate radio station "Big D", sharing the common bond of both having attended college, though at separate colleges.{{Cite news |last=Dave Fanning |date=6 May 2010 |title=Dave Fanning: I know there'll never be another like Gerry Ryan |work=The Herald |url=http://www.herald.ie/opinion/i-know-therell-never-be-another-like-gerry-ryan-27950711.html |access-date=1 December 2016}} Their friendship led them to socialise and holiday together, while the Fannings even moved in with the Ryans for a time in September 1995 when the Fanning house was under construction.

He is married to Ursula, a solicitor (formerly a TV researcher, most notably for Gay Byrne on The Late Late Show), and they have three children.

Fanning has written for a number of newspapers and magazines in Ireland and the UK. He has also written and presented a number of TV and radio shows in Ireland, the UK and the US.{{Citation needed|date=May 2020|reason=Which US television or radio shows has Fanning written or presented?}} He has been a disc jockey for RTÉ 2fm since it began in 1979.{{Cite magazine |date=19 April 2006 |title=At Home With...Dave Fanning |url=http://www.hotpress.com/archive/2860993.html |magazine=Hot Press |access-date=20 December 2009}}

{{Main|The Dave Fanning Show}}

Produced and coordinated by Ian Wilson, live weekly sessions with "demo tape" bands helped establish Fanning's evening show.{{Cite web |title=Ian Wilson |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/archives/2006/0104/ireland/those-who-called-the-tune-in-irish-music-during-2005-834452713.html |access-date=4 January 2006 |website=Irish Examiner |publisher=irishexaminer.com |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304075146/http://www.irishexaminer.com/archives/2006/0104/ireland/those-who-called-the-tune-in-irish-music-during-2005-834452713.html |url-status=dead }} By the early 1980s, Fanning was seen by the industry and music fans everywhere as Ireland's answer to John Peel, BBC Radio 1 presenter.{{Cite web |title=Dave Fanning/John Peel |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/dave-fanning-s-rock-n-roll-life-1.664751 |website=The Irish Times}} Alongside Larry Gogan, he is one of only two of the original disc jockeys to make it as far as the station's 40th anniversary in 2019.{{Cite news |last=Fanning |first=Dave |date=29 May 2009 |title=Celebrity Diary: Dave Fanning |work=Evening Herald |url=http://www.herald.ie/entertainment/around-town/celebrity-diary-dave-fanning-27913400.html |access-date=20 December 2009}}

In 1993, after a live TV interview with Richard Branson, Branson invited Fanning to join his new station Virgin Radio, where Fanning presented his own show every week. With a 4-hour Saturday afternoon programme (initially following Chris Evans’ show) broadcast live from Soho, London, Fanning stayed with Virgin Radio until September 1994.

In August 2009, after spending 3 years presenting on RTÉ Radio 1, it was announced that Fanning would be returning to RTÉ 2fm to present his evening weekday show in his old 19:00 slot.{{Cite news |date=18 August 2009 |title=Fanning moves back to 2FM |publisher=Raidió Teilifís Éireann |url=http://www.rte.ie/ten/news/2009/0818/418511-fanningd/ |access-date=18 August 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303142125/http://www.rte.ie/ten/news/2009/0818/418511-fanningd |archive-date=3 March 2016}}{{Cite magazine |date=17 August 2009 |title=Fanning moves back to 2fm |url=http://www.hotpress.com/Dave%20Fanning/news/Fanning%20moves%20back%20to%202fm/5737826.html |magazine=Hot Press |access-date=18 August 2009}}

In 2014 Fanning wrote, produced and presented a 6 hour, 6-part radio series for BBC 6 Music on the history of Irish rock.{{Cite web |title=BBC 6 Music |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b042qp5x |website=BBC.co.uk |publisher=BBC}} In the Summer of 2017 he wrote and presented a ten-part RTÉ Radio 1 series called Dave Fanning's History of Irish Rock.{{Cite web |title=Dave Fanning's History of Irish Rock |url=https://www.rte.ie/radio1/story-of-irish-rock/ |publisher=RTÉ}}

In 2018 he worked for Sirius XM Satellite radio in New York.

Fanning has been described as "the ultimate fan, who through broadcasting has been able to make a career out of his many passions in life – chiefly, music and movies." He hosted The Dave Fanning Show, a weekend midday magazine/chat shows on the Irish national radio station RTÉ 2FM until 2023.{{Cite web |title=The Dave Fanning Show |url=https://2fm.rte.ie/2fm-shows/dave-fanning/ |publisher=Raidió Teilifís Éireann}}

On 22 February 2023, Fanning announced that he was stepping away from his weekend show on RTÉ 2FM but that he would continue broadcasting on digital radio, on TV and online.{{Cite web |date=22 February 2023 |title=Dave Fanning to 'step back' from weekend 2FM show |url=https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2023/0222/1358204-dave-fanning-to-step-back-from-weekend-2fm-show/ |access-date=23 February 2023 |website=RTE News}} Later that year, his response on radio to Christy Dignam's death from cancer was the subject of some "backlash".{{Cite news |last=Dee |first=Roslyn |date=22 June 2023 |title=Dave Fanning's 'tribute' to Christy Dignam was offensive, hurtful and wrong |work=Irish Independent |url=https://www.independent.ie/opinion/comment/roslyn-dee-dave-fannings-tribute-to-christy-dignam-was-offensive-hurtful-and-wrong/a1506461071.html}}{{Cite news |last=Porzio |first=Stephen |date=19 June 2023 |title=Dave Fanning faces backlash for comments during Christy Dignam tribute on RTÉ |publisher=Lovin.ie |url=https://lovin.ie/entertainment/dave-fanning-christy-dignam}} On 11 July, he invoked Nazi Germany as a comparison with the investigations into what RTÉ had been doing with public money. Two days later, this was raised at the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), where Fanning's reference to a "nonsensical Oireachtas Nuremberg trial" was put to newly appointed RTÉ Director General Kevin Bakhurst, who was asked "how this is appropriate... A person who is paid by the taxpayer – through his agent [Noel Kelly, also the agent of the presenter at the centre of the scandal, Ryan Tubridy] – on RTÉ saying, effectively, what the Public Accounts Committee are doing..." Bakhurst responded by stating that Fanning's remarks were "not appropriate".{{Cite news |date=13 July 2023 |title=RTÉ DG says Dave Fanning's comments on committee are 'not appropriate' |work=The Irish Times |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/video/video/2023/07/13/rte-dg-says-dave-fannings-comments-on-committee-are-not-appropriate/ |access-date=13 July 2023}}{{Cite news |last=Gataveckaite |first=Gabija |last2=McTaggart |first2=Maeve |date=13 July 2023 |title=Dave Fanning's 'Nuremberg trial' jibe at Oireachtas Committee is 'not appropriate', RTÉ boss says |work=Irish Independent |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/dave-fannings-nuremberg-trial-jibe-at-oireachtas-committee-is-not-appropriate-rte-boss-says-as-2fm-dj-apologises/a203514637.html |access-date=13 July 2023}}

Each year since 1980 Fanning has had an annual alternative music poll called Fanning's Fab Fifty on his radio show.{{Cite magazine |date=26 November 2009 |title=Fanning's Fab 50 – vote now for a chance to win music |url=http://www.hotpress.com/news/6064528.html |magazine=Hot Press |access-date=20 December 2009}} This is decided by a poll of the general public and, since the advent of internet voting, surfers select their own favourite three pieces of music online. U2 top the poll on a regular basis.{{Cite news |date=22 December 2009 |title=U2 hit is still the One to top Dave's Fab 50 |work=Evening Herald |url=http://www.herald.ie/entertainment/music/u2-hit-is-still-the-one-to-top-daves-fab-50-27936937.html |access-date=23 December 2009}}{{Cite magazine |date=21 December 2009 |title=U2's 'One' Tops Fanning's Fab 50 |url=http://www.hotpress.com/U2/news/U2s-One-Tops-Fannings-Fab-50/6127455.html |magazine=Hot Press |access-date=24 December 2009}}

In 2005, Fanning released an Irish-only triple album, Fanning's Fab 50 Vol 1. Sales for this compilation album reached 1.5 times platinum.{{Cite web |title=Fanning's Fab Fifty |url=http://irishmusicdb.com/compilations/dffabfifty.htm |website=Irish Music Database |publisher=Irish Music Database}}{{Cite web |title=Fanning's Fab 50 |url=https://www.discogs.com/Various-Dave-Fannings-Fab-50/release/11433032 |publisher=discogs}} Fanning's Fab 50 Vol 2 was released for the Christmas market in 2006, also going platinum. Fanning's Fab 50 Vol 3 was released in 2007.{{Cite web |title=Dave Fanning's Fab 50 ::: Volume 3 |url=http://irishmusicdb.com/r/rollerskateskinny/rs_compilations.htm |access-date=5 July 2013 |publisher=Rollerskate Skinny website}} It includes music pieces by U2, The Killers, R.E.M., Radiohead, Nick Cave, Lou Reed, Massive Attack, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, David Bowie, The Velvet Underground, Coldplay, Sigur Rós, New Order, Blur, The Verve, Ryan Adams, The Stone Roses, Iggy Pop, Oasis and over thirty others.

File:Dave and U2 in studio, 1982.jpg

Fanning has always supported young, new Irish talent and played bands' demo tapes. With the move to RTÉ Radio 2 (RTÉ 2FM), and with producer Ian Wilson at the helm, they started The Fanning Sessions. Hundreds of sessions were recorded.

For the very first session, Fanning invited the band he had championed and played most often on demo tape over the previous 2 years – a young four-piece Dublin band called U2. His friendship with, and support for, the band, led to Fanning's listeners deciding on the A-side and B-sides of the band's first single release. (This was in the pre-CD days, when singles were only released on vinyl). The band came into Fanning's show for five nights in one week – a major seal of approval from Fanning and Wilson – and the listeners picked "Out of Control" as the first single, with "Stories for Boys" and "Boy/Girl" on the B-side.{{Cite web |title=U2 Three 1979 |url=https://www.rte.ie/archives/exhibitions/937-u2/291691-listeners-asked-to-pick-a-side/ |publisher=Raidió Teilifís Éireann}}

File:Dave and Bono.jpg]]

Between 1977 and 1979, Fanning was resident DJ at Dublin's city centre McGonagles nightclub. The club hosted most local acts and many international ones. U2 played there many times. The band also played The Baggot Inn for six consecutive Tuesday nights in 1979 with support from The Blades. Fanning DJ'd for the entire run between sets. He joined the band on their tour bus through Ireland (dates in Cork, Galway, Belfast, Dublin) on the release of their third album War. He made various TV documentaries on the band – at Self-Aid in 1986, in Modena in Italy the following year during the band's Joshua Tree Tour and has interviewed the band many times on radio and TV down through the years. In 1987 at the time of the release of The Joshua Tree his annual radio interview with the band was conducted in the nude following Bono's request to "shake things up for the hell of it".{{Cite web |title=U2 Interview |url=https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/music-news/rte-dj-dave-fanning-the-day-u2-got-naked-and-drank-beer-in-my-studio-35355645.html |website=The Irish Independent}}{{Cite web |title=U2 Naked on The Dave Fanning Show |url=https://www.rte.ie/archives/exhibitions/937-u2/291786-u2-naked/ |publisher=Raidió Teilifís Éireann}}

Fanning's friendship with the band has continued. At a surprise birthday party, held at Dublin's Mother Redcaps in 1989 all four members of the band paid tribute to Fanning; the band's manager Paul McGuinness presented him with a special present referring to Fanning as "the world's best DJ". Besides being guaranteed the world exclusive on all U2 releases, the band recorded a specially-filmed musical tribute to Fanning when he was presented, in 2004 (by Larry Mullen) with the Irish Music Industry's top award – The Meteor Industry Award.{{Cite web |title=U2 Dave Fanning Tribute |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEaqWQLj_10 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/kEaqWQLj_10 |archive-date=2021-12-21 |access-date=10 June 2010 |via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}

In September 2016, Fanning stepped in for the band at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio for its weekend celebration of forty years of the band.{{Cite web |title=U2 40 |url=https://www.u2.com/news/title/it-was-a-very-nice-kitchen/adam/ |website=U2.com |publisher=U2.com}}

{{Further|2TV (TV programme)|The Movie Show (Irish TV series)|Planet Rock Profiles|You're a Star}}

Over a number of decades, Fanning fronted over 20 television programmes for Ireland's national television station, RTÉ (these included 2TV, The Movie Show, Planet Rock Profiles, Jobsuss, The Arts Show, Music Zone, Number One, 7 Bands on the Up, What Movie, Visual Eyes. The Last Broadcast, and The 11th Hour). He has been the subject of several television specials and besides presenting various music shows, both live and recorded, he has presented political TV documentaries from Cambodia and Ethiopia.

Throughout the 1990s, Fanning wrote and presented over four hundred editions of The Movie Show, crossing the globe for one-on-one interviews with movie stars. The last episode aired in September 2001.{{Cite news |last=Conor Keane |date=3 December 2001 |title=RTE to axe O'Leary talk show at end of January in attempt to cut costs |work=Irish Examiner |url=http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/2001/12/03/story18465.asp |access-date=21 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041230230424/http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/2001/12/03/story18465.asp |archive-date=30 December 2004}} In 2003 he presented twenty programmes in a series called 'What Movie' and later produced and directed over twenty film review programmes for Channel 6.

Fanning has also written and presented over 150 music star TV interview shows which have aired in numerous countries around the world on programmes like Planet Rock Profiles, Music Express, Fanning Profiles, Interviews With Dave Fanning. In New York for Rainbow Media's Rave TV he presented a series of rock star interview programmes in 2006 and 2007{{Cite magazine |date=1 January 2007 |title=My 2006 by Dave Fanning |url=http://www.hotpress.com/music/interviews/2901811.html |magazine=Hot Press |access-date=20 December 2009}} (programmes included Noel Gallagher, Rod Stewart, Iggy Pop, Fleetwood Mac, and the Pet Shop Boys). For three years, Talks With Dave Fanning also ran on Sky Arts in the UK.{{Cite magazine |date=12 October 2007 |title=Dave Fanning to present new show on Sky |url=http://www.hotpress.com/news/4154289.html |magazine=Hot Press |access-date=20 December 2009 |quote="I've done close to 200 interviews for different TV series in the past with the biggest rock stars on the planet, but in terms of production and quality-end product in general, this one is a serious cut above all the others."}} He interviewed New Order for the first episode. Other episodes featured artists such as Beck, The Flaming Lips, Radiohead{{Cite news |last=Rob Sharp |date=27 August 2009 |title=Last Night's Television: Radiohead: The Dave Fanning Interview, Sky Arts 1 |work=The Independent |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/last-nights-television-radiohead-the-dave-fanning-interview-sky-arts-1shooting-stars-bbc2-1777663.html |access-date=20 December 2009}} and PJ Harvey.

For its first four years, Fanning was a member of the panel for the Mercury Music Prize.

In the early 1990s, he presented live music shows on Britain's Channel 4. Rocksteady was filmed from various locations around The UK (from Glasgow's Barrowlands with Daniel Lanois to London's Royal Albert Hall with Eric Clapton), one in Cork with Hothouse Flowers and one live from Boston with J.J. Cale. Later (this time with co-presenter Craig Ferguson and again on Channel 4) he presented Friday at The Dome, a live music programme from Kilburn in London.

Working with Bob Geldof (who had been in Gerard Fanning's class in Blackrock College a few years ahead of Dave), Fanning was programme consultant for ITV’s The South Bank Show for the music special Cool Clear Crystal Streams.

In 2004, Fanning caused controversy when he chose to become a judge on television talent show You're a Star, to choose that year's act to represent Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest. He explained his decision:

It’s indefensible. I just can’t defend this at all. It’s Eurovision for God’s sake. It’s all shite, everyone knows that. But I just don't care. I'm doing it for a laugh. Of course I'm going to get people slagging me off, but I'm used to all that. [...] I just thought, why not do it?" he says. "I've done everything else at this stage, including the Mercury Music Prize, IMRO Showcases and battle of the bands contests up and down the country.{{Cite magazine |last=Colm O'Hare |date=13 October 2004 |title=You're A Star – Fanning fights back |url=http://www.hotpress.com/features/interviews/2758404.html |magazine=Hot Press |access-date=20 December 2009}}

In July 2005 he hosted RTÉ's 12-hour television coverage of Live 8 from London's Hyde Park and Live Earth in 2007 from Wembley Stadium.

In 2010, Fanning presented a documentary on Bono (filmed in Ireland and Ghana) for RTÉ TV in the Ireland's Greatest series.{{Cite web |title=Ireland's Greatest |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/hume-wins-ireland-s-greatest-award-1.667351 |website=The Irish Times}}

From 2000 to 2010, Fanning wrote and presented the independently produced, late-night TV music programme The Last Broadcast (later The 11th Hour) which initially aired on Friday nights and was ninety minutes in length.{{Cite magazine |title=Fanning returns to TV |url=http://www.hotpress.com/news/2620262.html |magazine=Hot Press |access-date=20 December 2009}} By 2007, the show aired on Wednesday nights.{{Cite magazine |date=13 November 2007 |title=Stars come out for Fanning |url=http://www.hotpress.com/news/4267601.html |magazine=Hot Press |access-date=20 December 2009 |quote=Hot Press has been making sure to get home early from the pub on Wednesdays to catch the latest and, we reckon, best series of Dave Fanning's The Last Broadcast yet}} The show became The 11th Hour in 2009, with the first episode featuring an interview with Bruce Springsteen and music from Bell X1, Franz Ferdinand and U2.{{Cite magazine |date=11 March 2009 |title=Bruce Springsteen and more for Fanning's 11th Hour |url=http://www.hotpress.com/news/5298005.html |magazine=Hot Press |access-date=20 December 2009}} Another series followed later in the year, with the first episode on The Beatles described as "superb" by Hilary Fannin, reviewer with The Irish Times.{{Cite news |last=Hilary Fannin |date=17 October 2009 |title=Get back: The Beatles v Frank Hall in Fanning's Fab Four fandango |work=The Irish Times |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/news/the-battle-for-survival-1.758715 |access-date=20 December 2009 |quote=Dave Fanning is back on the box with a new series of the superb The Eleventh Hour, kicking off with a two-part special on The Beatles, who are draped all over the cooler end of the box these days, given that Abbey Road was number one in the album charts pretty much all over the world exactly 40 years ago.}}

In the summer of 2011, Fanning (with co-presenter Zoe Ball) presented 3 days of the Isle of Wight Festival (Foo Fighters, Iggy Pop, Kings of Leon, Jeff Beck and others) for Sky UK.{{Cite web |title=Dave Fanning Isle of Wight Festival |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/radio-legend-dave-fanning-to-co-host-coverage-of-first-ever-3d-rock-festival-26739538.html |access-date=5 June 2011 |website=Independent.ie |publisher=Independent.ie}}{{Cite web |title=Isle of Wight |url=https://www.hotpress.com/music/dave-fanning-to-present-3d-coverage-of-isle-of-wight-festival-7927253 |access-date=2 June 2011 |website=Hotpress |publisher=hotpress.ie}}

Fanning has contributed to numerous BBC TV music programmes, most recently BBC 4 TV's Pop Roadmap of the 80s with Midge Ure in 2018.

Also in 2018, Fanning wrote, presented and produced a highly praised TV documentary Dolores, about the Cranberries' vocalist Dolores O'Riordan, who died in January 2018.{{Cite web |title=Dolores |url=https://www.irishmirror.ie/showbiz/irish-showbiz/dolores-oriordan-dave-fanning-the-12055764 |website=The Irish Mirror}}{{Cite web |title=Dave Fanning Dolores Documentary |url=https://www.dailyedge.ie/brilliant-response-to-dolores-o-riordan-documentary-on-rte-player-3861260-Feb2018/ |website=The Daily Edge}}

Fanning has written articles for more than twenty publications, both at home and abroad. He was rock correspondent with The Irish Times for ten years (1982 – 1992) and movie critic for the Sunday World from 1997 to 2004.

HarperCollins in London approached Fanning to write his autobiography and The Thing Is was published in 2010. The book's positive Irish Times review began "if you were a music loving teenager in the 80s and 90s, you owe a lot to Dave Fanning"{{Cite web |title=The Thing Is |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/dave-fanning-s-rock-n-roll-life-1.664751 |website=The Irish Times}} while The Independent ended its equally positive review with "that same enthusiasm for music seems to have been undimmed with years and perhaps it's that wisdom ahead of knowledge which has ensured his longevity."{{Cite web |title=Review: The Thing Is |url=https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/books/review-the-thing-is-by-dave-fanning-26688077.html |newspaper=The Independent}} Bono wrote the book's lengthy foreword.

File:Dave and Billie Eilish.jpg

In more recent years, Fanning has conducted public interviews with celebrities and musicians at events ranging from The Dalkey Book Festival, to Dublin's Web Summit, to the Electric Picnic. These include, Richard E. Grant at University College Dublin, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers in Trinity College Dublin, filmmaker David Cronenberg at Trinity College Dublin, Glastonbury's Michael Eavis at the Aviva Stadium,{{Cite web |title=Dave Fanning Bestin Fest |url=https://bestinfest.ie/ |access-date=1 June 2016 |website=bestinfest |publisher=bestinfest.ie}} Sopranos creator David Chase at the residence of the American Ambassador in Dublin's Phoenix Park,{{Cite web |title=Dave Fanning David Chase |url=https://ie.usembassy.gov/tag/david-chase/ |access-date=29 January 2015 |website=usembassy |publisher=ie.usembassy.gov |archive-date=23 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200323213504/https://ie.usembassy.gov/tag/david-chase/ |url-status=dead }} producer Steve Lillywhite at Core Media,{{Cite web |title=Fanning and Steve Lillywhite |url=https://www.independent.ie/business/media/lillywhite-in-tune-with-core-team-37057514.html |access-date=28 June 2018 |website=Independent.ie |publisher=Independent.ie}} and Billie Eilish at Electric Picnic.{{Cite web |title=Dave Fanning Interviews Billie Eilish |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e29uIWsfnn0 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/e29uIWsfnn0 |archive-date=2021-12-21 |access-date=1 September 2019 |via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}

Fanning wrote the sleeve notes for Ireland's first ever rock compilation album Just For Kicks.{{Cite web |title=Ireland's First Rock Compilation Album |url=https://www.irishrock.org/comps/justforkicks.html |website=irishrock |publisher=irishrock.org}}

Fanning has been a stage announcer at most major music festivals and large concerts in Ireland dating back to Bob Marley and The Wailers at Dalymount Park in 1980 and Thin Lizzy/U2 at the very first Slane concert in 1981.

For its first four years, Fanning was a member of the panel for the Mercury Music Prize.

From 2009 to 2013, he hosted the 10th Kerry Film Festival in Tralee.{{Cite news |last=Simon Brouder |date=11 November 2009 |title=Stars descend for Film Festival |work=The Kerryman' |url=http://www.independent.ie/regionals/kerryman/news/stars-descend-for-film-festival-27388643.html |access-date=20 December 2009}}

Fanning is parodied by Oliver Callan.{{Cite news |date=6 November 2006 |title=Gift Grub stars in stand-up row over new CD money |work=Irish Examiner |url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/gift-grub-stars-in-stand-up-row-over-new-cd-money-17525.html |access-date=22 February 2015}}

His contributions were featured in both of the big-screen documentary films of Oasis and Coldplay – Oasis: Supersonic{{Cite web |date=9 September 2016 |title=Oasis: Supersonic |url=https://www.hotpress.com/music/oasis-acknowledge-irish-roots-in-new-documentary-18723050 |website=Hot Press}} in 2016 and Coldplay: A Head Full of Dreams in 2018.

Fanning has been the recipient of a number of 'Best DJ' awards from various publications, including Hot Press, where he topped the annual Readers' Poll for over twenty years. In 1980, he was the first person outside of RTÉ Radio 1 to be honoured with a prestigious Jacob's Award for "the depth and scope" of his radio show. Following Christy Moore in 1990 and preceding Van Morrison in 1992, Fanning was awarded the IRMA Special Industry Award in 1991. In recent years he's been the recipient of a number of accolades and awards ranging from the 2012 Dublin Lord Mayor’s Award ("To the voice of Irish Radio, in recognition of his broadcasting career, his support of new Irish talent and for bringing alternative Irish music to an Irish audience") to the 2014 University College Dublin Music Society Award. (The Honorary Fellowship citation reads "in recognition of his outstanding contribution to music through his work as a journalist, DJ and broadcaster – in particular his support of homegrown Irish talent"). He won numerous IRMA awards and was nominated for Best DJ at the Meteor Music Awards on seven occasions, winning four times. U2 performed a special tribute when he won a Special Industry Award at the 2004 Meteor Music Awards. In 2016, he was inducted into the Irish Radio Hall of Fame.

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Category:1955 births

Category:Living people

Category:Alumni of University College Dublin

Category:Irish film critics

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Category:Irish television talk show hosts

Category:Jacob's Award winners

Category:RTÉ Radio 1 presenters

Category:RTÉ 2fm presenters

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Category:People educated at Blackrock College

Category:Irish electronic dance music DJs

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