Niall Boylan

Boylan was born at St Patrick's Mother and Baby Home, and adopted after 16 months by Frank and Elizabeth Boylan. As a child, he was diagnosed with alopecia. He was raised in Raheny, and prior to entering radio worked as a shoe salesman.{{Cite web |title=Niall Boylan: The ‘shock jock’ aiming to produce a shock in the European elections in Dublin |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2024/06/04/niall-boylan-the-shock-jock-aiming-to-produce-a-shock-in-the-european-elections-in-dublin/ |access-date=2024-06-06 |website=The Irish Times |language=en}}

Boylan has previously worked for 98FM, where he was the street reporter for the Chris Barry Show, and FM104. In 2009, he launched the radio station Real Radio, broadcast in Dublin.{{Cite web |date=2009-09-30 |title=New radio station hits the airwaves |url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/dublin/fingal/new-radio-station-hits-the-airwaves/27796883.html |access-date=2024-06-01 |website=Irish Independent |language=en}} Boylan was the presenter of The Niall Boylan Show on Classic Hits 4FM. His show has won nine awards, including one for Best Scheduled Talk Show at the 2017 New York Festivals International Radio Program Awards, as well as several IMRO Radio Awards.{{cite news |date=20 June 2017 |title=The Niall Boylan Show wins Best Scheduled Talk Show in the world at New York radio awards |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/celebrity/arid-30794312.html |access-date=27 April 2024 |work=Irish Examiner}}{{cite news |date=23 April 2024 |title=Classic hits radio host Niall Boylan announces candidacy for Dublin's European elections |url=https://blog.classichits.ie/classic-hits-radio-host-niall-boylan-announces-candidacy-for-dublins-european-elections/ |access-date=26 April 2024 |work=Ireland's Classic Hits Radio}} Boylan has been described as a "shock jock" radio host.

In September 2015, Boylan faced calls for a boycott following his interview with Molly Martens, who was convicted of manslaughter in 2015.{{cite news |last=Martin |first=Roy |date=9 September 2015 |title=Limerick listeners urged to Boycott 4FM’s Boylan |url=https://radiotoday.ie/2015/09/limerick-listeners-urged-to-boycott-4fms-boylan/ |work=Radio Today |location= |access-date=1 May 2024}} Sarah Lynch-Corbett, the daughter of Limerick businessman Jason Corbett, said on X (formerly Twitter): "Niall Boylan provided a platform to #MollyMartens after she killed my father, subsequently causing ongoing harm to my life. I am the daughter of #JasonCorbett, who was abused by Molly Martens."{{cite news |last1=Gilbart |first1=Manon |title='Niall Boylan provided a platform to Molly Martens after she killed my father,' says Jason Corbett's daughter |url=https://www.carlowlive.ie/news/national-news/1484991/niall-boylan-provided-a-platform-to-molly-martens-after-she-killed-my-father-says-jason-corbett-s-daughter.html |access-date=2 May 2024 |work=Carlow Live |date=24 April 2024}}

Boylan departed his position as presenter of The Niall Boylan Show in 2024, due to his candidacy for the European Parliament legally disallowing him from broadcasting on commercial radio.{{Cite web |last=Kane |first=Robbie |date=2024-04-23 |title=Radio broadcaster Niall Boylan to leave Ireland's Classic Hits to run as a MEP |url=https://www.dublinlive.ie/news/dublin-news/radio-broadcaster-niall-boylan-leave-29041249 |access-date=2024-06-01 |website=Dublin Live |language=en}}

In April 2024, Boylan announced that he would stand for the Independent Ireland party in the Dublin constituency in the 2024 European Parliament elections. That same month Boylan argued that criticism levelled at his party leader, Michael Collins TD, was unfair as Collins had apologised several times for the fact that in 2001 he had written a supportive character statement for a man who was subsequently convicted of underage sex. Boylan argued that people were making "too much" of Collins' actions and that "I think the man [Collins] said he regrets it, we all make mistakes in our lives, do things that we regret."{{cite news |last=Gataveckaite |first=Gabija |date=23 April 2024 |title=‘We all make mistakes’ – Niall Boylan says ‘too much’ being made of Independent Ireland leader writing reference for sex offender |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/we-all-make-mistakes-niall-boylan-says-too-much-being-made-of-independent-ireland-leader-writing-reference-for-sex-offender/a1299474139.html |work=Irish Independent |location= |access-date=1 May 2024}}

Following Boylan's declaration of his candidacy, he received criticism for interviewing a man who had engaged in sexual intercourse with dogs. Boylan said that he had "challenged" the man on air and hit out at what he called a "poorly executed smear campaign".{{Cite web |last=Gataveckaite |first=Gabija |date=2024-05-03 |title=Ex-broadcaster and Euro elections candidate Niall Boylan defends interviewing man who had sex with dog |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/ex-broadcaster-and-euro-elections-candidate-niall-boylan-defends-interviewing-man-who-had-sex-with-dog/a683378770.html |access-date=2024-06-01 |website=Irish Independent |language=en}}

Boylan was not elected: he was the final candidate eliminated, on the 19th count, coming fifth in the four-seat constituency.{{cite news |title=Doherty, Andrews, Lynn Boylan and Ó Ríordáin elected MEPs |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/elections-2024/2024/0611/1454089-european-election-roundup/ |access-date=13 June 2024 |publisher=RTÉ News |date=12 June 2024}} In July 2024, Boylan confirmed on his X account that he had left Independent Ireland three months after joining the party. {{cn|date=September 2024}}

In a 2018 interview, Boylan suggested that left-wing politicians in Ireland encourage voters to live on welfare and feel entitled to "free homes", and that left-wing politicians unfairly criticise multinational companies based in Ireland such as Apple. In the same interview, Boylan stated that he believes that prostitution should be legalised.

Boylan lives in Swords. In 2022, Boylan married his second wife, Karen.{{Cite web |last=Horgan |first=Sarah |date=2023-07-17 |title=How I met my partner: Niall Boylan says he loved his wife Karen before they met in person |url=https://www.echolive.ie/corknews/arid-41185123.html |access-date=2024-06-01 |website=echo live |language=en}} He has three adult children from a previous marriage. In 2024, Boylan revealed that he had been homeless for two years, and had slept in his car for many nights following a divorce.{{Cite web |date=2024-05-13 |title=Niall Boylan reveals he was homeless for two years: ‘Two good Samaritans let me have a room in their house a few days a week’ |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/niall-boylan-reveals-he-was-homeless-for-two-years-two-good-samaritans-let-me-have-a-room-in-their-house-a-few-days-a-week/a1453497729.html |access-date=2024-06-01 |website=Irish Independent |language=en}}

He has publicly discussed his struggles with depression, and in a 2018 interview revealed that he had contemplated suicide.{{Cite web |last=Kane |first=Robbie |date=2021-03-03 |title=Star opens up on phone call that changed his life during mental health battle |url=https://www.dublinlive.ie/news/dublin-news/niall-boylan-depression-mental-health-19958916 |access-date=2024-06-01 |website=Dublin Live |language=en}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website|https://niallboylan.com/}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Boylan, Niall}}

Category:1963 births

Category:20th-century Irish people

Category:21st-century Irish people

Category:Broadcasters from County Dublin

Category:Broadcasters from Dublin (city)

Category:Irish radio presenters

Category:Living people

Category:People from Raheny

Category:People with alopecia areata