Diane Byrnes is passionate about providing a forum for all things Irish. She has captivated the locals and has garnered the respect and influence of many. She continues to produce a quality product that has kept Pittsburgh a focal point on the Irish Scene.

Diane Byrnes, Producer and Host of Echoes of Erin, has been the driving force with the program from the onset in February 1988. Passionate in providing a forum for all things Irish, she has captivated the locals, garnered the respect and influence of many and continues to produce a quality product that has kept Pittsburgh as a focal point on the Irish Scene. She was honored as the 2004 Grand Marshal of Pittsburgh’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade. She creates and produces, along with her committees, a special fundraising event each year.  Over the years she and has been a Promoter of Irish Entertainment bringing the top tier of talent to Pittsburgh.

Echoes of Erin

Echoes of Erin on WEDO 810AM and simulcast on 93.3 FM is based in McKeesport/Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with the studio in North Versailles, Pa. The program airs every Sunday from 12:30PM to 2: The program can be heard online at www.kdwradio.com every Wednesday from 1:30pm until 3:00pm. The program is the focal point within the Pittsburgh Irish Community.  The mission of Echoes of Erin is to promote all genres of Irish / Celtic music; raise issues of concern to Irish and Irish Americans; introduce topics of interest; and teach Irish history through special programming.

The format consists of:

• Variety of Irish / Celtic music
• A Top of the Hour Moment – could be historical, inspirational, cultural, or current affairs
• The Ireland Report – a live news segment from Ireland,
• Dateline Irish – a calendar of events
• Guests and Interviews on topics of interest to the broader Irish community.

The Ireland Report is a live news segment direct from Ireland, a continuous feature since 1994. Each week, a different news correspondent is called and gives a report on what is happening on the island of Ireland at that time.

• 1st Sunday – Cloghercor, County Donegal with Patricia Sharkey, since May 2002.
• 2nd Sunday – County Galway, with Brian Nolan, since June 2010, www.galwaywalks.com
• 3rd Sunday – Dublin, County Dublin with Davy Kettyles, since February 2001.
• 4th Sunday – Belfast, County Antrim with Maírtin O’Muilleoir, the former Minister of Finance in the Northern Ireland Government at Stormont and served as Lord Mayor of Belfast, 2013-2014, www.newbelfast.com.  Maírtin has been with the program since June 2001.
• 5th Sunday – Pittsburgh, County Allegheny with Diane Byrnes.  On the occasional fifth Sunday with a round up of news around Ireland.

Interviews conducted over the past few years include a broad scope of interesting people and topics:

• Entertainers including: Éabha (Eva) McMahon of Celtic Woman, Rolf Lovland, composer of “You Raise Me Up”, Frances Black, Ashley Davis, Cathie Ryan, Joanie Madden of Cherish The Ladies, Phil Coulter, Ryan Kelly, George Donaldson, RIP (3/12/14), and Keith Harkin of Celtic Thunder, James Gourlay, Music Director River City Brass; Orla Fallon, previously with Celtic Woman now solo; Finbar Clancy & Martin Furey of The High Kings out of Ireland, Paddy Moloney of The Chieftains, and many more.
• Authors including: Tim Pat Coogan, Patricia Hopper, Kilpara, Gerard O’Neil, Pittsburgh Irish, Erin on the Three Rivers, Anne Cadwallader, Lethal Allies, Patricia McElligott, Irish Pittsburgh published by Arcadia Press, Patricia Falvey, The Yellow House,  The Linen Queen; Michael Patrick MacDonald, All Souls & The Easter Rising; Brenna Briggs, the Liffey River Series.  Plus more.
• Film Writers: Kevin McCann on the Documentary “The Rising”; Screen Writer: Keir Pierson on the movie “Hotel Rwanda”.
• Former Maryland Governor, Martin O’Malley (three times), Mark J. Finlay, Director, Belfast-based President’s Club, LTD & Ireland-US Council, Anne Burnham on Bloomsday; Michael Bartley with OnQ on WQED PBS, Jim Lamb, President of The Ireland Institute of Pittsburgh, Robert Murdoch, National Chairman of Tartan Day and many others.
• A variety of heads of local Irish organizations and local musicians.

Over the years other interviews have been conducted with Irish politicians including Gerry Adams, President of Sinn Fein, David Trimble, Seamus Mallon and others; Dr. Bill Harris, Director of Science Foundation Ireland; Pennsylvania politicians with Congressman Mike Doyle and Congressman Tim Murphy; and heads of local and national organizations such as Ancient Order of Hibernians; and the Irish American Unity Conference.

Throughout the years a variety of ‘themed’ programs have been produced yearly on topics such as The 1916 Easter Rising; The Hunger Strikes; Michael Collins; The Great Hunger;  Christmas in Ireland; Summer Roads, and a two week special on The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem and The Irish in the American Civil War.

Echoes of Erin has been acknowledged on the world stage with articles in various Irish Newspapers and most recently in Celtic Life, www.celticlife.ca,  a magazine out of Nova Scotia.  Interviews have been conducted on East Radio in Wexford, City Beat in Belfast, BBC in Belfast with Stephen Nolan, Ulster BBC with Gerry Anderson (RIP) in Armagh, and Connemara Community Radio in Connemara with Eamon McLaughlin simulcasting two Christmas shows.

Echoes of Erin has a dedicated market of people interested in the island of Ireland – music, news, culture, people, history and travel, along with many listeners interested in Scottish and Welsh music.  The listeners are also consumers requiring products and services; they are individuals, business owners, students and young children.  Many have listened to the program since the beginning in 1988 and new listeners are always tuning in.

Echoes of Erin has begun its 30th year broadcasting February 2017.