Today marked the end of an era, with Ronan Collins announcing that he would be stepping down from his RTÉ radio show in two weeks time.
Having spent the last 37 years with Radio One, he will be on the mic for the final time on December 23rd.
His voice has been synonymous with Irish music for decades. Listeners have a huge respect for his opinion on artists emerging from this country as a result. While he would often attempt to give acts from Ireland as much airtime as he could, Collins wasn't always the biggest fans of some songs from our musicians.
Remembering Ronan Collins' feud with Louis Walsh
The band 'Six' were a prime example.
Ronan Collins was not a huge fan of manufactured bands, with the Popstars group one of the most well-known from this country.
Led by Louis Walsh, they were expected to take the country by storm after being formed on the talent show.
Their debut single There's a Whole Lot of Loving Going On would prove to be a smash hit. However, Collins was sceptical about it right form the off.
Speaking on Liveline back in 2002, he labelled it as 'dross' and said it was poor reflection on music in Ireland.
It's just absolutely awful what they have produced, just dross. It's terrible, terrible stuff. It is lacking in credibility, lacking in imagination. It's lacking in any kind of musicianship and the singing is awful...
If they are (the best in Ireland), there is a very, very dim future for singers and dancers in this country if we are to judge by their recording of a mediocre pop song 25 years ago that has been made even worse.
These kids are being led up an alleyway and the only ones who will get any fame and probably ultimately anything out of this are Louis Walsh, Bill Hughes and Linda Martin.
Louis Walsh certainly wasn't happy.
Louis Walsh response to Ronan Collins
Despite being friends with the radio presenter for a number of years, he would soon call into the show with a rebuttal of his own. During it, he would disparage Collins' own career in country music decades earlier.
That's a bit rich coming from a failed showband star. Ronan, get a life. You are not going to make it on our backs. Cop on. You are a failed showband star.
This is going to be the biggest Irish record this year. I believe in this product. They are amazing singers. I think they are better than Hear'say or Bucks Fizz and better than any of the manufactured bands in the UK.
In the end, both men would be proven right.
There's a Whole Lot of Loving Going On would prove to be a huge hit, going on to become the third highest selling Irish single of ever at the time.
However, the band itself would prove to be a massive flop after that initial debut.
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