Dublin's 98FM streams contemporary hits, news, and talk live from Dublin, free around the clock. Press play on Radio Shuffle and it starts instantly, no account or app download required.
Launched to Beat a Rival Already on Air
98FM first went to air on November 10, 1989, originally branded Classic Hits 98FM and built as a rock-leaning regional station covering Dublin and neighboring counties, according to Wikipedia's history of the station. It launched a few months after rival Capital Radio 104.4, which had already taken to the air that July as Dublin's first Independent Local Radio contractor, and 98FM quickly overtook it in the ratings.
Communicorp Takes the Wheel
That early ratings win set up a more significant ownership change in 1992, when Communicorp acquired a 51 percent stake in the station, folding it into a media group that would go on to become one of the major players in Irish commercial radio. That backing gave 98FM the resources to compete consistently against Dublin's other FM stations over the following decades.
From Classic Hits to Today's Contemporary Format
The station's original Classic Hits identity has since given way to a contemporary hits and talk format, pairing chart-driven pop with local news coverage that keeps the station tied to daily life in the city rather than just its soundtrack. That combination of current music and local relevance has helped 98FM remain a fixture in a Dublin radio market that has seen plenty of competitors come and go since 1989.
Listen Free on Radio Shuffle
Dublin's 98FM streams around the clock, and Radio Shuffle carries the feed live with nothing to install and no subscription required. Press play for contemporary hits and local talk straight from Dublin.