Last weekend, as we drove northwards back to Dublin airport from Wexford along the N11 – a road clearly built in 1467 – we scanned the local radio stations looking for some music to listen to.

“And now, the weeks bereavements…” said a sober sounding DJ.

He then proceeded to list all the people who had died recently in that area. On the radio. On a Tuesday lunchtime.

“For the latest updates you can text for details to….” he continued, giving a number that people could use to find out who the latest dead people were.

Now, do not get me wrong, I am all for local news. It is important people know what is happening in their local communities, but what sort of person texts a radio station for details of all the dead people in their area? I believe there was also mention of a podcast.

It created pictures in my head of families gathered round the wireless, like in the olden days, listening out for the names of people they knew and how they had passed. Or maybe it is a cultural thing in Ireland that people listen out for names of people they do not like in the hope they have died? Some of my Irish relatives have a vengeful streak a mile wide, so there might be something to it.

I must admit, I would rather the radio told me in great detail about the painful demise of James Blunt than what Chris Moyles got up to at the weekend. So maybe there is something in it after all?

I think this radio station does create an opportunity for a public service in the UK though. Someone needs to create a place on the Interwebs where you can register your interest in the death of certain people and then be notified by text message once they have shuffled off this mortal coil. You might even be able to select specific ring-tones to accompany the good news. It would certainly brighten up a few otherwise boring days in the office, would it not?

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