MORE THAN 9,500 people have liked a Facebook campaign to keep Will Leahy’s popular ‘More Music Drive’ on RTÉ 2fm’s Drivetime, following an announcement that he will be moved to weekends, with presenter Colm Hayes taking his place.

The move was announced on Wednesday and Leahy said he understood it was “inevitable that there are only so many seats at the dinner table” with all the new talent coming into 2fm.

However, the people are up in arms over the move and since then, a campaign has been launched by the presenter’s fans, in a bid to get the bosses at 2fm to change their mind and put the Limerick man back on the Drivetime airways.

One fan said the move was “a disgrace”, claiming Leahy was “one of the few good djs 2fm has left”. Another said they would only be tuning into the station at the weekend to listen to him in his new evening slot. “The drive home won’t be the same,” they said.

Even Finance Minister Michael Noonan has been quoted as saying he was disappointed by the move.

Some 9,623 Facebook users have liked the Keep Will Leahy on Drivetime page and a number of people on Twitter have started using the hashtags #bringbackwill and #boycott2fm.

In a message left on his Facebook page after his last show on Friday, Leahy said he had been “overwhelmed” by the messages of support he had received from the public.

People’s stories about how the More Music Drive has formed such an important part of their lives has, to be honest, baffled us. We thought it was simply a case that we were on in the background while you were makin [sic] the dinner.

“So while we are very upset that it is the end, we are very proud of 7 great years and the obvious connection that we had with many of you,” he said.

Leahy’s move to weekends is just part of a massive schedule shake-up for the radio station.

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