U2 drummer Larry Mullen has spoken of his shock at discovering that RTE broadcaster Larry Gogan, a friend of his for many years, had passed away.
"I woke up this morning with a knot in my stomach," he says. "Something just didn’t feel right. I got out of bed and followed my usual routine... cup of tea, turn on my phone to look at the RTE news app and there it was - Larry Gogan 1934-2020. It took me a while to process that. I thought of his children and grandchildren and then selfishly felt sorry for myself.

"Our friendship was not traditional, as in we didn’t spend countless hours together... we didn’t need to. Just a few interviews and the occasional long lunch. We connected somehow. Maybe it was our shared Northside credentials or most likely the constant messages back and forth through our mutual friend Paul Russell. Just checking in on each other or trying to set up the next lunch. Larry’s cultural obituary will be written by someone a lot cleverer than me.
"This is personal - not professional," he concludes. "And so to Larry... sadly we lost you today, but the next time I promise you Larry I’ll come and find you on the other side."
Having been interviewed by him early on in U2's career, Larry Mullen forged a close relationship with his radio namesake and spoke to him on air every time the band released a new record.