Clem Patrick Ryan

Clem Ryan co-founded KFM in 2002 alongside radio executive Séan Ashmore and has served as the station's CEO since 2009. He is the largest shareholder in the station, holding 48% both directly and via County Kildare Broadcasting Limited.

Ryan is originally from County Clare. He grew up in Clarecastle and attended secondary school at Ennis CBS. Upon graduating from NUI Galway (now University of Galway), he briefly taught secondary school in Athy before entering the radio sector. He first served as a sports editor for Carlow-Kilkenny Radio (CKR) in Carlow in the early 1990s, following the Independent Radio and Television Commission’s issuing of private licences. Ryan became well known in sports broadcasting and won a GAA McNamee Award for his work in 1998. In 2000, he joined RTÉ as a sports reporter before co-founding KFM two years later. Ryan left RTÉ in 2009 to focus on his expanding commitments at KFM. In addition to his roles as CEO and major shareholder, he has also worked as a presenting on KFM, helming the flagship morning current affairs show “Kildare Show” before reducing his on-air presence. As of 2026, he still presents Ceol agus Caint, a weekly traditional and folk music programme.