D Arcy's unassuming charm has made him the most natural fit for the role

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Few such high-profile figures would be as open, but being game fora laugh - sometimes a slightly naughty one - is a key part ofDArcys image.

Inoffensive without being bland, populist without generally beingpatronising, the boyish 43-year-old has gradually establishedhimself as one of the best-known media presenters in the country.After two decades of radio and television exposure, his personalreputation is also as lily-white as the GAA jerseys of his nativeKildare.

The DArcy smile (voted the nicest in Ireland last year in a surveyby Smiles Dental Spa) will be working overtime on Monday andTuesday when he presents the Rose of Tralee. Routinely denounced byfeminists and television critics alike, the contests enduringpopularity means that hosting it is still one of the biggest gigsin Irish broadcasting.

After four years at the helm, DArcys unassuming charm has madehim the most natural fit for the role since the departure of GayByrne. His first night as presenter in 2005 pulled in 852,000viewers, compared to 314,000 the previous year for Ryan Tubridy,but even DArcy himself has occasionally sounded defensive aboutthe programmes merits.

There is an element of the lovely girls competition about it,theres no doubt about that, he admitted in a recent interview,referring to the episode of Father Ted that mercilessly spoofed theevent. If you were to put it down on paper and analyse it, youwould never air it. But its there and it just seems to work andwork.

However, television events such as the Rose of Tralee areessentially adjuncts to DArcys main selling point - his eponymousToday FM radio show which goes head-to-head with RTEs Gerry Ryanevery weekday between 9am and noon.

After eight years on air, the programmes listenership is stillrising - JNRS figures released last week show he added 8,000 newlisteners in the past year, bringing his listenership to 254,000people every morning. DArcys show recently became the first-evernon-RTE production to break into the JNLR top ten list and he wasvoted best Irish DJ by the public at the Meteor Music Awards forthree years in succession.

Among 20 to 44-year-olds, it is actually the second most popularprogramme in the country. The shows success seems to be largelydown to the fact that it reflects its presenters personality:pleasant, unpretentious and buzzing with energy.

Although DArcy has often said that he wants to sound as if hesbroadcasting from his kitchen, the shows outside broadcasts haveprovided some of its most memorable moments.

Earlier this month, DArcy interviewed Little Britain star DavidWalliams while broadcasting from a caravan on the roof of theMorgan Hotel in Dublin. In the last year alone, he has arranged fora listener to appear as an extra in Killinaskully, organised abeauty pageant for construction workers and persuaded comedianTommy Tiernan to perform in a fans sitting room.

Other regular slots include Fix-It Friday, in which DArcy and histeam pursue the answers to trivia questions, such as the differencebetween raisins and sultanas, where penguins keep their kneecapsand whether or not Willie ODea was used as a model for the boardgame Guess Who? Although it can often be juvenile and is generallyover-reliant on listeners text messages, the programme is not allfluff.

In 2006, it won the Community/Social Action award at the PPI IrishRadio Awards for its work in highlighting road safety problems,aided by a series of ads with real-life stories and the tag lineDont be a fucking eejit. DArcy also won plaudits for a seriesof interviews with political party leaders before the generalelection last year.

As the shows popularity has increased, so too has DArcys salary.He is thought to take home well in excess of €400,000 a year,but his Everyman image has remained more or less intact. His flataccent, casual clothes and outwardly modest lifestyle indicate aman who is determined not to lose touchwith his roots.

DArcy was born on September 2,1964, and grew up on a councilestate on the edge of Kildare town. His father, Ray Senior, was aquartermaster in the local army barracks who was often away ontours of duty, leaving behind his wife and nine children. TheDArcy children were expected to become financially independentfrom a young age and DArcy still proudly recalls that a newspaperround enabled him to buy a pair of shoes when he was just ten yearsold. (On air, DArcy regularly recounts stories of growing up, evenmocking the apparent hardship of his upbringing.)

Living in a busy household had its advantages, however, and DArcyquickly developed the ability to talk to people of all ages. He didwell at school and was also a keen sportsman, winning All-Irelandmedals for gymnastics.

At the age of 15, he was an active member of junior Conradh naGaeilge, more as away of meeting girls than out of love for theIrish language. It was there that he befriended DJs who had atwo-hour traditional music slot on the local radio station andwanted someone to spin a few pop tunes to attract the youngerlistener.

Before long, DArcy was broadcasting Rogha Ray (Rays Choice) froma shed, with a fertiliser bag to keep the rain off the decks. Afterselling his bike to buy DJ equipment, DArcy found himself indemand at parties and discos all over the county.

Impressed by his entrepreneurial skills, the Kildare Derby Festivalco-opted him onto their committee. However, his first effort at gigpromotion was not exactly a runaway success.

I brought Rocky De Valera and the Rhythm Kings, who were quitebig at the time, to the CYMS in Kildare, he recalled. I dideverything right and got tickets specially printed. With the bandcosting IR