Radio Caroline card from the mid-1990s (Pirate.ie Collection).
Radio Caroline Dublin broadcast to the capital between 1989 and 2000, making it one of the longest-running pirates of the post-1989 era. This recording was made towards the end of its run in 2000 and highlights the wide variety of music played and the freewheeling, non-commercial style. It begins with the last few minutes of duo Travis and Tony, who are followed by another double-act, Michelle and Rhonda.
The tape was made on Wednesday 17th May 2000 from 102.5 FM between 1815-1915 and is courtesy of Ian Biggar.
John Clarke in the KISS FM studio in 1982 (Anoraks Ireland Collection).
This recording of Radio Nova offshoot KISS FM was made on St. Patrick’s Day 1983. First up is the final part of the lunchtime show with Colm Hayes. He is joined in studio by Eurovision winner Johnny Logan, who is due to begin his nationwide tour in Nova Park that night. Colm is followed by John Clarke who continues the Irish musical theme, mixed with oldies. News on the hour is read by Bryan Dobson, who would go on to a long career in RTÉ. A promo for the ‘KISS FM £5,000 pay-off’ is also heard, one of the many extravagant giveaways by the Radio Nova network.
The recording was made from 102.7 FM on Thursday 17th March 1983 between 1531-1705 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.
Liberties Local Community Radio (LLCR) began broadcasting in March 1986 from Weaver Square in Dublin 8. It was run by Sammy Prendergast who was well known for installing aerials for pirate stations. LLCR broadcast on 1035 kHz AM using the old Capitol Radio rig which had been on 1017 kHz until shortly before then. It was also heard on 104 FM at a later stage and was renamed Liberty 104.
In this short clip from the Pirate.ie collection recorded on 30th August 1988, Teena Gates reads the news, when the station was known as Liberty 104. Teena can still be heard on radio in Dublin today and in 2026 was inducted into the IMRO Radio Hall of Fame for her contribution to the medium.
This edition of the Radio West Anoraks Show from Mullingar was made just as legislation to legalise radio in Ireland was brought before the Oireachtas. The topic dominated the discussion on the show that week, with station boss Shaun Coyne giving his views and co-presenter Neil McLeod struggling to get a word in. Leading Cork station ERI is reported to be upgrading its studios in the hope of getting a licence under the new regime and Radio Nova is poised to make a high-profile return in Dublin. There is also an interview with Eddie Caffrey of Boyneside Radio, who speculates that pirates along the border could be raided because of the addition of high-powered transmitters. Shaun Coyne also announces that Radio West will go off the air for a few moments at 1800 that evening in memory of the victims of the Enniskillen bomb, which exploded the previous weekend.
The airchecked recording was made in Britain from 702 kHz AM between 1045-1130 on Sunday 15th November 1987. It is from the Leon Tipler Collection, donated by Steve England.
Derry O’Callaghan with super-fan Lilian McCarthy in 1981 (courtesy Lilian O’Donoghue).
This short recording of Cork pirate Radio City was made in spring 1982, the station’s last year in operation. The Top 40 countdown is presented by Derry O’Callaghan in an afternoon slot. There are references to other DJs finishing up and changes happening in the station. The Cork radio scene was shook up around this time by the launch of a new professional pirate, South Coast Radio that would continue in its initial guise until 1984. Radio City left the air in autumn 1982.
The recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection and was made on 2nd March 1982 from 95.7 FM. The DJ also announces 199 metres (1512 kHz) but logs suggest that Radio City had moved to 240 metres (1242 kHz) by this time.
