Airchecks Archives - Page 2 of 48 - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

Early Cork series: Alan Edwards and Luke Ward on Radio City — Radio City advertising card (courtesy DX Archive).

This is another recording of Alan Edwards on his regular Saturday early evening slot on Radio City from 1981. There are the usual requests and a mixture of contemporary hits and oldies. Plenty of adverts are heard, and news headlines are read by Alan himself. He is followed at 1900 by Luke Ward with the weekly Rock City Interviews show.

The partially airchecked recording was made between 1700-1900 on 25^th April 1981 from 95.5 FM. Radio City also broadcast on 1512 kHz AM, announcing 199 metres. Thanks to Lilian O’Donoghue for the donation.

28th January 202618th January 2026

Early Cork series: More of the lunchtime show on Radio City

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This is another recording of the lunchtime show on Cork pirate Radio City, presented by one of the station founders, Pete Andrews (O’Neill). There are plenty of community notices in this edition, as well as requests and dedications and the usual Golden Year feature. Following Pete, fellow Radio City founder Carl Johnson (Dan Noonan) is heard with the beginning of his Afternoon Delight show.

The partially airchecked recording was made from 95.5 FM between 1202-1403 on Wednesday 8^th April 1981 and is courtesy of Lilian O’Donoghue. Radio City also broadcast on 1512 kHz AM, announcing 199 metres.

29th December 202529th December 2025

Early Cork series: Holiday drivetime on Radio City

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This recording of Cork pirate Radio City features Mike Cagney presenting the drivetime show during the Christmas holidays 1980. The city is teeming with shoppers due to the New Year sales. Mike has a listeners’ competition, quiz of the week and a review of the news and best albums of the year.

The recording was made from 95.7 FM on 29^th December 1980 between 1737-1908 and is partially airchecked. Thanks to Lilian O’Donoghue for the donation.

28th December 202530th December 2025

Country station TTTR at Christmas 1981

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Treble TR (also written as TTTR) was a country and Irish station broadcasting from Dublin from spring 1981 until the end of 1988. TTTR began on 945 kHz AM, announcing 317 metres, adding FM from 1983. A second AM frequency on 891 kHz was added in 1987. TTTR carved out a specialist niche in the Dublin market and held its own until it closed at the end of 1988.

This recording of TTTR at Christmas 1981 features two unidentified DJs playing country tunes, interspersed with adverts for businesses in Dublin and surrounding areas. It was made by Kieran Murray from 945 kHz at around 1500 on 28^th December 1981 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection. The Sunday Journal radio listings from 1981 list Miss Elli and Grace Porter in these timeslots, so it is possible that they are the presenters in question. Audio quality is fair due to a combination of a weak AM signal, cassette degradation and co-channel interference on the frequency due to the time of year. Thanks to Ian Biggar for additional research.

27th December 202519th February 2025

Dublin Community Radio at Christmas 1981

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The original Dublin Community Radio (DCR) had its origins in Downtown Community Radio, which was set up by long-time radio anorak Joe King in 1979 in the south Dublin suburb of Ringsend. It was renamed Dublin Community Radio after moving from a community hall to a shed behind Joe’s house and later transferred to better premises in Gardner Street in the city centre. DCR claimed to be the first community radio station in Dublin, making links with several community groups and broadcasting specialist shows. DCR broadcast on 963 kHz, announcing 312 metres, as well as FM. There is no known link with a later DCR, set up on FM only in 1984.

This airchecked recording from Christmas 1981 begins with the end of the Golden Years show presented by an unidentified DJ. He hands over to another presenter who continues the music and has various community announcements. There are scratchy sounding adverts and station liners voiced by Tony Allan (RIP), referring to DCR as ‘Dublin’s first and only community radio station’. Other identified DJs on the recording are Mike Sheridan, who makes a questionable decision to sing ‘Jingle Bells’ live on air, and Paul Caffrey.

The tape was made by Kieran Murray from 98.4 FM between 1600-2000 on 27^th December 1981 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection. Audio quality is fair due to an aging cassette and possible issues with studio output at the time.