Full recordings Archives - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

13th November 20268th November 2026

Q102 breakfast with Scott Williams and Bob Gallico

By 1987, Q102 was well-established as one of the leading pirates in Dublin due to its professional and polished sound. This edition of the breakfast show with Scott Williams was recorded in spring that year. Headlines are read by Bob Gallico (RIP) just before the top of the hour, meaning that its news was aired before other stations. Bob also joins Scott in studio during the show and there is the daily Eye in the Sky traffic report from Mike Hogan in a helicopter above Dublin.

The recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection and was made from from 102.1 FM between 0753-0840 on Friday 24^th April 1987.

6th November 20264th November 2026

Radio West Anoraks’ Show (6th July 1986)

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This recording of the weekly Radio West Anoraks’ Show from summer 1986 includes legendary broadcaster Bob Gallico (RIP) as a guest in studio with station boss Shaun Coyne and Phil Hilton. Bob talks about his love for radio since his youth in the US and explains how he landed a job reading news with Radio Nova in Dublin. The panel discusses the evolution of the pirate scene in recent years and speculates about its future. There is also discussion of Dublin station Q102, to which Bob has recently moved. Other stations mentioned are WLCB in Wicklow, new Dundalk station CLR, ERI and WBEN in Cork, Capitol-Nitesky 96, Liberties Radio, KISS FM and Energy 103 in Dublin, Zee 104 in Kildare, Kandy Radio in Ballinasloe and Radio Rainbow International in Louth.

The tape was made from 765 kHz between 1122-1200 (with a few edits) on Sunday 6^th July 1986 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.

2nd November 20261st November 2026

Saturday evening on ABC Radio from Waterford

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ABC Radio was a popular and professional pirate station broadcasting from various locations in Co. Waterford from 1982-1988. It was set up by four English DJs in a caravan in the coastal resort of Tramore but expanded over time and moved into a more professional facility in Waterford City in 1984. From then on ABC grew into a successful and popular station covering the southeast.

This recording of a Saturday evening show was made in the autumn of 1986. First we hear the final few minutes of the Andy Ellis programme, followed by news also read by Andy. Next is Dave Hunt with the Music for Heads show and a promise of features on Eric Clapton and David Bowie later that evening. The tape was made on between 1857-1942 on Saturday 4^th October 1986 from 103.2 FM, which was the station’s Tramore relay at the time. Its main frequency was 1026 kHz AM.

27th October 202627th October 2026

Saturday evening on Galway’s Quincentennial Radio

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Quincentennial Radio was a short-lived Galway station that came on air in early 1989 in defiance of the New Year’s Eve deadline for the pirates to leave the airwaves. It broadcast from 2^nd January until sometime in April, when it closed following a warning from the authorities. This recording is of a Saturday evening programme presented by Shane Martin and Brian Walsh, two DJs previously heard on former Galway pirate Coast 103. Station idents are voiced by the late Tony Allan.

The tape was made from 98.4 FM between 1751-1936 on Saturday 28^th January 1989 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection. Audio quality is generally good but there is slight wobble in places due to the age of the cassette.

26th October 202624th October 2026

Hallowe’en on The Sound Channel

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Sound Channel logo from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.

The Sound Channel was a professional Limerick pirate station broadcasting from 1986-1988. This recording was made on its final Hallowe’en in 1988, two months before the station closed down in line with new broadcasting legislation. On air is Stuart Clark, formerly of ABC in Waterford, with the Afternoon Plus show. Syndicated bulletins from the UK service Independent Radio News (IRN) are broadcast every hour.

The recording was made from 98.7 FM between 1345-1515 on Bank Holiday Monday 31^st October 1988 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.