Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive - Page 10 of 160

3rd December 202312th January 2024

Rick Whelan on Waterford Local Radio

Waterford Local Radio (WLR) was one of the longest running pirate stations of its era, broadcasting from 23^rd June 1978 to 31^st December 1988. It was founded by Rick Whelan in his garage in Butlerstown west of Waterford City and was managed for 10 years by Rick’s brother Des until the pirate closedowns. The station was one of a handful pirates to be licensed and returned to the air as WLR FM on 8th September 1989. Des Whelan is still managing director and Rick continues to present on the station.

This recording features Rick Whelan on his morning show in the weeks before Christmas 1986. News on the half-hour is read by Denise Wall and there are also sports results and a community noticeboard. Adverts cover Counties Waterford, Wexford and Tipperary and the station tagline is WLR – South East Radio. The name of the company behind WLR was and continues to be the South East Broadcasting Company. This is separate from South East Radio, the licensed station for Wexford.

The tape was made on 3^rd December 1986 from 100 FM and runs from 0906-1042. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson. WLR also broadcast on 88.8 FM and 1197 kHz (252 metres) medium wave.

29th November 202317th December 2023

Non-stop music on Viking 105 from Wicklow

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Viking 105 was the final name given to the pirate station that broadcast from Wicklow Town between mid-1982 and the end of 1988. The first station was called Wicklow Community Radio (WCR), that emerged from temporary community stations operating in the town. WCR was relaunched as WLCB (Wicklow Local Community Broadcasting) in the summer of 1985 and aimed a more commercial service at the entire county. WLCB was rebranded as Viking 105 in June 1987 and continued until the end of 1988.

In this recording made soon after the rebranding, the first hour consists of non-stop easy listening, ballads, country and folk music interspersed with adverts. The music changes to contemporary pop in the second hour but there is only one link by the DJ. The name Brendan Cullen is noted on the cassette label. Adverts and idents feature the voice of the legendary Tony Allan, who also did a stint presenting on Viking before moving to ERI in Cork.

The tape was recorded from 104.8 FM, announcing 105, from 1010-1146 on Saturday 8^th August 1987. Viking also broadcast on 1602 kHz AM and was based at the same address as previous versions of the station, 1 Wentworth Place in Wicklow Town. The recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

27th November 202326th November 2023

Into the early hours on South Coast Radio

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Aged only 20 when he joined, Steve Douglas was South Coast’s youngest DJ, having started in Capital Radio Cork in May 1979 when still a teenager. He later presented on another Cork pirate, Radio City, and began working weekend shifts on South Coast in October 1982 before getting a regular daily slot.

This recording features Steve Douglas finishing off his evening show with a relaxed music mix. News at midnight is read by Andrew Hewkin and includes stories from Cork. Next up is popular South Coast DJ Nick Richards with Nightline into the early hours.

The tape was recorded from 103.7 FM, announced as 104, from 2320-0054 on 11^th and 12^th May 1983. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson. A week later the Irish radio world would be rocked by raids on high-profile Dublin stations Radio Nova and Sunshine Radio.

19th November 202324th November 2023

Sunday shows on South Coast Radio

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This recording of South Coast Radio was made on a sunny Sunday afternoon in Cork in 1983. It begins with Pete O’Neill presenting the South Coast Countdown and he is followed by Don Stevens. Station idents are voiced by the legendary Tony Allan, who is also heard on some adverts.

The recording was made from 103.7 FM, announced as 104 MHz, on 6^th March 1983. South Coast Radio also broadcast on 1557 kHz or 194 metres. Sound quality is fair, possibly due to degradation of the tape. First up is Pete O’Neill from 1430-1515 and then Don Stevens from 1115-1200. The recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

15th November 202315th November 2023

Radio Nova as heard in English midlands

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By the summer of 1984, Radio Nova was riding the crest of a wave. Having endured the storm of the RTÉ jamming, the station was now broadcasting a massive 50kW of power on AM, allowing it greater penetration of the northwest of Britain. After using various FM and AM frequencies to avoid the jamming, in May 1984 Nova switched to 738 kHz and 102.7 FM only, opened an advertising office in Liverpool and began including references to England in news, weather and traffic reports.

This recording was made in the English midlands near Birmingham, south of the area being targetted by Nova in the northwest of England, southern Scotland and the Isle of Man. There is plenty of co-channel interference from the Spanish broadcaster on the same frequency of 738 kHz and deep fading consistent with night-time propagation. Transmitter power would also have been turned down to 10kW at night to minimise interference. On air is Chris Barry, a well-known DJ from the pirate era and later licensed independent radio. News on the hour is read by another familiar Nova voice, Sybil Fennell.

The recording was made on 6^th July 1984 from 2137 to 2307 and is from the Leon Tipler Tapes Collection, donated to us by Steve England.