Paul Cassidy at Radio City in September 1980 (courtesy Lilian O’Donoghue).
This is another recording of Cork pirate Radio City in the early months of its existence in autumn 1980. Most of the recording consists of Monday evening shows: Paul Cassidy with Travelling Through the 70s including a listeners’ quiz and Tony Allen (Walsh) with Jukebox Jive. These are followed by short snippets of daytime programmes: Pete Andrews (O’Neill) at lunchtime, Carl Johnson (Dan Noonan) with Afternoon Delights and Noel Evans (Welch) with Home Run.
The tape of Radio City was made on 6th and 7th October 1980 from 1512 kHz, announcing 199 metres. Audio quality is poor throughout due to rudimentary recording equipment. Thanks to Lilian O’Donoghue for the donation.
QSL for Gospel 846/AWR from 2001 (courtesy Ian Biggar).
During its almost 40 years on air, Donegal pirate Radio North has broadcast religious programming at various times, either as a part of its main output or as separate services broadcasting on AM or FM only. In 1989, it had ambitious plans for an FM station called Gospel 98 but after only a few months, this offshoot closed following a storm in March 1990. Around the turn of the millennium, another religious service called Gospel 846 was launched, using the original AM frequency while the main country music service continued on FM. The change was introduced by Paul Barnett (RIP), who took over Radio North in 1998 along with the American Mike Dobbins (RIP), ushering in a more tightly formatted diet of American country music on FM along with opt-out religious programming at certain times of the day on AM.
A poster from 2001 for Radio North, highlighting religious shows. The Gospel 846 name had been dropped by that time (courtesy Ian Biggar).
Gospel 846 was reported by the British DX Club in 2000 as a subsidiary of Radio North broadcasting religious material. There are references to Gospel 846 on various websites up to the late 2010s but it appears that a distinct separate service ceased in 2001, when Paul Barnett decided to put his original Donegal pirate WABC back on the air on FM frequencies then being used by Radio North (103.9 and 104.4). Paul had previously run WABC from 1987-1991, apart from a 6-month break following the introduction of new broadcasting legislation in 1989. After the revival of WABC, religious programming became a more integral part of Radio North itself as all the output was then on AM only. The station did not return to FM due to raids by the Department of Communications on pirates in the northwest at that time. Details of the religious shows can be seen in the flyer above from 2001.
A letter and QSL of Gospel 846 (see above) received by Ian Biggar in 2001 were issued by Adventist World Radio, an international Christian broadcaster that was paying Radio North for the output. Although there are no separate religious services today, both Radio North and fellow AM pirate Radio Star Country in Monaghan rely heavily on religious programming for income.
This recording of Gospel 846 was made between 1117-1217 on 4th November 1999 and features part of a gospel music programme presented by Mark Fleming. Unlike Radio North itself, there are no adverts but the show is sponsored by a business in Derry and a PO Box number in Limavady is given as an address for requests and dedications. The tape was made by Ken Baird in Ayrshire in Scotland and is courtesy of Ian Biggar.
Sunshine 101 sticker from the later period (Anoraks Ireland Collection).
Bee Bop Gold was a hugely popular oldies show on Dublin pirate Sunshine Radio in its last few years on air. Sponsored by video rental company Xtravision, it was presented by Nails Mahoney, who would go on to a successful media career in Ireland and abroad. Relaunched as ‘Sunshine Hot Hits 101’ at this time, the Portmarnock station was the radio leader in Dublin and market research showed that Bee Bop Gold was the capital’s most listened to programme on Sundays.
This recording of Bee Bop Gold highlights how tightly-formatted the programme was, with very short links and continuous oldies. There are the usual high-level agency adverts for larger businesses and brands, some voiced by Sunshine boss, Robbie Robinson (RIP). The tape was made on Sunday 16th August 1987 from 101.5 FM between 1317-1447 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.
The late Henry Condon (Alan Reid on air) at Radio City in 1980 (courtesy Lilian O’Donoghue).
In October 1980, the new Cork pirate station Radio City entered its second month on air, offering a variety of programmes from 0700-0200 each day presented by many of the DJs who had cut their teeth on the emerging Cork scene since the late 1970s.
The first part of this recording was made on 1st October 1980 and features Noel Evans (Welch), Alan Reid (the late Henry Condon, known later as Henry Owens on other pirates) and Tony Allen (Walsh). The second part was made on 10th October and features Tony Allen, Luke Ward and Pete Andrews (O’Neill). Adverts are sparse after a month on air, underlining the financial challenges involved in sustaining a full-time pirate station at the time.
Audio quality is poor as most of the recording was made by placing a tape recorder against a radio. It was recorded from 1512 kHz AM, announcing 199 metres, and is courtesy of Lilian O’Donoghue.
The Donegal pirate Radio North relaunched in 1999 with a new format of mostly American country music, calling itself ‘the new Radio North’. The station focused on FM and ran a parallel religious service Gospel 846 for part of the day on AM.
This recording of a Saturday morning show from autumn that year features presenter Donna Reeves, although the emphasis is on the music with only short links and a tighter station formatting. The voice of station manager Paul Barnett (RIP) is heard on station idents and adverts. As usual there are long commercial breaks featuring small businesses from Donegal, Antrim and Derry.
The tape was made on 2nd October 1999 between 1005-1056 from 846 kHz AM and is courtesy of Ian Biggar. Presumably Gospel 846 was not on the air at the time, with Radio North broadcasting on both AM and FM.
