Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

13th October 202512th October 2025

Northeast series: Border Weekend Radio from Co. Louth

Border Weekend Radio was a short-lived pirate broadcasting in January and February 1989 after the introduction of new legislation that was supposed to silence the unlicensed stations. Based in Carrickcarnon on the Louth/Armagh border, it was a reincarnation of Rainbow Radio that had broadcast from the same location since August 2^nd 1987 until 31^st December 1988. Border Weekend Radio was run by the same operators, Oliver McMahon (Big O) and Eugene Markey, both formerly of Boyneside Radio North.

The first log of Border Weekend Radio in the Anoraks UK Weekly Report was on 28^th January 1989. It was noted that a new local radio station with some well-known voices heard previously on Rainbow Radio was heard the previous weekend on 1152 kHz AM and 98.5 FM, the former frequencies of Rainbow Radio. According to Weekly Report, Border Weekend Radio began broadcasting on the afternoon of Friday 20^th January on AM only. FM followed on Saturday morning and programming continued until midnight on Sunday. There were no adverts but blocks of programming were sponsored by local businesses. The station was logged again on Saturday 4^th February on 1152 kHz, using a Newry telephone number. However, in Weekly Report of 18^th February 1989, it was noted that following the second raid on Radio Dublin on February 11^th, both Border Weekend Radio and another Louth pirate Zee 103 seemed to have left the air for good. Border Weekend Radio would in fact return briefly as Summertime Sounds later in 1989.

This recording was made from 98.5 FM on 22^nd January 1989 between 1030-1350, with the final section partially edited. First up is Jolly Ollie (Oliver McMahon) with country and Irish music, followed by Mr Wonderful with a more mixed bag. The sheer volume of requests and mentions of local businesses underline the ongoing demand for local radio that was unserved in the vacuum caused by the closure of the pirates. Thanks to Ian Biggar for the donation.

10th October 202530th September 2025

Radio Nova news as heard in Britain

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

This recording of Dublin pirate station Radio Nova was made in the winter of 1984, a day after a serious air accident involving a plane flying from Dublin to Paris. Eight passengers and the pilot were killed on 13^th November 1984 when the light aircraft in which they were travelling crashed near Eastbourne on the southeast coast of England.

The recording of the 1400 Nova news bulletin was made from 738 kHz AM on 14^th November, when the extent of the tragedy was apparent. The newsreader is Sybil Fennell and the tape was made in Kidderminster near Birmingham. It is from the Leon Tipler Collection, donated to us by Steve England.

8th October 202529th September 2025

Early Cork series: Various show on Radio City

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

This recording of Cork pirate Radio City features a variety of presenters and shows from its schedule in spring 1981. First up is Pete Andrews (O’Neill) who reads out a listener’s letter and previews various programmes coming up over the weekend. He is followed by Susan James and Karl Johnson (Dan Noonan). Of interest towards the end is Eric Hansen who under his real name of John Creedon continues to broadcast on RTÉ to this day.

The dates are unclear but we estimate the recording to be from 31^st January and 1^st and 2^nd February 1981. The tape was made from 95.7 FM and although 104 FM is also mentioned, Radio City’s AM transmitter was off the air at the time. Thanks to Lilian O’Donoghue for the donation.

6th October 202529th September 2025

Sunday morning on Radio Skywave International

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Radio Skywave International was one of many Irish pirates operating on shortwave on Sunday morning in the 1980s. It began broadcasting on 29^th July 1985 from Baldoyle in northeast Dublin and continued on a weekly basis until 12^th June 1988.

This recording of Radio Skywave features station operator Michael Hegarty with an hour of Irish music. Reception reports are welcome from Ireland, the UK, Europe and beyond. At the time Radio Skywave was broadcasting on 6850 kHz in the 44-metre band and on low power on 6260 kHz in the 48-metre band. This pre-recorded show was broadcast on 7^th June 1987 between 1000-1100. Radio Skywave International donated a large collection of recordings to Pirate.ie and this is among them.

30th September 202530th September 2025

Border series: Saturday afternoon on Radio Sligo

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Radio Sligo t-shirt featuring station logo (courtesy Ian Biggar)

The history of pirate radio in Sligo is complicated by the existence of different stations of the same name during various periods, with no clear link to each other. The first period dates began in 1979 with two pirates based in the town – the first station calling itself Radio Sligo on 1166 kHz and the other called Radio City on 1300 kHz, which renamed itself Community Radio Sligo by 1980. Neither station was mentioned in the August/September 1980 edition of Sounds Alternative, so there may have been no pirates operating in the town at that time.

The second period is from autumn 1981 when a new Radio Sligo was logged on 1260 kHz, announcing 237 metres. This station featured in pirate radio listings in the Sunday Journal from late 1981 into 1982. The Danish Shortwave Clubs International Irish radio reports gave an address of 4 Castle Street, Sligo for this station. It continued to be logged in various sources up to 1984.

The third period is from 1985 with the arrival of another station called Radio Northwest, which later renamed itself Radio Sligo. According to a list published by Anoraks Ireland on 7^th October 1985, this was also based at 4 Castle Street, so it may have been connected with the previous station of the same name, although probably not with the original Radio Sligo from 1979.

This short airchecked recording of Radio Sligo is from the second period and features an unidentified DJ and adverts for local businesses in Sligo. It was recorded from 1745-1805 on Saturday 29^th January 1983 from 1260 kHz. The tape is from the Leon Tipler Collection, donated to us by Steve England. Thanks to Ian Biggar for additional background information.