Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

16th September 20246th September 2024

Radio West closes temporarily following 1983 raids

Following the raids by Gardaí and the Department Posts and Telegraphs on the large Dublin pirate stations in May 1983, panic spread throughout the sector and many stations left the airwaves, some for good. One such station to turn off its transmitters was Radio West, that had been broadcasting to the midlands from Mullingar in Co. Westmeath since early 1982.

This airchecked recording is of the last 2½ hours of Radio West on the night of 19^th May 1983. The station announces that it is closing on a voluntary basis as a gesture of solidarity with Radio Nova but will return to the airwaves if the situation changes. The station says it has run out of petition forms but urges listeners to lobby their TDs for licensed local radio. Among those calling the station with good wishes is Kieran Murray of Radio Carousel Navan. DJs include Mike McCartney, Davina Carroll, Mike Young, Dave Murphy, Mike Lewis, Willie Harte, Helen Bradley, Harry Burns and Michael O’Flaherty. The final word goes to station owner Shaun Coyne and Radio West closes with the iconic spoken word version of the poem Desiderata by Les Crane, followed by the national anthem.

The airchecked recording was made from 702 kHz (430 metres) from about 2230 until 0015 on 19^th and 20^th May 1983. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection and was recorded originally by Kieran Murray. There is some wobble on the cassette due to degradation over time. The closedown was short-lived and despite the on-air drama, Radio West returned to the airwaves in less than two weeks and continued to broadcast until the end of 1988.

13th September 20245th September 2024

Sunshine Radio protests against RTÉ jamming

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Frustrated by the commercial success of the large Dublin stations Radio Nova and Sunshine Radio and by the failure of politicians to regulate the radio market, RTÉ began jamming the pirates in 1984 by broadcasting on the same frequencies. At the beginning of the year, RTÉ stepped up its jamming campaign against Nova before moving to block the signal of Sunshine Radio at the end of March. The actions caused consternation due to the popularity of the stations and politicians, including the Minister for Communications, expressed their concern in the Dáil. The jamming ended in May, reportedly after intervention from the government.

These airchecked recordings are of Sunshine Radio’s news bulletins about a week into the RTÉ campaign after the station’s FM frequencies were jammed. Managing Director Robbie Robinson is quoted as saying that Sunshine Radio was like a moped being chased by a 10-ton truck. Newsreaders are Cathy Cregan, Stephen Fogarty, Justin McKenna and Gary Miley. The bulletins are from Wednesday 4^th April 1984 at 1200, 1300, 1400, 1600 and 2400 and the tape also includes an excerpt from Robinson’s morning show the following day. The recording was made from 531 kHz AM and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.

11th September 202422nd September 2024

Gerry Stevens on Energy 103 lunchtime

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Energy 103 was one of the most successful Dublin stations at the end of the pirate era, broadcasting from April 1986 until March 1988. This recording is of a familiar voice on Energy, Gerry Stevens (Lang) with a lunchtime show in the summer of 1986. There are the usual high-level adverts for larger businesses and brands and the slick Energy jingles. News is read by Dave Johnson (Andrew Hanlon) and George Long (Henry O’Donovan, RIP). The daily news quiz attracts many callers during lunch hour.

The recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection and was made from 103 FM on Wednesday 23^rd July 1986 from 1244-1420. Energy 103 also broadcast on 738 kHz AM.

9th September 20241st September 2024

Evening drivetime with DJ Lee on Radio Leinster

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Radio Leinster was a multi-format station broadcasting to Dublin and surrounding areas from 1981-1983. The music style was MOR/easy-listening and there were also specialist programmes covering a wide range of genres.

This recording features a familiar voice on the Dublin pirates, DJ Lee, presenting the evening Bumper to Bumper show. The programme includes traffic reports, a listeners’ competition, featured albums, the Ramble Around Dublin slot, TV movies and a city events guide. Adverts are heard for businesses throughout Dublin and news on the hour is read by Gary Miley, who would later work for Sunshine Radio and eventually RTÉ. News at 1900 is edited out but Lee is followed by Conor Brooks with a Top 40 show, presumably one of Radio Leinster’s specialist programmes. Conor would later be heard on alternative/indie station Capitol/Nitesky 96.

Radio Leinster broadcast on 738 kHz AM (announcing 406 metres), using a professionally-built 1kW transmitter, and on 93 FM. It closed suddenly on 19^th May 1983, following the raids on Sunshine and Radio Nova. This recording was made from FM on Tuesday 18^th January 1983 between 1730 and 1908 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.

6th September 202431st August 2024

Lunchtime on Liberties Local Community Radio

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Liberties Local Community Radio (LLCR) began broadcasting on 4^th April 1986 from the Liberties area of south-central Dublin. Initially community-focused, LLCR later became a popular commercial station that carved out a loyal listenership in the crowded Dublin radio market. Standards varied with some presenters very young and inexperienced but several big names passed through the doors also, including Tony Allen (RIP), Peter Madison (RIP), Kieran Murray and Teena Gates. LLCR went through a number of name changes including Liberties Radio, Liberty Radio and Liberty 104 during its nearly three years on air. Initially on 1035 kHz AM and 96.7 FM locally, the station later moved to 104.5 and 107 FM and extended its coverage across the city. It closed suddenly on December 20^th 1988, more than a week before the deadline imposed by the new broadcasting legislation.

This recording of LLCR was made on Wednesday 9^th July 1986 from 1143-1231 and 1258-1346. Tommy Matthews is the DJ until 1200 and he is followed by John Keogh with the lunchtime show (the label above is inaccurate). There is the usual mix of mostly chart music and chat interspersed by adverts for local businesses, mostly in the Liberties. The first part was recorded from 107.1 FM and the second from 104.5 FM and the tape is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.