Cork Archives - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

25th March 202424th March 2024

South Coast Countdown with Keith York

South Coast Radio (1982-1984) was one of the successful Cork stations of the pirate era. Although it never achieved the longevity of the other Cork giant ERI, South Coast was a slick operation from its launch on March 3^rd 1982 and introduced professionalism not heard on the earlier wave of pirates in the city. This recording from the final year of South Coast was made on a sunny Saturday in the spring of 1984. On air is one of the high-profile DJs associated with the station, Keith York (RIP), presenting the weekly Top 50 countdown. A promo voiced by the legendary Tony Allan (RIP) informs listeners that the countdown is compiled from phone research, record sales and station airplay in Munster. In this recording, Keith is followed by George Long.

South Coast Radio closed down on 13^th July 1984. The tape was made from 102.15 FM, announcing 104, from 1440-1615 on 7^th April 1984. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

15th March 20249th March 2024

Saturday morning on Cork’s ERI

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ERI was one of Ireland’s most successful pirate stations, broadcasting from County Cork and later Cork City between 1982 and 1988. After installing a 5kW AM transmitter on 1305 kHz (225 metres) in 1983, it gained dominance among listeners and advertisers in Munster. The station could also be heard further afield at night due to AM propagation, as in this recording made in Kidderminster in the English midlands in the winter of 1983.

It begins with the end of Mark Lawrence’s Saturday breakfast show, which is followed by news read by John O’Connor. Next up is the children’s programme Junior Club. Commercial breaks feature adverts for local businesses and for brands and include the voice of John Blake (real name John Creedon), who would go on to become a well-known RTÉ presenter. There is plenty of deep fading in the recording due to the distance from the AM transmitter. The tape was made on Saturday 26^th November 1983 from 0845-0900 from 1305 kHz and is from the Leon Tipler Collection, donated to us by Steve England.

8th March 20243rd March 2024

Anoraks Ireland featured on Radio Caroline Cork

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Many of our recordings are from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson (Tony Donlon, RIP). Tony travelled Ireland throughout the 1980s visiting pirate stations big and small, making recordings and taking photographs. In this recording, he is interviewed on Radio Caroline Cork during a visit just before Christmas 1984.

In the interview, Tony tells station boss Dave Hammond that the aim of Anoraks Ireland is to promote free and independent radio in Ireland. He opposes plans to allow RTÉ control local radio and speculates that if passed, the radio bill will establish just two stations in Dublin and one each in the other cities including Cork. The proposed broadcasting legislation of the time ultimately failed due to ideological differences between the coalition partners and it was not until 1988 that laws were adopted to licence independent radio.

This recording was made from around 1245 on Thursday 13^th December 1984 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection. No frequency is given.

12th December 202310th December 2023

John Lewis on South Coast Radio

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Former offshore DJ John Lewis spent a stint on Cork’s South Coast Radio in 1982 and 1983. He had previously worked on Radio Caroline in the 1970s until the Mi Amigo sank in 1980 and was also heard on the Voice of Peace off the Israeli coast. In this recording, John presents a Saturday evening show featuring plenty of requests, the Lewis Cues quiz and sports news with John Kenny. News at the top of the hour is read by Andrew Hewkin and commercial breaks feature both agency adverts and spots for local businesses.

John Lewis returned to North Sea in 1984 and joined the new offshore station Laser before returning to Radio Caroline. He still broadcasts on the current licensed Radio Caroline and has also worked with other UK commercial stations.

This tape was made on Saturday 20^th August 1983 from 1725-1902. It was recorded from 103.7 FM, announced as 104. South Coast also broadcast on 1557 kHz, announced as 194 metres. The recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

4th December 20233rd December 2023

Summer breakfast on South Coast Radio

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This recording of successful Cork pirate South Coast Radio features Don Stevens on the Sunrise Special breakfast show on a warm summer morning in 1983. Don worked previously on offshore stations such as Radio Caroline and the Voice of Peace before coming to Ireland where he joined South Coast Radio. He later went on to Galway pirates Atlantic Sound and WLS Music Radio.

News on the hour is read by Jim Lockhart, who also presents a review of the morning papers. Jim began in radio in 1978 at the age of 16 and worked on Cork stations such as Radio Shandon, Cork City Radio, CBC, CCLR and Radio City before joining South Coast in October 1982. Under his real name Neil Prendeville, he has long been a well-known presenter on licensed radio in Cork.

The tape was made from 103.5 FM from 0746-0821 and 0830-0904 on Monday 15^th August 1983. There has been some degradation of the cassette, particularly in the second part. The recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.