Sunshine Radio is raided

Sunshine Radio is raided
Sunshine boss Robbie Robinson in Portmarnock on the morning of the raid (courtesy Joe King).

Gardaí and officials from the Department of Posts and Telegraphs raided Sunshine Radio on the morning of 19th May 1983. This a recording of the final minutes of Sunshine from 0924 before the closedown at 0938. There are adverts right up to the end, including a promo for a Sunshine Radio car sun visor, although Sunshine boss Robbie Robinson comments that ‘this may be your last chance’. News headlines at 0930 with Cathy Cregan make no reference to the situation but shortly afterwards Robbie Robinson announces that the station is being raided and invites listeners to come down to the Sands Hotel and ring their TDs to protest. Sunshine’s theme song ‘You are my Sunshine’ is played and then goes off the air. The station returned on June 12th.

The recording was made from 100.58 FM stereo, announcing 101. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

The Pirate.ie Podcast #8: Our audio tribute to Robbie Robinson

The Pirate.ie Podcast #8: Our audio tribute to Robbie Robinson
Robbie Dale in the Radio Caroline days (photo courtesy of Sunshine Review 1985).

We’ve compiled an audio tribute to the radio legend Robbie Robinson who died on August 31st 2021 at the age of 81 in Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. In episode #8 of the Pirate.ie podcast, colleagues, friends and listeners share their memories of Robbie and his station, Sunshine Radio, which transformed the Irish radio scene when it hit the airwaves in 1980.

Many thanks to everyone for taking the time to remember Robbie and honour his legacy in this way: Cathy Cregan, Aidan Cooney, David Baker, Lawrence John, Eddie Bohan, Cathy Dunne, John Fleming, Lillian O’Donoghue, Paul Allen, Simon Maher, Kevin Branigan, Pat Courtenay and Andy Preston.

Robbie Robinson closes 3rd Sunshine charity auction

Robbie Robinson closes 3rd Sunshine charity auction
Letter from Valerie Goulding of the CRC in the 1985 Sunshine Review (courtesy DX Archive).

This is the final section of the 3rd annual Sunshine Radio charity auction in aid of the Central Remedial Clinic (CRC). Station owner Robbie Robinson (RIP) auctions one of that year’s big prizes, a holiday to Portugal donated by Joe Walsh Tours. He then calls the founder of the CRC Lady Valerie Goulding to tell her that Sunshine has raised over £22,000 that year. As the letter above indicates, by 1985 the auction had brought in over £100,000 for the CRC, a considerable amount for the time and evidence of Sunshine’s commitment to charitable causes.

Another item of interest in this recording is a advert placed by the Association of Independent Broadcasters in Ireland, a group formed by some of the commercial pirate stations to represent the sector. News at 9pm is read by Caroline Callaghan.

This recording was made from 2054-2132 on 11th April 1983. It is from the Leon Tipler Tapes Collection, donated by Steve England.

Live on-air bidding at Sunshine’s 3rd charity auction

Live on-air bidding at Sunshine's 3rd charity auction
Sunshine Radio CRC badge (courtesy DX Archive).

The third Sunshine Radio charity auction for the Central Remedial Clinic (CRC) was held in 1983 and continued to build on the success of earlier years. This is the final part of the first day’s 12-hour auction programme, presented by the late Robbie Robinson. There is live on-air bidding for the Sunshine Extravaganza, an evening gala concert with music, food and drink, all profits from which went to the CRC. News is read by Emer Dolan (Woodfull). Within a month, Sunshine would be put off the air when the station was raided by the authorities in a crackdown on pirate radio.

The recording was made from 2053-2139 on 9th April 1983. It is from the Leon Tipler Tapes Collection, donated to us by Steve England.

Robbie Robinson on the Sunshine charity auction

Robbie Robinson on the Sunshine charity auction
L-R: Cathy Cregan, unidentified prize winners, Robbie Robinson (Sunshine Review 1985, DX Archive).

The annual auction for the Central Remedial Clinic (CRC) in Dublin was a staple in the Sunshine Radio calender, raising over £100,000 for the charity in the station’s first five years from 1980-1985. In this recording, station boss Robbie Robinson (RIP) directs proceedings with the help of Greg Merriman and other studio guests. Items for auction include teddy bears, tickets to see Emmylou Harris, a home alarm system, an IBM computer and an Opel Kadett car. Listeners are also invited to bid to attend the Sunshine Extravaganza, an annual meal and show that followed the auction. News is ready by Patsy McGarry.

This recording was made from 101 FM from 1220-1305 on 28th April 1984. It is from the Skywave Tapes Collection. Skywave Radio International was a shortwave station broadcasting from Baldoyle in northeast Dublin.