Posts

Posted on

Late night on Galway’s Atlantic Sound

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Late night on Galway's Atlantic Sound
Atlantic Sound compliments slip (courtesy Ian Biggar).

Atlantic Sound was a Galway pirate station that broadcast from December 1983 until June 1985. It was set up by journalist Alan Russell who had run Capitol Radio in Dublin in the late 1970s. Initially Atlantic Sound had a broad format including news and specialist speech programmes. The station was taken over by Keith York (RIP), Steve Marshall and and Don Stevens from Cork pirates South Coast Radio and WKLR in summer 1984 and changed to a pop music format. The three left Atlantic Sound in March 1985 to set up a rival station, WLS Music Radio, which had better studio and broadcast facilities. As a result, Atlantic Radio closed down suddenly in June 1985.

This recording of Atlantic Sound was made around the beginning of May 1985 around midnight on a Friday night and Saturday morning. Steve Shannon is in the late-night slot. The frequency is unknown but was either 95.4 or 99.2 FM. The airchecked recording was made by Kieran Murray and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.  

Posted on

Radio West Anoraks’ Show (6th July 1986)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Radio West Anoraks' Show (6th July 1986)
Radio West stationery from the 765 kHz era (courtesy DX Archive).

This recording of the weekly Radio West Anoraks’ Show from summer 1986 includes legendary broadcaster Bob Gallico (RIP) as a guest in studio with station boss Shaun Coyne and Phil Hilton. Bob talks about his love for radio since his youth in the US and explains how he landed a job reading news with Radio Nova in Dublin. The panel discusses the evolution of the pirate scene in recent years and speculates about its future. There is also discussion of Dublin station Q102, to which Bob has recently moved. Other stations mentioned are WLCB in Wicklow, new Dundalk station CLR, ERI and WBEN in Cork, Capitol-Nitesky 96, Liberties Radio, KISS FM and Energy 103 in Dublin, Zee 104 in Kildare, Kandy Radio in Ballinasloe and Radio Rainbow International in Louth.

The tape was made from 765 kHz between 1122-1200 (with a few edits) on Sunday 6th July 1986 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.

Posted on

Northeast series: Afternoon Delight on Boyneside Radio from 1984

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Northeast series: Afternoon Delight on Boyneside Radio from 1984
Eddie Caffrey at Boyneside in 1986 (courtesy of Eddie himself).

Eddie Caffrey is one of Ireland’s longest-serving broadcasters, having spent a decade with the Drogheda pirate, Boyneside Radio, before moving to licensed local station LMFM. This recording is of his daily Afternoon Delight programme from summer 1984. It includes the Golden Hour, news on the hour with Shane Harrison (who went on to a career with the BBC), the tea break feature with three songs by Queen, racing results and the birthday spot. The large number of requests reflects the popularity of Eddie’s programme with listeners. Also of interest is an advert for a Drogheda venue hosting the Radio Nova Night Out, a popular club arranged by the Dublin pirate.

The airchecked recording runs from 1400-1620 on Thursday 16th August 1984 from 98.1 FM. It was made originally by Kieran Murray and is part of the Anoraks Ireland Collection.

Posted on

Saturday evening on ABC Radio from Waterford

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Saturday evening on ABC Radio from Waterford
Dave Hunt at ABC in 1985 (Anoraks Ireland Collection).

ABC Radio was a popular and professional pirate station broadcasting from various locations in Co. Waterford from 1982-1988. It was set up by four English DJs in a caravan in the coastal resort of Tramore but expanded over time and moved into a more professional facility in Waterford City in 1984. From then on ABC grew into a successful and popular station covering the southeast.

This recording of a Saturday evening show was made in the autumn of 1986. First we hear the final few minutes of the Andy Ellis programme, followed by news also read by Andy. Next is Dave Hunt with the Music for Heads show and a promise of features on Eric Clapton and David Bowie later that evening. The tape was made on between 1857-1942 on Saturday 4th October 1986 from 103.2 FM, which was the station’s Tramore relay at the time. Its main frequency was 1026 kHz AM.

Posted on

Saturday evening on Galway’s Quincentennial Radio

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Saturday evening on Galway's Quincentennial Radio

Quincentennial Radio was a short-lived Galway station that came on air in early 1989 in defiance of the New Year’s Eve deadline for the pirates to leave the airwaves. It broadcast from 2nd January until sometime in April, when it closed following a warning from the authorities. This recording is of a Saturday evening programme presented by Shane Martin and Brian Walsh, two DJs previously heard on former Galway pirate Coast 103. Station idents are voiced by the late Tony Allan.

The tape was made from 98.4 FM between 1751-1936 on Saturday 28th January 1989 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection. Audio quality is generally good but there is slight wobble in places due to the age of the cassette.