Open Free Radio Archive
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On New Year’s Day 1988, Dublin super-pirate Sunshine 101 broadcast the ‘101 Hottest Hits of 1987’ presented by Nails Mahoney. The show was sponsored by the Evening Press newspaper and sounds like it was pre-recorded as there are no time-checks.
The recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection and was made from 101.5 FM between 1317-1403 on 1st January 1988.
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Radio City changed AM frequencies in summer 1981, moving from 1512 kHz (announcing 199 metres) to the slightly off-channel 1243 kHz (announcing 240 metres). This recording begins at the end of Seán Collins’s Saturday afternoon show with laid-back tunes and a listeners’ competition. He is followed by Alan Edwards who is running late for his weekly slot. Alan plays chart hits with some oldies and there are requests from listeners and plenty of adverts but also a break in transmission for a few minutes.
The tape was made from 95.5 FM from 1655-1852 (with an edit in the middle) on 18th July 1981 and is courtesy of Lilian O’Donoghue. Audio quality is fair to good, with some wobble on the cassette in places due to the passage of time.
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This is another recording of Radio Nova founder and boss, Chris Cary, using the name Harry cary on the Nova offshoot station, KISS FM. Chris mentions the visit of a youth club to the studios of Nova and KISS FM that day and says that other such groups would be welcome at the weekends. There are high-level agency adverts and news is read by Bryan Dobson, who would go on to a career in RTÉ.
The recording was made between 1837-1911 from 102.7 FM on Sunday 17th April 1983 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.
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This recording features weekend shows on Cork pirate Radio City in summer 1981. Up first is John Ashford (RIP) with the final part of his Saturday Nightbeat show. He is followed by Jamie Roberts, who takes a call from fellow DJ Pat O’Rourke who is in hospital! Of interest is the advert for Fianna Fáil in advance of the election the following week. The final section is part of a chart show.
The tape begins at around 2200 on Saturday 6th June 1981 but is partially airchecked. The chart show is probably from the following day, 7th June. Thanks to Lilian O’Donoghue for the donation.
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KISS FM (1982-1984) was one of several offshoots of the large Dublin pirate radio Nova. In this recording, Nova founder and boss Chris Cary is on air using the name Harry Cary. He is followed by Chris Barry with a late-night programme. The final part of the recording switches from KISS FM to Nova itself for a few minutes. ‘Independent Radio News from Ireland’ on both services is read by Ken Hammond, who would go on to have a career in RTÉ.
The recording was made from from 102.7 FM and then 88.2 FM on Sunday 10th April 1983 between 2040-2114. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.