Bank holiday competition on Kilkenny Community Radio

Bank holiday competition on Kilkenny Community Radio
Studio shot of KCR from 1984 (Anoraks Ireland Collection).

Kilkenny Community Radio (KCR) was one of Ireland’s longest-running pirates in the 1970s and 1980s and among a small number of stations officially affiliated with the National Association of Community Broadcasters. It launched in May 1979 and closed at the end of December 1988 in line with the new broadcasting legislation. The station was based on a co-operative structure, chaired initially by local priest Fr. Gerry Joyce. The current licensed station Community Radio Kilkenny City has links with the original pirate station.

This short airchecked recording of KCR was made in the summer of 1983. The unidentified DJ announces a competition to win a voucher for a local furniture shop. There are adverts for local businesses in Kilkenny City and County and also for national chain Trustee Savings Bank. Audio quality is fair with some fading in places, as the receiver may have been outside the core listening area.

The tape was made from 1625-1643 on Monday 6th June 1983 from 100 FM. It was recorded originally by Kieran Murray and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection. KCR also broadcast on 1386 kHz AM at this time.