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Gospel 98 FM was a short-lived offshoot of Donegal station Radio North and an example of the long-standing religious programming on the station itself or on related services. It began broadcasting on 11th December 1989 from Shrove Head outside Greencastle on the Inishowen Peninsula. A promotional poster described the new station’s aim as promoting ‘vibrant, joyful, biblical Christianity’ over the airwaves. Gospel 98 was to be controlled and staffed by committed Christians who aimed to produce short bible studies, youth programmes and programmes for older people. The station’s ethos was described as non-denominational but also Evangelical Christian and it was envisaged that programmes would be sponsored.
This short recording is of a test transmission the day before Gospel 98 went on air and features music interspersed with recorded messages. The station was to broadcast from Monday to Saturday from 1500-1900 and promised gospel music and ‘lively content’. The tape was made in Lancashire on Sunday 10th December 1989 from 97.8 FM during an FM lift and is courtesy of Gary Hogg. Thanks to Ian Biggar for the image. Audio quality is fair and characterised by fading as to be expected some distance from the transmitter.
On 2nd March 1990, the Donegal Democrat reported that Gospel 98 had been put off the air by a storm the previous weekend. The station seems to have vanished after that and there does not appear to be a direct link with Gospel 846, an AM religious service linked to Radio North that was set up in 1999 when the main station moved to FM only.