Airchecks Archives - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

Early Cork series: Alan Edwards and Luke Ward on Radio City — Radio City advertising card (courtesy DX Archive).

This is another recording of Alan Edwards on his regular Saturday early evening slot on Radio City from 1981. There are the usual requests and a mixture of contemporary hits and oldies. Plenty of adverts are heard, and news headlines are read by Alan himself. He is followed at 1900 by Luke Ward with the weekly Rock City Interviews show.

The partially airchecked recording was made between 1700-1900 on 25^th April 1981 from 95.5 FM. Radio City also broadcast on 1512 kHz AM, announcing 199 metres. Thanks to Lilian O’Donoghue for the donation.

11th February 20268th February 2026

Early Cork series: lunchtime to drivetime on Radio City

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These recordings of Radio City from 1981 include excerpts spanning lunchtime, afternoon and early evening programmes. First up is Carl Johnson (Dan Noonan) with various examples of the 3-in-a-row feature from his daily lunchtime show. We also hear a new DJ in the Afternoon Delights slot, Jamie Roberts, who is clearly still learning the ropes. He is followed by Noel Evans (Welch), with part of the Homerun drivetime show.

Dates of these recordings are uncertain but the cassette label mentions 11^th May 1981. They were made from 95.5 FM and are courtesy of Lilian O’Donoghue.

28th January 202618th January 2026

Early Cork series: More of the lunchtime show on Radio City

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This is another recording of the lunchtime show on Cork pirate Radio City, presented by one of the station founders, Pete Andrews (O’Neill). There are plenty of community notices in this edition, as well as requests and dedications and the usual Golden Year feature. Following Pete, fellow Radio City founder Carl Johnson (Dan Noonan) is heard with the beginning of his Afternoon Delight show.

The partially airchecked recording was made from 95.5 FM between 1202-1403 on Wednesday 8^th April 1981 and is courtesy of Lilian O’Donoghue. Radio City also broadcast on 1512 kHz AM, announcing 199 metres.

29th December 202529th December 2025

Early Cork series: Holiday drivetime on Radio City

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This recording of Cork pirate Radio City features Mike Cagney presenting the drivetime show during the Christmas holidays 1980. The city is teeming with shoppers due to the New Year sales. Mike has a listeners’ competition, quiz of the week and a review of the news and best albums of the year.

The recording was made from 95.7 FM on 29^th December 1980 between 1737-1908 and is partially airchecked. Thanks to Lilian O’Donoghue for the donation.

28th December 202530th December 2025

Country station TTTR at Christmas 1981

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Treble TR (also written as TTTR) was a country and Irish station broadcasting from Dublin from spring 1981 until the end of 1988. TTTR began on 945 kHz AM, announcing 317 metres, adding FM from 1983. A second AM frequency on 891 kHz was added in 1987. TTTR carved out a specialist niche in the Dublin market and held its own until it closed at the end of 1988.

This recording of TTTR at Christmas 1981 features two unidentified DJs playing country tunes, interspersed with adverts for businesses in Dublin and surrounding areas. It was made by Kieran Murray from 945 kHz at around 1500 on 28^th December 1981 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection. The Sunday Journal radio listings from 1981 list Miss Elli and Grace Porter in these timeslots, so it is possible that they are the presenters in question. Audio quality is fair due to a combination of a weak AM signal, cassette degradation and co-channel interference on the frequency due to the time of year. Thanks to Ian Biggar for additional research.