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Closedown of Capitol Radio/Nitesky 96

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Closedown of Capitol Radio/Nitesky 96
Ad for Capitol-Nitesky in the Sunday World in 1986 (Alan MacSiomoin Collection).

Capitol Radio was Dublin’s alternative music station, broadcasting for five-and-a-half years from mid-1983 until the end of 1988. It began by playing album tracks but focused more on alternative/indie in its last two years on air, supporting the many new Irish bands on the growing Dublin music scene. In summer 1986, Capitol launched an evening service, Nitesky 96, which experimented with specialist shows and further promoted indie bands. It had a loyal following among listeners unserved by the ‘hot hits’ format that was popular among the pirate stations and ran a weekly ‘Alternative Night’ in the iconic McGonagle’s nightclub in South Anne Street, to where the station moved its premises in later years.

This recording is of the final half-hour of Capitol/Nitesky on New Year’s Eve 1988 as it prepared to close down for good. On air is station manager Conor Brooks with Tony Lewis and Killian Forde in studio. There is a link-up to a closedown event at Side’s nightclub in Dame Street, from where DJs John Kiely and Matt Dempsey give updates via a scratchy phone line. Conor thanks listeners, advertisers and presenters for their support, singling out McGonagle’s which was so important to Capitol/Nitesky in later years. He also underlines the relationship between the station and the emerging Irish indie scene, saying that one fed the other and distinguished Capitol/Nitesky from mainstream radio stations.

The recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection and was made from 95.8 FM on 31st December 1988 from 2333-0002. It is followed by the sound of the FM transmitter being switched off. A longer airchecked version of the final two hours on air is available below and includes other DJs Tony Gahan and Neil Hayes as well as a visit from Bryan Lambert of Class Radio, which had closed down a few hours earlier.

Longer airchecked version of final 2 hours (Anoraks Ireland Collection).
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Good Day Sunshine with Tony Dixon

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Good Day Sunshine with Tony Dixon
Tony Dixon (left) in the Sunshine days (courtesy Marisa Dixon).

Tony Dixon (RIP) was one of the best-known DJs on Dublin’s Sunshine Radio in the 1980s, presenting Good Day Sunshine every afternoon and also a popular weekend soul programme. This recording from 1982 features part of Good Day Sunshine with the usual mix of music and chat. A commercial break includes a promo for the Sunshine Radio Roadshow in a Dublin nightclub that weekend and there’s also a weather check at half past the hour.

Tony began his radio career on early Dublin pirate Big D in the late 1970s, before moving on to Sunshine. In the licensed era, he broadcast on Dublin station FM104 but died prematurely on 25th November 2010. This recording is airchecked and was made after 3pm on 29th August 1982 from 100.5 FM. Thanks to Shay Geoghegan for the donation.

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St. Ita’s Hospital Radio closes after more than 40 years

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St. Ita's Hospital Radio closes after more than 40 years
Manager Tom Noctor in 2019 (photo by Brian Greene)

On 30th November 2024 one of Ireland’s longest-running radio stations, St. Ita’s Hospital Radio in north Co. Dublin, closed down. Based at the former St. Ita’s Hospital complex in the seaside village of Portrane, the radio station began broadcasting as a pirate in December 1983. A report by Anoraks Ireland from March 1984 lists ‘Hospital Radio, c/o The Rehabilitation Hospital, Portrane, Co. Dublin’ and the station features on 97.1 FM in logs from 1985 onwards. There are few known recordings of the station so we are delighted to share this short extract from a show presented by Seán Cahill. The undated tape is in the Pirate.ie collection but we estimate it to be from October 1985.

Hospital Radio recording from October 1985 (estimated)

St. Ita’s Hospital Radio was one of a handful of pirates to continue broadcasting after new broadcasting laws came into effect in 1989. However, unlike others who risked stiff penalties if caught, St. Ita’s was granted a dispensation from the requirement to close down by the then Minister for Communications, Ray Burke, in whose constituency the station was located. St. Ita’s Hospital Radio manager from 1989, Tom Noctor, said that it was in effect the first independent station in Ireland to be licensed, as the dispensation was granted before licences were awarded to larger commercial stations. Apart from a brief break in 1994, St. Ita’s broadcast continuously on low power (89.5 FM) to Portrane and later also online but on 23rd November 2024, it announced on its Facebook page that it would close down a week later on 30th November. A new online station replaced the original FM service.

St. Ita's Hospital Radio closes after more than 40 years

After serving St. Ita’s Hospital for over 40 years, the station will officially go off the air, marking the end of an era for the cherished service that has brought comfort, entertainment and a sense of connection to countless listeners, staff, family and friends at St. Ita’s Hospital Campus, Portrane, Co. Dublin.

“This is a deeply emotional moment for all of us,” said Tom Noctor, Station Manager. “For decades, St. Ita’s has been more than just a radio station; it’s been a lifeline for all connected to St. Ita’s Hospital and the surrounding area of North County Dublin. We are incredibly proud of the legacy we leave behind and grateful to everyone who has supported us on this journey.”

Despite the closure, the station’s team hopes its spirit will live on in the memories of those it touched.

St. Ita's Hospital Radio closes after more than 40 years
Sign at Hospital Radio studios in 2019 (photo by Brian Greene)

No official reason was given for the closure of St. Ita’s Hospital Radio but there have been no patients in the original hospital buildings since 2013 and today the campus is a designated architectural conservation area and the site of the National Forensic Mental Health Service. It is unfortunate that the Health Services Executive did not seize the opportunity to develop the station as a way of supporting mental health and wellbeing in the community.  

St. Ita's Hospital Radio closes after more than 40 years
Hospital Radio studios in 2019 (photo by Brian Greene)

Brian Greene of Pirate.ie visited St. Ita’s Hospital Radio in 2019 and interviewed Tom Noctor about the station’s history and its role in the community. This interview was first broadcast on the media show Wireless on Flirt FM in Galway in April 2019.

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More of Dublin’s Capitol Radio in summer 1979

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More of Dublin's Capitol Radio in summer 1979
Capitol Radio compliments slip (courtesy lan Russell)

Today’s recording is a short excerpt of one of the Dublin pirate stations of the late 1970s, Capitol Radio, as recorded by English radio anorak Leon Tipler during a visit to Ireland in July 1979. Station co-founder Alan Russell reminds listeners of a chance to win a bottle of wine and gives a postal address on the South Circular Road, or people can drop into the studios on Bachelors Walk. Coming up after Alan is another co-founder of the station, Chris Barry. At the very end is a quick tune around AM, giving a taste of the amount of broadcasters on the band at the time.

The recording is undated but is likely from 19th or 20th July 1979 and begins shortly before 1000. It was recorded from 1332 kHz, announcing 226 metres. Capitol Radio broadcast initially on a part-time basis for a few months in 1975 but returned as full-time operation in 1978, offering a mixture of music, talk and specialist programmes. Thanks to Steve England for sharing Leon Tipler’s recordings with us.

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Bank holiday competition on Kilkenny Community Radio

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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.