Full recordings Archives - Page 18 of 99 - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

16th June 202312th June 2023

Summer sounds on Munster Broadcasting Corporation

The Munster Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) was one of the smaller Limerick pirates, broadcasting in 1986. Despite the gradiose name, the station was situated in a tiny loft room on Catherine Street in the city centre. It claimed coverage of counties Limerick, Clare and Tipperary on various FM frequencies, but most of the advertisements were from Limerick City itself. This recording from July 1986 features the lunchtime show with current pop hits presented by Will Rogers, who had one of the stranger mid-Atlantic accents of the pirate era. He also features on many of the adverts. MBC was relaunched as Stereo Radio Munster in 1987.

The tape may have been recorded from one of the Limerick City frequencies, 95.9 or 98.6 FM. There is no date but Part 1 above runs from 1304-1349 and Part 2 below from 1351-1437.

Part 2 from 1351.

The tape is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

14th June 20233rd June 2023

Border series: Radio Star Country breakfast show heard in Norway

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This recording of Radio Star Country from western Norway was made almost a year after the Monaghan station defied the new broadcasting laws and stayed on air, one of a handful of Irish pirates to do so. Isobel Byrne (RIP), the wife of station founder and owner Gerry Byrne presents the breakfast programme. There are very long commercial breaks, featuring mostly Northern businesses and releases and concerts by country music stars. The voice of former offshore pirate legend Don Allen (RIP) is heard on adverts and promos remind listeners that Radio Star Country is Ireland’s only country music station.

Audio quality ranges from poor to dire with deep fading and is for serious DXers. There is also wobble on the tape in places due to the passage of time. The recording was made from 981 kHz from 0833-0915 on 5^th November 1989 in Solsvik in western Norway, using a Drake SPR-4 receiver with a 200-metre Beverage antenna aimed towards the southwest. It is kindly donated by Svenn Martinsen.

11th June 202312th June 2023

Ballincollig Community Radio from 1988

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Ballincollig Community Radio broadcast to the large Cork suburb of Ballincollig for the latter part of 1988 at the end of the pirate era. The station operated on FM only and in this recording from November 1988, station manager Margaret Mahon is heard with a mixture of country, ballads and classical music. There are community announcements, a competition for tickets to attend a local céilí and an interview with showband singer Laurie Hartz after a concert in Bandon.

The recording was made from 103.6 FM, announced as 104 on air, on 4^th November 1988. An Anoraks Ireland log from the same date recorded the address as 2, The Arcade, The Square, Ballincollig. Part 1 above runs from 1244-1330 and Part 2 below from 1331-1417.

Part 2 from 1331

The tape is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

7th June 20233rd June 2023

Border series: non-stop Radio Star Country as heard in Norway

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This recording of Radio Star Country was made in Solsvik in western Norway, northwest of Bergen and facing the North Sea. It features non-stop music in early 1989, not long after all the Irish pirates were suposed to leave the airwaves in the new era of licensed radio. The automated programme includes a promo voiced by the late Don Allen announcing the frequency of 981 kHz or 305 metres, to which Radio Star Country had moved a few weeks previously. The Swan Lake Hotel in Monaghan Town is referenced as the station’s address and a number in Armagh is given for advertising. After 25 minutes the tape changes to another recording featuring a male DJ and adverts for businesses north and south of the border. It is not clear if this was recorded on the same day or on another occasion.

The press photo is from the newspaper Vestnytt on September 4^th 1996 and shows the donor of this recording, Svenn Martinsen with his receivers ESKA RX33 DX, Drake SPR-4, Hammarlund SP600 JX21 and Autophon E627. The headline translates as ‘Radioactive priest’, reflecting Svenn’s profession. He recalls: ‘I mostly used the Drake SPR-4 for listening to Radio Star Country 981, Radio North 846, North Atlantic 846, 954 and 1116 and other Irish stations’.

Due to the distance between the transmitter and receiver, there is deep fading at various points in the tape, with the Algerian station on the same frequency coming through underneath. The recording was made on 16^th February 1989 from 0745-0813 on a Drake SPR-4 receiver with a 200-metre Beverage antenna aimed towards the southwest from the western Norwegian coast. Many thanks to Svenn for the donation.

5th June 202327th May 2023

June bank holiday Monday 1985 on Q102

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Dublin’s new ‘super-pirate’ Q102 held an on-air charity auction on the June bank holiday 1985 in aid of the Burton Hall mental health charity. First up in this recording are Martin Block and Jason Maine taking bids from listeners and offers of prizes for auction from businesses around the city. Later Scott Williams and Anne Cassin announce the big auction prize of a 20 inch colour television. Adverts are aired for large businesses such as Nissan Windsor Motors, Brennan’s bread, the Evening Herald newspaper and USIT Holidays. News on the hour is read by Anne Cassin and Gary Hamill (aka Seán McCarthy), with sports headlines from John Kenny.

The recording was made from 102 FM on Monday 3^rd June 1985. Part 1 above runs from 1351 and Part 2 below from 1449.

Part 2 from 1449.

There is some wobble in the audio due to degredation of the cassette. The recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.