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Early Cork series: More Christmas Day on Radio City

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Early Cork series: More Christmas Day on Radio City
Pat O’Rourke in festive mood at Christmas 1980 (courtesy Lilian O’Donoghue).

This additional recording from Christmas Day 1980 on Cork pirate Radio City features popular DJ Pat ‘the Smurf’ O’Rourke, complete with canned Smurf laughter. Pat shares requests from listeners and reads out a letter from number one fan Lilian McCarthy (O’Donoghue). He is followed by Steve Douglas and Luke Ward, who promise an interview with Bono of U2. Audio quality is fair with some variation in levels and there are issues with the microphone at times.  

The partially airchecked recording runs from around 1600-1825 on 25th December 1980 and was recorded from 95.7 FM. Thanks to Lilian O’Donoghue for the donation.

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Drivetime on Centre Radio from Cork

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Drivetime on Centre Radio from Cork
Eric Young (Kevin Cussens) at Centre Radio in 1987 (Anoraks Ireland Collection).

Centre Radio was a Cork pirate broadcasting from late 1986 to the end of 1988. It was first located in Shandon Street in the city centre and then moved to Dublin Hill on the northside. An FM station only, it first broadcast on 101.5 and then 101, before moving to 95 MHz.  

This recording from towards the end of its run features the end of the 95 FM Drive show with station boss Eric Young (aka Kevin Cussens), consisting mostly of chart music with short links. The tape is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection and was made from 95 FM between 1832-1903 on Thursday 3rd November 1988.

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Early Cork series: Lunchtime on Radio City

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Early Cork series: Lunchtime on Radio City
Pete Andrews (O’Neill) at Radio City in 1980 (courtesy Lilian O’Donoghue).

Pete Andrews (O’Neill) was a familiar voice on Cork pirate radio, and was heard on the early stations of the late 1970s before setting up Radio City in 1980 with Dan Noonan. Here he is on the Lunchtime Special from spring 1981 with a mixture of chart, classics and a bit of country. Features include the Golden Year, for sale slot, featured album, record of the week, weather forecast and the Top 10 from the Radio City Top 50. Many of the adverts are voiced by Pete, who also reads news headlines on the hour. Such was the multi-tasking of pirate radio!

The recording was made from 95.7 FM between 1202-1403 on 23rd March 1981 and is courtesy of Lilian O’Donoghue.

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Anoraks Show on Radio West from spring 1988

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Anoraks Show on Radio West from spring 1988
West National Radio 3 notepaper (courtesy DX Archive).

The Anoraks’ Show on Radio West, later West National Radio 3, was a weekly review of the Irish pirate radio scene. It was presented by station boss Shaun Coyne and was renowned for being unpredictable and heavy on gossip and rumour. This edition of the Anoraks’ Show from spring 1988 includes news about the closure of Radio Carousel in Dundalk and Drogheda, the new KISS FM in Monaghan, Longford Community Radio, Breffni Radio and Northern Star. Shaun also recounts how West National Radio 3 was considering buying Hits 954 in Limerick, but that station was recently acquired by Coast 103 in Galway. There is also reference to revisions of the impending legislation to silence the pirates and introduce licensed local radio. Shaun is joined in studio by Willie Harte, who can barely get a word in!

The tape was made from 702 kHz AM between 1057-1131 on Sunday, 24th April 1988 and is partially airchecked. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.

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Drivetime on Magic 103

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Drivetime on Magic 103
Magic 103 studios (courtesy DX Archive).

Magic 103 was launched by Radio Nova on April 29th 1985, promoting itself as an easy-listening and information service for Dublin. This placed the station more in competition with RTÉ Radio 1 than Radio 2, but it never really found its feet and presentation and production standards were mixed during its short period on air. Magic 103 closed on 22nd September and the laying off of staff worsened a dispute with the National Union of Journalists, which would ultimately contribute to the demise of Radio Nova.    

The tape begins with the end of the afternoon show with Mark Weller (Costigan) and Linda Conway, which includes an interview related to one of the day’s news stories. ABC Network News on the hour is broadcast on both Magic 103 and Radio Nova. Shane Mac Gabhann and Dave Johnson (Andrew Hanlon) follow the 1700 news with a drivetime news and music show, including a newspaper review, sports news, community information, a book feature and an entertainment guide.

The recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection and was made from 103.5 FM between 1645-1818 on Wednesday 17th July 1985.