Full recordings Archives - Page 30 of 99 - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

25th December 202214th November 2023

Christmas Night on Q102

This recording of Dublin super-pirate Q102 is from Christmas Night 1986. It begins with Eamonn Kelly who is finishing up a marathon 6-hour shift. Talk is limited reflecting the station’s format and the day that’s in it, and there are just a few requests for listeners and a weather bulletin. An advert for the 1987 Q102 diary is heard and the top-of-the-hour promo is sponsored by Sony. Eamonn is followed at midnight by Ken Harley, who is facing into another 6-hour show.

Part 1 of the recording above runs from 2231-2319 and Part 2 below from 2349-0037.

Part 2 from 2349.

Eamonn was heard previously on Cork stations WBEN and ERI and KISS FM in Foley Street in Dublin. Ken also worked on Big D, ARD, Radio Leinster and Radio Nova, and had previously made adverts for Nova in Bay City Studios. Listen to an interview with him here.

The recording was made from 103.5 FM on December 25^th and 26^th 1986 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

25th December 202214th November 2023

Laois Community Radio on Christmas Day

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Laois Community Radio (LCR) broadcast from early 1982 for six years from the town of Mountrath, closing down on 31st December 1988 along with the vast majority of the other pirate stations. This recording was made on Christmas Day 1987 and features Jimmy Hayes with the Nashville Sound show. The music is country and bluegrass and there are Christmas requests and a promo urging listeners to support the businesses advertising on LCR. At the time, the station broadcast daily from 9am to 11pm on 1242 kHz and on 101.5 and 102 FM.

The recording was made from one of LCR’s two FM frequencies from 1713-1800 (the times on the label are incorrect) on 25^th December 1987. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated by Paul Davidson.

24th December 202214th November 2023

Final Christmas Eve on Heartbeat FM

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This is a recording of the final Christmas Eve on Dublin love song station Heartbeat FM from 1988. John Keogh is on air from an unnamed pub with plenty of festive music and requests. He reminds listeners that there are only six days left before Heartbeat closes down and the iconic ‘final countdown’ promo is aired. Adverts of interest include one for a course in computer keyboard skills and another for ‘Bros-look outfits’.

Heartbeat was launched in November 1986 and quickly gained a strong listenership due to its love song format. It changed its name to Cara 95 FM in 1987 but reverted back to Heartbeat due to popular demand. Heartbeat closed at the end of December 1988 in line with the new legislation.

The tape was recorded from 95.5 FM from 1417-1502 on 24^th December 1988 and is partly airchecked. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

24th December 202214th November 2023

Centre Radio on Christmas Eve 1986

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Of the many pirates in the decade 1978-1988, Centre Radio was not well known beyond its immediate area in northeast Dublin but it is an important part of the history of Pirate.ie because both co-founders of this site were involved with it. Brian Greene, known as Bobby Gibbson on air, was one of those who started Centre Radio on 19^th December 1986 at the Baldoyle Youth Club in Dublin 13 and John Walsh was also involved. Reflecting the young age of the DJs, Centre Radio was only on air during school holidays in 1986 and 1987 but began daily broadcasting in spring 1988. It closed at midnight on New Year’s Eve that year.

Centre Radio broadcast on several frequencies on the FM band during its two years on air, beginning with 88 MHz during its first outing at the end of 1986. In this recording from Christmas Eve that year, Eric Delaney is on air and is followed by Brian Greene at 9pm. Adverts for local businesses are also heard. Another familiar name on radio in this part of Dublin, Derek Jones, is to take over from 11pm.

Our tape was recorded from 2020-2105 on December 24^th 1986 and is from the Leon Tipler Tapes Collection, donated to us by Steve England.

24th December 202214th November 2023

South Coast Radio on Christmas Eve

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This recording of South Coast Radio is from Christmas Eve 1982, at the end of the popular Cork station’s first year of broadcasting. On air is veteran English DJ Stevie Dunne who had previously worked on offshore stations Radio Caroline and the Voice of Peace. He was also heard on Sunshine Radio and Radio Nova in Dublin during the pirate era. Stevie is currently programme director of Dutch AM station Radio Seagull. There are promos for a broadcast of the original ‘War of the Worlds’ programme by Orson Welles from 1938 and a spot featuring South Coast Radio’s very own Cinderella on Christmas Day. News is edited and is read by an unidentified presenter.

The recording was made from 104 FM from 1846-1935 on Friday 24^th December 1982. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson. Although the label refers to an ‘ERI Song for Christmas’, the tape includes a song about South Coast Radio itself, with no obvious reference to its rival station.