Gerry Stevens on Q102

Gerry Stevens on Q102
Q102 studio shot from 1985 (Anoraks Ireland Collection).

The Dublin super-pirate Q102 ended 1985 on a high after a successful first year of broadcasting. The station prided itself on being Irish-owned in contrast with the city’s other two big pirates, Radio Nova and Sunshine Radio. This recording is of Gerry Stevens on his drivetime show in November 1985. News on the hour is read by Anne Cassin. Gerry Stevens worked subsequently in the licensed Dublin station Q102, which was launched as Lite FM in 2000. Anne Cassin is a television presenter with RTÉ.

Gerry Stevens on Q102
Q102 logo in the studio in 1985 (Anoraks Ireland Collection).

Our tape was made from 102.1 FM from 1635-1708 on 27th November 1985. There is some wobble due to the age of the cassette. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

Jason Maine and Anne Cassin on Q102

Jason Maine and Anne Cassin on Q102
Early Q102 car sticker from 1985 (Anoraks Ireland Collection).

This is a recording of Jason Maine on his afternoon show on Q102 in 1985, about 10 months after the successful Dublin station went on air. There are plenty of adverts in the run-up to Christmas, a competition to win a Fiat Uno car and a £10 giveaway to listeners on the streets who said they listened to Q102. Jason Maine had worked previously with other Dublin pirates including Radio Nova.

Jason Maine and Anne Cassin on Q102
Clipping about Jason Maine in Sunday World, 1986 (Anoraks Ireland Collection).

News is read by Anne Cassin, who went on to become a journalist with RTÉ and is now a presenter of Nationwide.

Jason Maine and Anne Cassin on Q102
Original cassette label from Anoraks Ireland Collection.

This recording was made from 102.1 FM on Wednesday, 27th November 1985. Part 1 above runs from 1321 and Part 2 below from 1411.

Part 2 from 1411.

It is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

Sunday shows on Radio Skywave International

Sunday shows on Radio Skywave International

Radio Skywave International was a shortwave station that broadcast from Baldoyle in northeast Dublin on Sunday mornings from 1985 to 1988. Skywave was one of many hobby shortwave stations broadcasting from Ireland during the pirate era. It was heard on 6260 kHz in the 48-metre band for the first two years or so and later moved to 6850 kHz.

These recordings were made on Sunday 1st December 1985. The first hour above runs from 1100-1200 and is an edition of the Free Radio Programme presented by Dominic Dillon and Fergal. The show includes historical recordings including Radio Leinster on its final day, 19th May 1983, a Christmas Day pantomime from Sunshine Radio (undated but possibly 1984) and Radio Dublin from Christmas Day 1984. There are the usual features on the medium wave, FM and shortwave bands. Free radio news includes mention of a test broadcast by Skywave later in the month on 7475 kHz. The address of PO Box 1686, Dublin 1 is given and there is a promo for Anoraks Ireland.

Sunday shows on Radio Skywave International
Original cassette from Anoraks Ireland Collection.

The second hour below consists of the Mailbag Show presented by station operator Michael Caine (Hegarty) from 1200-1300. He reads out letters and reception reports from Sweden, England and several from East Germany. There are more promos for Anoraks Ireland and Wavelength magazine.  

Mailbag show from 1200.

Radio Skywave International began broadcasting on 29th July 1985 and continued intermittently on Sunday mornings until 12th June 1988. Both recordings are studio copies and are from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson. Radio Skywave International itself donated a large collection of recordings to Pirate.ie.  

Tony Gareth on Radio Nova

Tony Gareth on Radio Nova
Undated photo of Gareth O’Callaghan in the Nova studio (courtesy Noel Hiney).

This recording is of popular DJ Tony Gareth (Gareth O’Callaghan) on Radio Nova in December 1982. There is a large number of adverts in the pre-Christmas period, emphasising the growing commercial success of Nova. Gareth promotes a competition to give away a music system and uses the tag line ‘clutterfree’, the format of continuous music and limited chat for which Nova became renowned. There’s also the 2.15 ‘hit and pick’ request spot for a local business. News is read by Sybil Fennell and the weather forecast covers Northern Ireland and the northwest of England, reflecting Nova’s coverage area. Gareth O’Callaghan went on to work in many other pirate and licensed stations and is still broadcasting today.

This tape was recorded from 88.2 FM from 1400-1450 (news is cut) on 1st December 1982. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson. Nova also broadcast on 819 kHz at this time.

All-night Sunshine Radio

All-night Sunshine Radio
Sunshine sticker from 1986 (courtesy Pat Herbert RIP).

This recording of Dublin’s super-pirate Sunshine Radio was made in the early hours of the October bank holiday Monday 1985. Non-stop music is heard for the first twenty minutes or so, possibly from the Tamango’s nightclub at the Sands Hotel in Portmarnock where Sunshine was based. The Sunshine Radio Review of 1985 lists live music from Tamango’s from midnight to 2am every Saturday morning. This may have been the case also on the Sunday of the bank holiday weekend, although there is no mention of the club during the music sweep. News at 2am is read by Joyce Jackson, who would go on to work as a journalist in RTÉ.

The recording was donated kindly to us by Shay Geoghegan.