David Dennehy on Sunshine Radio

David Dennehy on Sunshine Radio
David Dennehy as featured in the Sunshine Review 1985 (courtesy of DX Archive).

David Dennehy was a popular presenter on Sunshine Radio in the 1980s. Here he is in relaxed mood on late-night Sunshine on 11th September 1982. After two years on air, Sunshine was well-established as one of the two big Dublin pirates at this time.

From 10pm David presents the Album Top 30. News on the hour is read by Cathy Cregan.

The recording runs from 2125-2216 and was recorded from 101 FM. It is from the Leon Tipler Tapes Collection, donated to us by Steve England.

Pirate Pioneers: late night Channel 70

Pirate Pioneers: late night Channel 70
Channel 70 QSL courtesy of Mike Barraclough.

Channel 70 was one of several Irish pirate pioneers in Dublin in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Although short-lived hobby stations with irregular hours and low power, they paved the way for the next generation of full-time pirates from the late 1970s.

Channel 70 was one such station, broadcasting regularly from Monkstown in Co. Dublin between 1970 and 1972. Operated by Jack O’Carroll, it broadcast on 1320 kHz (announcing 227 metres) using 100 watts into an inverted L. The station was heard over a wide area and was popular with DXers. It was usually on air around midnight on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

This is an undated recording (probably from 1971) of Channel 70 featuring ‘Gary Logan’ (aka Jack O’Carroll) on his regular soul music programme, beginning at about 0015. There is also a reference to the British offshore pirate Radio 255, which was heard in Dublin. Many thanks to Bill Ebrill for the donation.

Tony and Declan King on Sunshine Radio

Tony and Declan King on Sunshine Radio
Tony King (Plunkett) and Declan King in the Sunshine Review from 1985 (courtesy DX Archive).

This is an excerpt from the Saturday afternoon sports programme on Sunshine Radio on 11th September 1982, as recorded by Leon Tipler on one of his regular visits to Dublin to document the Irish scene. It was made from 101 FM from 1550-1626 and features presenters Tony King (Plunkett) and Declan King. Tony had worked previously with other stations such as ARD. News is read by Cathy Cregan, another well-known voice of the time, and still a broadcaster today. The headlines include a story about Declan Flynn, the gay man who was murdered in Fairview Park two days previously. His death was a turning point in the campaign for LGBTQ+ rights in Ireland.

This recording is from the Leon Tipler Tapes Collection, donated to us by Steve England.

More Stevie Dunne on Sunshine Radio

More Stevie Dunne on Sunshine Radio
Early Sunshine compliments slip (courtesy of Ian Biggar).

This recording is of veteran English DJ Stevie Dunne (Stevie Gordon) on Sunshine Radio from 1410-1456 on 12th February 1981. Stevie did stints with the offshore stations Voice of Peace and Radio Caroline and was the last voice to be heard from the Mi Amigo before it sank in 1980. After coming to Dublin, he used the radio name Stevie Dunne to avoid confusion with another English DJ, Steve Gordon, who worked with Radio Leinster and also presented on Sunshine and Radio Nova on a stand-in basis. Stevie Dunne went on to work at Nova and South Coast Radio in Cork before moving to Scandinavia. He is currently Programme Director of Radio Seagull, which broadcasts on AM in the Netherlands.

There is co-channel interference on this recording, as it was made in Scotland by Ken Baird, some distance from the transmitter on 531 kHz. We thank John Breslin for the donation.

Declan Meehan and Stevie Dunne on Sunshine Radio

Declan Meehan and Stevie Dunne on Sunshine Radio
Declan Meehan in the Sunshine studio in 1981 (photo courtesy of Ian Biggar).

This early recording of Sunshine Radio features two big names in the radio business since the 1970s, Declan Meehan and Stevie Dunne (Stevie Gordon). Made from 531 kHz AM (announcing 539 metres) from 1323-1410 on 12th February 1981, Declan’s lunchtime programme includes the Call and Collect competition based on a car registration number and various adverts, including one for the Sands Hotel in Portmarnock where Sunshine was based. Declan is followed at 2pm by Stevie, who had previously worked at the offshore station Radio Caroline. He would go on to work in other Irish pirates such as Radio Nova and South Coast Radio in Cork. Listen here to an interview with Declan about his radio career from his time at Sunshine.

There is some co-channel interference on this recording as it was made in Scotland by Ken Baird, outside the core Sunshine AM area. Thanks to John Breslin for the donation.