Full recordings Archives - Page 72 of 116 - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

15th November 20217th November 2021

Radio Nova as heard in Cumbria

Radio Nova courted listeners on the west coast of Britain throughout its five-year existence from 1981-1986. By the spring of 1983, it had a 10 kW transmitter in operation on 819 kHz, with a 50 kW rig ready to go into service. Expansion plans were set back by the infamous raid of 18^th Mary 1983, and when it returned to the air, Nova operated on lower power for a while and switched frequencies between 828 kHz and 819 kHz.

This recording was made from 828 kHz AM in Cumbria on 29^th June 1983 from 2045-2115. Colm Hayes is on air announcing AM only, because Nova’s 88 FM frequency was at this time used for an specialist service called Super Nova every evening. News is read by David Malone. Reception is reasonably strong but noticeably weaker than in other periods and it would be autumn 1983 before Nova resumed high-power broadcasting on AM.

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

12th November 202110th November 2021

Dr. Don hosts a phone-in on ARD

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ARD (Alternative Radio Dublin) first broadcast on July 31^st 1976 on 217 metres. It was set up by Declan Meehan, Mark Story and Davitt Kelly (RIP). Following a split at Radio Dublin, the late Don Moore (Dr. Don) joined ARD and it moved to 1161 kHz (announcing 257 metres), next to its rival on 253 metres. The competition between Radio Dublin and ARD forced up standards as both stations experimented with extending broadcast hours and more professional programming. Don Moore developed ARD into a credible station in its own right and planned to seek a licence.

In this recording from 1978, Dr. Don is heard hosting a lively phone-in on a Sunday afternoon. Listeners sing their favourite songs on air and appreciate Don’s zany style, corny jokes and canned laughter. We get a real sense of a rapport with listeners and this recording reminds us that Don was a gifted and natural broadcaster. The voices of the late Tony Allen and Dave C are heard on ads and promos.

This recording was made from 1161 kHz (announcing 257 metres) from 1620-1700 on 4^th June 1978. Thanks to Ian Biggar for the donation.

10th November 20219th November 2021

Dr. Don closes Radio Dublin in 1976

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Under the direction of the late Don Moore, Radio Dublin began night-time broadcasting in 1976, expanding the station’s presence on air beyond the usual Sunday afternoon slot. However, the extended hours drew the attention of the authorities and Radio Dublin was raided on Wednesday 15^th September 1976.

This recording was made from 227 metres medium wave on Friday 17^th September and was the station’s final night-time broadcast for the foreseeable future. A subdued Dr. Don opens the half-hour broadcast, which contains plenty of pirate-themed music. There are also recordings of other DJs such as Dave C., Paul Downey and John Walsh (nothing to the John Walsh of this site!).

Listeners are urged to join the Radio Dublin club to support the station. It would be another year before Radio Dublin began periods of full-time broadcasting in September 1977, prompting the transition from the pirates as hobbyists to more serious stations. This recording was made originally by Kieran Murray and was kindly shared by Ian Biggar.

3rd November 20212nd November 2021

Disco Top 30 with Simon Young on Big D

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This is another recording of popular DJ Simon Young (RIP) presenting the Top 30 Disco Survey on the Big D in 1981. Sloopy’s Nightclub sponsors the survey and Simon promos the Big D Boogie Night held in Sloopy’s on Tuesday nights. The voices of the late Dave C and Tony Allen are heard on ads and station idents. Simon Young went on to become one of the leading DJs on RTÉ 2FM.

Below is a letter sent by Simon in 1979 to Ian Biggar, confirming his reception report of Big D in Scotland.

This recording is undated but it was made from 99.5 FM on a Monday evening from 2215-2300 sometime in the spring of 1981. Thanks to Shay Geoghegan for the donation.

1st November 202130th October 2022

Simon Young (RIP) on the Big D

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The death of the popular and talented radio presenter Simon Young was announced on 31^st October 2021. Like so many other household names in the radio world, Simon began his career in the pirates. In this recording from 1981, he is heard presenting his weekly American soul and disco show on the Big D. A rowdy crowd in the studio is chatting away in the background and enjoying the tunes. There’s a reference to the Big D Boogie Night broadcast from Sloopy’s nightclub on Fleet St. and indeed Sloopy’s is the sponsor of the disco Top 30. Simon, whose real name was Thomas Meade, went on to become a well-known DJ on RTÉ 2FM.

The Big D was a pioneering pirate station that contributed to the transformation of the Dublin radio scene in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It began broadcasting on April 10^th 1978 as a result of a split in Radio Dublin, was run by James Dillon and backed by businessman Noel Kirwan. The station was raided on June 15^th but returned to the air after a short time. In addition to Simon Young, many big names of radio in the 1980s and beyond were heard on the Big D including Marty Whelan, Gerry Ryan, John Clarke, Dave Fanning and Declan Meehan. Several were poached by RTÉ when Radio 2 was set up in 1979. The Big D closed in December 1981 in the context of increased competition in the Dublin radio market.

The recording was made from 99.5 FM on 9^th March 1981 from 2140-2245. Big D also broadcast on 1116 kHz AM, announcing 273 metres. Thanks to Shay Geoghegan for the donation.