The Dublin pirate scene was alive and well in the summer of 1986. Radio Nova had closed suddenly in March, to be replaced by Energy 103. Other super-pirates Sunshine Radio and Q102 took advantage of the change to consolidate their positions in the crowded market. Smaller stations continued to chug along serving their own niche audiences or communities while pirates from nearby counties could be heard easily in the capital, particularly on AM.
This airchecked recording captures some of the variety to be heard in Dublin that summer and includes excerpts from KISS FM (Dublin 1), Capitol Radio, Radio Dublin, Q102, Sunshine 101, Energy 103, Bray Local Broadcasting (BLB), Community Radio Fingal (CRF) and Boyneside Radio. It was made on 19th June 1986 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.
This is a selection of the first cut of ARD jingles from 1978 and 1979. Many include reference to the station’s announced wavelength of 257 metres, which was equivalent to frequencies between 1134 and 1161 kHz during ARD/Radio 257’s existence. In the days before digital read-outs, the precise frequency was less important. Some jingles are generic and idents for ARD news, weather, sports and traffic are also heard. The set finishes with the original ’24 hours a day’ jingle from KACY 1520 in California that was re-cut by ARD and voiced by Tony Allan.
The recording was made originally by Kieran Murray and is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.
The late Tony Allan in Big D in 1981 (courtesy DX Archive).
This is a selection of jingles and adverts from popular Dublin station Big D in 1980. The jingles are mostly generic but include some with the Big D name and others for the James Dillon show. Tony Allan voices an advert for Air Florida and there’s mention of a Big D trip to Florida itself. Simon Young is heard on a promo for Sloopy’s nightclub and other late night venues and an advert for the Red Corner shop refers to the inflation of the 1980s. A Big D promo is voiced by Bryan Lambert and there’s a advert for Tamango’s nightclub in Portmarnock, which would later be associated with Sunshine Radio based in the same hotel. Strangely, the adverts include one for the Nightmoves programme on RTÉ.
Big D began broadcasting on April 10th 1978 following a split from Radio Dublin. It was founded by former Radio Dublin DJ James Dillon and backed by businessman Noel Kirwan. Big D closed in December 1981 in the context of increased competition and professionalism in the Dublin radio market. There is some audio distortion and bleedthrough from another source, due either to an issue when recorded or to the deterioration of the cassette. Below is a a better quality but short recording of additional Big D jingles, made by Kieran Murray.
Additional Big D jingles
These recordings are from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.
L-R: Chris Barry, Ed McDowell and Alan Russell in December 1978 (courtesy Alan Russell).
Here’s a selection of Christmas jingles from Capitol Radio (226 metres) from 1980. Capitol’s first Christmas on air was in 1978 and Alan Russell has shared his memories of that period with us.
‘I have some memories of that particular December being our first Capitol Christmas. The founder of ALONE Willie Bermingham was a fireman based in the nearby Pearse Street fire station and I can recall several interviews with Willie in the run-up to Christmas encouraging folks to look out for elderly neighbours. On Christmas Day we had live programmes and presenters. Back in 1978, the buses were off until St. Stephen’s Day and taxis were non-existent. On tuning in after Christmas lunch at my family home, I was horrified to hear the presenter getting progressively drunker! I had forgotten a small bottle of Smirnoff left in the postal boxes for any guests or business associates and the presenter was availing of the Christmas spirit – literally. I was five miles from the city centre and with no immediate transport other than walking or hitching, it was a nightmare (though probably entertaining for some!) that continued for a while, until Chris Barry reached Bachelors Walk and restored normality. The weather was particularly wintry with heavy ice on the ground, so hopping on a cycle or even a motorcycle to reach the station in the city centre was not an option’.
Copy of cassette of original Capitol jingles supplied by Bryan Lambert (courtesy Alan Russell).
The jingles were a package used by a Capitol Radio in South Africa, and were heard also on the later station of the same name in Dublin (1983-1988). Alan Russell remembers that a few days after they began using the jingles, two men purporting to be from the South African embassy called to Capitol, telling them to cease using them. ‘Although they never gained admittance to the studios and were kept outside the main door – reinforced with a steel plate and a barrier – I spoke to them and they weren’t Irish guys having a laugh. This was around the time of the anti-apartheid movement in Ireland and we had interviewed Kadar Asmal, so they seemed plausible. I noted their complaint and reminded them they were in Ireland not South Africa so the heavy attitude wasn’t going to work’.
These jingles were kindly donated by Alan Russell.
Waterford Local Radio (WLR) began broadcasting in 1978 and continued until the pirate shutdowns of 1988. It was one of the few countywide pirates to be licensed in 1989 and continues to hold the Co. Waterford franchise, still using the WLR name. Here is a selection of promos, adverts and jingles from 1982 and 1983. There is also a snippet of news read by Elinor O’Brien and a clip of Tony Weldon introducing Teatime Special. The jingles are from an Alfasound package and the voice of Bill Mitchell is hear on sweepers.
WLR broadcast on 1197 kHz AM (announcing 252 metres) and 88.8 FM. It was a professional station with a more community-focused approach than its main rival, ABC. We thank former WLR DJ Colin Kennedy for this donation.
