Interview with Paul Davidson of Anoraks Ireland on Centre Radio

Interview with Paul Davidson of Anoraks Ireland on Centre Radio
Anoraks Ireland card and logo with Paul Davidson’s name.

On its final day of broadcasting on 31st December 1988, there was a serious anorak feel to Centre Radio in Bayside as it looked back at the pirate radio scene and caught up with those who had been involved with it. During his final show, Richard Taylor (John Walsh) interviewed Paul Davidson of Anoraks Ireland who had recorded and documented so much of Irish pirate radio in the 1980s. In the recording above which was made after 8pm, John asked Paul who was still on air in Dublin and got his views about the forthcoming legalisation of local radio.

Interview with Paul Davidson of Anoraks Ireland on Centre Radio
Centre Radio, Christmas 1986. L-R behind: Liam Ward, Brian Greene, Pauline Reddin, Declan Meade, Eamonn Roe. L-R front: Iris Conroy, Peter Walsh.

Earlier at 3pm on December 31st, Brian Greene interviewed Derek Jones and got his thoughts on the final day of pirate radio. Derek was one of those behind the shortwave station Radio Valleri based in Baldoyle, Dublin 13 and in 1986, he got involved with Big Beat Radio also in Baldoyle. Big Beat was a summer youth station which preceded Centre Radio and many of the same young DJs were involved.

Interview with Paul Davidson of Anoraks Ireland on Centre Radio
Derek Jones at Centre Radio, Christmas 1986.

Derek continues to broadcast today and in this extended interview with Brian Greene, he looks back at many happy decades behind the microphone.