Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

31st July 20241st August 2024

John Clarke plays laid-back music on KISS FM

KISS FM was one of the many offshoots of the renowned Dublin station Radio Nova. It was set up by Chris Cary in September 1982, offering specialist programmes for the Dublin audience and absorbing some of the advertising from Nova, such was the success of the main station. However, a jamming campaign by RTÉ and tensions between Cary and the National Union of Journalists put the entire Nova operation at risk and KISS FM closed down on 15^th January 1984.

This recording is of veteran radio presenter John Clarke over the Christmas holidays in 1983, towards the end of KISS FM’s run. The musical style is relaxed and there are relatively few advertisments for the time of year, perhaps reflecting the wider problems affecting Nova. News headlines are read by Ken Hammond, who would go on to become an RTÉ journalist. The tape was made from 102.75 FM between 1634-1708 on Tuesday 27^th December 1983 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.

29th July 202423rd July 2024

Early morning shows on Radio Nova

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1985 was the last full year of Radio Nova, the ambitious radio experiment created by Chris Cary in 1981 that dominated the Dublin radio market for several years. In September 1985, Cary closed the offshoot station Magic 103 and sold transmitters and equipment to rival station Q102. A bitter strike with the National Union of Journalists had resumed and was affecting advertising. Nova closed down in March 1986.

This recording from just before Nova’s final Christmas features the end of Richard Jackson’s overnight slot and the first half hour of the breakfast show with Colm Hayes, who is still heard on Irish radio today. Perhaps due to the early hour, no advertisements are aired and there is no news bulletin at 0600. The recording was made from 102.7 FM between 0544 and 0632 on Monday 16^th December 1985 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.

26th July 202430th July 2024

Midnight megamix from Tamango’s on Sunshine Radio

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Sunshine Radio (1980-1988) was located behind the Sands Hotel in Portmarnock on the north Dublin coast. The hotel itself and the adjoining Tamango’s nightclub were regular advertisers on Sunshine, and the station frequently broadcast live club nights from Tamango’s at the weekend.

This recording from just before Christmas 1985 features part of the Midnight Megamix with Jim Kenny (RIP), broadcast live from Tamango’s. News is read by Joyce Jackson, who would go to to work in RTÉ in the 1990s. The recording was made from 101.5 FM from 0049-1037 on Sunday 15^th December 1985 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.

24th July 202415th June 2024

Northeast series: FRC show #35 on Radio Rainbow International

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This is another episode of the Free Radio Campaign (FRC) on Louth shortwave station Radio Rainbow International (1985-1988). It is presented by Kieran Murray, who describes Radio Rainbow as the biggest free shortwave station in Europe at the time. The Louth station operated on much higher power than other Irish shortwave pirates, and received reception reports from across Europe during its three years on air.

Episode #35 of the FRC show contains Boola Boola by Drifter Sound, the theme tune to Radio Dublin, which was then celebrating its 20^th birthday. There’s the customary 5-minute sweep of jingles and a feature on early 1980s stations ARD and Southside Radio. The free radio newsdesk includes information about the raid on KISS FM in Dublin earlier that month.

The recording was made on Sunday 12^th October 1986 from 1100-1200 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection. This is a studio copy but Radio Rainbow International at this time broadcast on 6240 kHz shortwave and the FRC show was relayed on various stations in Ireland and elsewhere.

22nd July 202422nd July 2024

Evening drive on love songs station Cara 95

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Cara 95 was a temporary name change to the Dublin love songs station Heartbeat FM (1986-1988). Heartbeat launched in November 1986 and quickly made a mark in the Dublin market with its popular musical diet. The station was rebranded as Cara 95 in 1987 but soon reverted to Heartbeat because listeners preferred the original name. Heartbeat closed at the end of 1988 but returned in the 1990s as a pirate and eventually as a temporary licensed station in the 2000s. It is now an online statio n.

This recording of the short-lived Cara 95 features part of the Friday evening drivetime show presented by Eamonn Kelly, who had previously been heard on other pirates in Dublin and Cork. The laid-back music is interspersed with jingles and idents for ‘Cara 95 – the heartbeat of Dublin City’, a nod to the original name. There is also a paperback writers’ slot and a cinema review, along with a competition to win tickets to see 95 movies. Adverts are for local businesses around the city and include the Sunday World newspaper, a frequent advertiser on the pirates. News on the hour is read by the late Maurice Nevin.

The recording was made from 95.5 FM on Friday 25^th September 1987 from 1759-1931 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.