Posted on

Border series: afternoon shows on Radio North

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Border series: afternoon shows on Radio North
The Radio North caravan near Muff, Co. Donegal in 1991 (courtesy DX Archive).

This recording of Donegal pirate Radio North was made on a winter’s afternoon in 1991, not long before the station left the airwaves for over two years. It begins with Eddie Barr who holds a phone-in competition, attracting callers mostly from the North. In another reflection of the station’s popularity across the border, all advertisements in this recording are from Co. Derry. There is also a horoscope spot and plenty of requests for the usual diet of country and Irish music. Eddie’s show is followed by the evening drivetime programme with John Wright. Radio North closed down near the end of 1991 when its AM frequency was taken over by rival station North Atlantic Radio. In early 1994, North Atlantic Radio reverted to the Radio North name.

The tape was made from 846 kHz AM on Tuesday 29th October 1991 from 1504-1635 and is courtesy of Ian Biggar. It was recorded in Scotland and as would be expected for the time of year, there is increasing co-channel interference as darkness falls.

Posted on

Lunchtime on Cara 95 FM

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Lunchtime on Cara 95 FM

Cara 95 FM was a temporary name for Dublin’s love song station launched as Heartbeat in November 1986. The change was short-lived however, and the station reverted to the original Heartbeat name after a few months.  

This recording of the afternoon programme was made in the autumn of 1987 and features John Keogh with the usual mixture of love songs, requests and the Mystery Movie competition to win 95 movie tickets. John reads news headlines also and there are adverts for businesses around Dublin.

The tape is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection and was made from 95.5 FM on Thursday 1st October 1987 from 1300-1433.

Posted on

Border series: Lunchtime on North Atlantic Radio

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Border series: Lunchtime on North Atlantic Radio
North Atlantic Radio car sticker (courtesy DX Archive).

North Atlantic Radio was a breakaway station from Donegal pirate Radio North, broadcasting from November 1989 until January 1994, when it reverted to the Radio North name. Both stations were based on the Inishowen peninsula and fishing in the same advertising pool locally and across the border. First up is DJ Laura with a lunchtime mix of requests, country and Irish music and long commercial breaks featuring businesses in Donegal, Derry and Antrim. She is followed by Harry with the afternoon show.

The recording was made from 954 kHz AM on 22nd June 1991 from 1230-1400 and is kindly donated by Ian Biggar. Audio quality is consistent with AM but there is some distortion in places.

Posted on

Rockabilly show on South Dublin Radio

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Rockabilly show on South Dublin Radio

South Dublin Radio was a small pirate station broadcasting from Dún Laoghaire in south Dublin in 1983 and 1984. It was one of several such pirates that popped up for short periods from that area, run by enthusiastic kids looking for a break in broadcasting. The station changed its name to South Dublin Community Radio in 1984 but was gone by the end of that year. Some of those involved were behind the popular 1990s pirate DLR that broadcast from the same area.

This tape of South Dublin Radio features a rockabilly show presented by Scottie Moore. There are home-made liners but no adverts, reflecting the nature of the station, but requests come in from listeners around the Dún Laoghaire area. The short airchecked recording was made by Kieran Murray from 102 FM on Sunday 7th August 1983 from 1200 onwards and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.

Posted on

Border series: Interview with Francis Callaghan of Radio North

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Border series: Interview with Francis Callaghan of Radio North
Francis Callaghan at Radio North in Muff in 1991 (courtesy DX Archive)

This interview with Radio North founder Francis Callaghan was conducted in mid-1991, almost two and a half years after the Donegal station defied the new broadcasting laws and decided to stay on the air. Francis gives a short station history, describing how Radio North receives reception reports from listeners throughout Europe and explaining the change of name to Northside Radio in 1989. He also refers to the new breakaway station, North Atlantic Radio, which was at the time broadcasting from the old Radio North location in Carndonagh. Radio North was at the time focusing on serving listeners in Northern Ireland.

This interview was conducted by DX Archive during a visit to Radio North in the village of Muff in May 1991 and was donated by Ian Biggar.