Tony Dixon in the Sunshine days (courtesy Marisa Dixon).
Tony Dixon (RIP) was one of the best-known DJs on Dublin’s Sunshine Radio in the 1980s, presenting a daily show every afternoon and also a popular weekend soul programme. This recording from 1982 is of part of Tony’s lunchtime show with the usual mix of music, chat and dedications. The soundtrack of the afternoon features music from James Bond movies and there is a promo for a competition to win a house worth £45,000, an example of the eye-watering giveaways on larger pirate stations like Sunshine and Radio Nova during this period.
Tony also mentions the Sunshine Radio election special that was broadcast every evening. The involvement of pirate radio in elections in the 1980s was controversial because of several failed efforts to bring forward legislation to licence local radio. Sunshine Radio took the unprecedented step of publishing a newspaper advertisment in support of Fianna Fáil in the February 1982 election because that party had committed to introducing local commercial radio.
After a long career in pirate and licensed radio, Tony died prematurely on 25th November 2010. This recording was made on Tuesday 9th February 1982 between 1210-1255 from 91.6 FM and is courtesy of Shay Geoghegan.
Sunshine car sticker from the later years (Anoraks Ireland Collection).
Following its rebranding in 1986, Sunshine Radio became the biggest station in Dublin, a position that it held until its closedown at the end of 1988. Renamed Sunshine 101, the changes ushered in by US radio consultant Bill Cunningham included the end of many specialist shows and a shift from a community feel to a successful commercial operation.
This recording is of a live overnight show from spring 1987 hosted by Phil Hilton. There are few adverts as would be expected for the time of night but a promo for the BIg Kahuna competition is aired. The Big Kahuna allowed someone to become a DJ for the day and launched a few radio careers. News at 0206 is read by Joyce Jackson – one of the aspects of the rebranding was to move news bulletins away from the top of the hour slot.
The tape is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection and was made from 100.5 FM on Tuesday 28th April 1987 between 0131-0217. Audio is generally good but there is some wobble at the start due to cassette degradation.
Paul Barnett (RIP) of WABC pictured c 1991 (courtesy Ian Biggar).
Despite closing down at the end of 1988 like the vast majority of the other pirates, the Donegal station WABC was among those to venture back on air in 1989, where it would remain for a further two years. Continuing our series on this important border station, we publish below an account of WABC’s return courtesy of Ian Biggar.
In early 1989, Paul Barnett [WABC founder, RIP] was talking about a license under what he termed ‘phase 2’. I assume he meant the community licenses which did eventually appear, but not for some years. To keep his hand in, Paul was operating a short wave transmitter on behalf of the Scottish Free Radio Network. However, the temptation was too great and WABC returned to the air on Sunday 3rd June 1989 on 101.7 MHz with a power of 20 kW. All the old crew like Krissi, Barry Owler, Happy Harry and of course Paul were back and the station often played American radio tapes overnight to maintain a 24-hour service.
I received a letter from Paul dated 1st September 1989, in which he wrote that the launch of Atlantic 252 had not lived up to his expectations! He said that the 101.7 transmitter was still located in Stroove at 230 feet above sea level. He had upgraded the aerial system with 4×10 element yagis estimating an effective radiated power (ERP) between 35-40 kW. The only drawback was that a couple of local houses could clearly hear WABC on their telephones! I had reported reception of WABC at on high ground on the west coast of Scotland on 98.3 MHz. Paul was surprised at this as it was only a 5 watts mono relay in the centre of Moville atop a 100 foot tower, 150 feet above sea level!
This recording was made shortly before Christmas 1989 and features the end of Paul Barnett’s breakfast show and the start of the lunchtime programme presented by his wife Krissi Carpenter. The musical style is oldies, referred to by Paul as ‘Solid Gold WABC’ and there are generic and branded station jingles. Due to the busy time of year, there are large numbers of adverts for businesses in Counties Derry and Antrim, reflecting the core coverage area and the reluctance of southern businesses to advertise of the pirates due to strict new legislation. The tape was made on 10th December 1989 between 1045-1215 from 101.7 FM and is courtesy of Gary Hogg and Ian Biggar. Audio quality is generally good but there is fading in places as this recording was made in Lancashire.
Peter Madison in the Nova studio (courtesy DX Archive)
Magic 103 was one of the many offshoots of the large Dublin station Radio Nova (1981-1986). It was short-lived, broadcasting for only about 5 months between April and September 1985. Magic became entangled in the dispute between Chris Cary and the National Union of Journalists that eventually contributed to Nova’s demise. This recording features two of the station’s star broadcasters, Peter Madison (RIP) and Bob Gallico (RIP), with a mix of chat, community announcements and Magic’s trademark easy-listening music. The conversation is natural and witty and reflects the skill and experience of two fantastic broadcasters at the top of their game.
Bob Gallico at Magic 103 (courtesy DX Archive)
Bob reads news headlines on the half-hour and there is also a news flash about a bomb explosion in Belfast courtesy of the Press Association wire that was mentioned hourly at the end of bulletins. The programme contains an interview with a representative of the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals but virtually no advertising, a concern for a station already a few months on air.
The tape is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection and was made on Wednesday 31st July 1985 from 103.5 FM between 1105-1241. Magic 103 also broadcast on 1512 kHz AM, announced as 199 metres in this recording.
Donegal pirate WABC closed at 4pm on 30th December 1988 despite announcing previously that it would carry on and for a time over that weekend it looked as if the station would make a speedy return. This recording is of the final 90 minutes of WABC from 1430 on that day. It begins with Barry Owler who shares good wishes to those involved from local advertisers and listeners. There is a promo about the pirate closedowns that day and reference to the new radio legislation, including WABC’s intention to apply for a licence at a later stage. Barry is followed by station operator Paul Bentley (Paul Barnett, RIP) from 1500 for the final hour.
Following closedown at 1600, a loop tape was broadcast on WABC’s frequencies later that evening claiming erroneously that Radio Dublin owner Eamonn Cooke had won his appeal against the new radio legislation, that it appeared that the new laws were on ice and that WABC may be able to return to the airwaves. The court had in fact dismissed Cooke’s attempt to gain an injunction preventing the new laws from coming into effect but had granted him leave to challenge the constitutionality of certain sections of the broadcasting acts. Although WABC did not return in the short term, it would not be too long until it was heard again on the airwaves in the northwest. The recording was made from 101.7 FM by Rodney Neill and is courtesy of DX Archive.
