Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

13th December 20238th December 2023

Late night requests on Radio Vera from Limerick

Radio Vera was a Limerick station broadcasting towards the end of the 1980s pirate era. Launched in late 1987, it was linked to an existing city station, Radio Munster with which it shared a building in William Street. Radio Vera aimed its programmes at the 15-34 age cohort, featuring pop music, chat, news, sports and local interviews. It claimed to be one of the few Limerick stations available over a 50-mile radius around Limerick City and its advertising brochures included maps covering most of the southwest of Ireland. Radio Vera closed at the end of 1988 along with other pirate stations.

This tape was made from 97.7 FM on 14^th November 1988 from 2230-2307 and features Jeff Graham with a late-night requests show. News at the top of the hour is read by Edwina and adverts cover Limerick and north Kerry. The recording is of fair reception quality as it was made outside the core broadcasting area. We thank John Breslin for the donation.

12th December 202310th December 2023

John Lewis on South Coast Radio

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Former offshore DJ John Lewis spent a stint on Cork’s South Coast Radio in 1982 and 1983. He had previously worked on Radio Caroline in the 1970s until the Mi Amigo sank in 1980 and was also heard on the Voice of Peace off the Israeli coast. In this recording, John presents a Saturday evening show featuring plenty of requests, the Lewis Cues quiz and sports news with John Kenny. News at the top of the hour is read by Andrew Hewkin and commercial breaks feature both agency adverts and spots for local businesses.

John Lewis returned to North Sea in 1984 and joined the new offshore station Laser before returning to Radio Caroline. He still broadcasts on the current licensed Radio Caroline and has also worked with other UK commercial stations.

This tape was made on Saturday 20^th August 1983 from 1725-1902. It was recorded from 103.7 FM, announced as 104. South Coast also broadcast on 1557 kHz, announced as 194 metres. The recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

6th December 20233rd December 2023

Chart sounds on Enniscorthy Local Radio

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Enniscorthy Local Radio broadcast on AM and FM from the town of Enniscorthy in Co. Wexford in 1982. There is little information available about the station but it was noted in a log by DX Archive on 1512 kHz AM/199 metres and 99.1 FM in December. However, it did not appear in previous or subsequent listings so it is unclear how long it lasted into 1983.

Chart sounds on Enniscorthy Local Radio — Original label from Anoraks Ireland Collection

This recording was made in summer 1982 and features DJ Tommy Butler with an afternoon chart music and requests show. There are plenty of adverts for small local businesses in Enniscorthy and Ferms about 10km away. Billy Shanahan is to follow Tommy with the next programme. The tape was made from 1522-1658 on Monday 9^th August 1982 and was recorded from 99.6 FM in mono, announcing 100 FM. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

4th December 20233rd December 2023

Summer breakfast on South Coast Radio

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This recording of successful Cork pirate South Coast Radio features Don Stevens on the Sunrise Special breakfast show on a warm summer morning in 1983. Don worked previously on offshore stations such as Radio Caroline and the Voice of Peace before coming to Ireland where he joined South Coast Radio. He later went on to Galway pirates Atlantic Sound and WLS Music Radio.

News on the hour is read by Jim Lockhart, who also presents a review of the morning papers. Jim began in radio in 1978 at the age of 16 and worked on Cork stations such as Radio Shandon, Cork City Radio, CBC, CCLR and Radio City before joining South Coast in October 1982. Under his real name Neil Prendeville, he has long been a well-known presenter on licensed radio in Cork.

The tape was made from 103.5 FM from 0746-0821 and 0830-0904 on Monday 15^th August 1983. There has been some degradation of the cassette, particularly in the second part. The recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

3rd December 202312th January 2024

Rick Whelan on Waterford Local Radio

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Waterford Local Radio (WLR) was one of the longest running pirate stations of its era, broadcasting from 23^rd June 1978 to 31^st December 1988. It was founded by Rick Whelan in his garage in Butlerstown west of Waterford City and was managed for 10 years by Rick’s brother Des until the pirate closedowns. The station was one of a handful pirates to be licensed and returned to the air as WLR FM on 8th September 1989. Des Whelan is still managing director and Rick continues to present on the station.

This recording features Rick Whelan on his morning show in the weeks before Christmas 1986. News on the half-hour is read by Denise Wall and there are also sports results and a community noticeboard. Adverts cover Counties Waterford, Wexford and Tipperary and the station tagline is WLR – South East Radio. The name of the company behind WLR was and continues to be the South East Broadcasting Company. This is separate from South East Radio, the licensed station for Wexford.

The tape was made on 3^rd December 1986 from 100 FM and runs from 0906-1042. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson. WLR also broadcast on 88.8 FM and 1197 kHz (252 metres) medium wave.