Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

31st July 202330th July 2023

John Kenny on Dublin’s Q102

This recording of popular Dublin station Q102 was made in the summer of 1985 and features part of the evening drivetime show presented by John Kenny. Chart music alternates with classic tunes and there are plenty of adverts ranging from larger companies and brands to restaurants and clothing shops around Dublin. A promo airs for a 1970s special over the August bank holiday weekend, there’s a competition for tickets to the Horse Show and gigs by Stockton’s Wing and Blue in Heaven are mentioned. News with Gary Hamill (Seán McCarthy) includes reference to the moving statues phenomenon that rocked Ireland that summer. John Kenny is still heard on sports and music shows on RTÉ.

The tape was recorded from 102 FM on Wednesday 31^st July 1985. Part 1 above runs from 1827 and Part 2 below from 1913.

Part 2 from 1913.

At this time Q102 also broadcast on 828 kHz AM. The recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

29th July 202314th August 2023

Border series: Radio Star Country during visit of President Clinton

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This recording of Radio Star Country was made in western Norway in November 1995 during the visit of US President Bill Clinton to Northern Ireland. It begins with continuous music before 0900 interspersed with long commercial breaks taking advantage of the busy run-up to Christmas. Adverts are heard for businesses in Armagh, Down, Tyrone, Derry and Antrim including the outskirts of Belfast, reflecting Radio Star Country’s large coverage area on AM. An unidentified DJ (likely Patsy Jordan) comes on air at 0900 and refers to the Clinton visit during copious requests from listeners. There is an advertisement for a Radio Star Country sales representative for the Lisburn area, with the tagline ‘one of Northern Ireland’s biggest radio stations’. A promo for the gospel programme New Life in Christ is also heard. The recording was made from 981 kHz on Thursday 30^th November 1995. Part 1 above begins at 0828 and Part 2 below at 0902.

Part 2 from 0902.

Audio is of fair quality given the distance with some deep fading but long sections that are quite listenable. Thanks to Svenn Martinsen for the donation.

27th July 202314th July 2023

Ballymun Community Radio from 1983

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Ballymun Community Radio was an FM-only pirate broadcasting to the north Dublin suburb of Ballymun in 1983. The station was noted on 104 FM in a DX Archive log from July that year, but did not appear in earlier or later logs. In the July 1983 column by Tony Donlon in Contact magazine of the World DX Club, the station was listed on the same frequency and the address of 39, Balbutcher Lane, Ballymun given. According to the same report, Ballymun Community Radio went on air on 2^nd June and broadcast from a ground floor flat with a long wire antenna hanging from a top floor window.

This recording was made on 26^th August 1983 from 104 FM between 1135 and 1220 and features Derek Bates playing pop and chart music. There is one commercial break featuring local shops. Sound levels are variable and audio quality is fair with a hiss due to cassette degradation over time.

A station called Ballymun Community Broadcasting set up by Joe Doyle (later of Radio Dublin) was listed by Anoraks Ireland and in the Anoraks UK Weekly Report between July 1987 and July 1988 with an address at 382 Balcurris Road, Dublin 9. Frequencies logged at various times were 89.5 and 104.7 FM. It is not clear whether or not this was linked to the earlier Ballymun station.

This recording is from the Skywave Tapes Collection. Radio Skywave International was a 1980s shortwave station operating from Baldoyle in northeast Dublin. Thanks to Ian Biggar for assistance with background information.

25th July 202314th July 2023

Summer breakfast show on Dublin’s Q102

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Scott Williams was one of the leading DJs on Dublin super-pirate Q102 (1985-1988) and opened Ireland’s first licensed independent station Capital Radio in July 1989. In this recording from four years earlier, he is heard presenting the Q breakfast with a mix of chart music, the ‘Bits and pieces’ competition and headlines and the newspaper review by Anne Cassin. There are also promos for a £10 giveaway to listeners on the streets of Dublin and for the hospital requests slot each afternoon. Commercial breaks feature the usual mixture of well-known Dublin businesses and agency adverts.

The recording was made from 102 FM from 0726-0811 on Thursday 25^th July 1985. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection donated by Paul Davidson.

15th July 202315th July 2023

Ringo Starr special on Dublin’s Q102

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The Irish-owned Dublin station Q102 was quick to make an impact on the capital’s competitive radio market after its launch in January 1985. As well as a core offering of chart music, the station also had a credible news service, did outside broadcasts and occasionally ran feature programmes. This recording is of one such programme, Ringo’s Yellow Submarine, a US syndicated show presented by Ringo Starr of the Beatles.

Plenty of agency adverts are heard, reflecting Q102’s commercial success, as well as the iconic early jingle package. The recording was made from 102 FM between 1405-1451 on Sunday 14^th July 1985. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection, donated by Paul Davidson.