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Breakfast on Waterford’s ABC

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Breakfast on Waterford's ABC
Richard Staines (aka Steve Silby) at another Waterford station Suirside Radio (courtesy DX Archive).

By the mid 1980s ABC was well established as one of the leading stations in Waterford and covered the southeast on a network of transmitters on AM and FM. This recording is of the breakfast show hosted by Richard Staines (aka Steve Silby), one of the many English DJs involved in the station. The programme includes the ‘Bits and Pieces’ competition to guess clips from chart hits, the ‘Memory Module’ oldies section and a quiz featuring software transmission sounds made by an early generation of home computers. Among the many adverts is a promotion for the ABC 3rd birthday party and outside broadcast coming up the following weekend. News on the hour is read by Steve himself.

Breakfast on Waterford's ABC
Original cassette label from Anoraks Ireland Collection.

Our tape was made from 101 FM on Wednesday 6th March 1985. Part 1 above runs from 0748-0836 and Part 2 below from 0836-0924.

Part 2 from 0836.

The recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

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First birthday of Q102

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First birthday of Q102
Q102 Sunday World advert from 1986 (Anoraks Ireland Collection).

This recording of Dublin super-pirate Q102 was made on its first birthday, 23rd January 1986, by which time it was established as one of Dublin’s big three pirate stations. The tape begins with one of the station’s most popular DJs, Jason Maine, who is followed by Gerry Stevens with the afternoon drive. In keeping with the Q102 format, talk is limited and links are short, with the focus firmly on the music. Adverts for local businesses and larger brands are aired.

First birthday of Q102
Original cassette label from Anoraks Ireland Collection.

Part 1 above runs from 1407-1455 and Part 2 below from 1502-1548.

Part 2 from 1502.

The recording was made from 103.5 FM and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

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Westside Radio International returns for New Year’s Eve 1989

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Westside Radio International returns for New Year's Eve 1989
Westside operator Prince Terry in May 1983 (Anoraks Ireland Collection).

Westside Radio International was a long-running shortwave pirate broadcasting on Sunday morning from Dublin between 1975 and 1989 with later appearances under different names including Ozone Radio. The station was set up by the late Don Moore and was taken over by Roger Lloyd (Prince Terry on air) in 1977. It was steeped in the pirate spirit and created a real sense of community among free radio enthusiasts in Ireland and abroad. The station closed down on 31st December 1988 along with the vast majority of Irish pirates but returned for a special commemorative broadcast exactly one year later.

This airchecked recording was made between 1123 and 1253 on 31st December 1989 from 6280 kHz shortwave. Prince Terry announces that Westside has returned just for that day to mark the first anniversary of the pirate closedowns and says that it is also broadcasting on FM and medium wave. There are greetings to well-known radio anoraks and news about the small number of remaining pirate stations, including Radio Dublin which is said to have switched back on its AM transmitter.

Audio is fair to poor with deep fading but is an authentic representation of how Westside sounded on shortwave in the west of Ireland at the time. The recording was made in Co. Clare by John Breslin, who we thank for the donation.

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David Baker on Christmas Day Radio Annabel

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David Baker on Christmas Day Radio Annabel
David Baker pictured on community station Radio Donnybrook (courtesy Dave Reddy).

David Baker was a familiar voice on many Dublin stations throughout the 1980s. In this recording, he is heard on Radio Annabel on Christmas Day 1984. Reflecting David’s own taste, the music is in the laid-back and easy listening style. There are plenty of requests and dedications from listeners as well as a competition to win a bottle of wine. No adverts are aired as is the custom for Christmas Day but festive Radio Annabel jingles are heard.  

David Baker on Christmas Day Radio Annabel
Original cassette label from Anoraks Ireland Collection.

Radio Annabel was one of the smaller Dublin pirates and broadcast from the north inner-city from 1983 to 1985. Listings from around Christmas 1984 logged it on 1323 kHz AM and 92.4 FM, although the cassette label mentions 91.8 FM. Part 1 of the tape above runs from 1406-1454 and Part 2 below from 1506-1554.

Part 2 from 1506.

The recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson. Listen to our special podcast with David Baker here.

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Laois Community Radio on Christmas Day

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Laois Community Radio on Christmas Day
Laois Community Radio van from 1987 (courtesy Andy Carter).

Laois Community Radio (LCR) broadcast from early 1982 for six years from the town of Mountrath, closing down on 31st December 1988 along with the vast majority of the other pirate stations. This recording was made on Christmas Day 1987 and features Jimmy Hayes with the Nashville Sound show. The music is country and bluegrass and there are Christmas requests and a promo urging listeners to support the businesses advertising on LCR. At the time, the station broadcast daily from 9am to 11pm on 1242 kHz and on 101.5 and 102 FM.

Laois Community Radio on Christmas Day
Original label from Anoraks Ireland Collection.

The recording was made from one of LCR’s two FM frequencies from 1713-1800 (the times on the label are incorrect) on 25th December 1987. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated by Paul Davidson.