Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

24th December 202214th November 2023

South Coast Radio on Christmas Eve

This recording of South Coast Radio is from Christmas Eve 1982, at the end of the popular Cork station’s first year of broadcasting. On air is veteran English DJ Stevie Dunne who had previously worked on offshore stations Radio Caroline and the Voice of Peace. He was also heard on Sunshine Radio and Radio Nova in Dublin during the pirate era. Stevie is currently programme director of Dutch AM station Radio Seagull. There are promos for a broadcast of the original ‘War of the Worlds’ programme by Orson Welles from 1938 and a spot featuring South Coast Radio’s very own Cinderella on Christmas Day. News is edited and is read by an unidentified presenter.

The recording was made from 104 FM from 1846-1935 on Friday 24^th December 1982. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson. Although the label refers to an ‘ERI Song for Christmas’, the tape includes a song about South Coast Radio itself, with no obvious reference to its rival station.

23rd December 202216th December 2022

Kingdom 102 nears the end of its run

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Kingdom 102 broadcast from Killarney in Co. Kerry in 1988 at the end of the pirate era. This recording is of the final edition of the Golden Hour Show with PJ O’Neill. News on the hour is read by John Kiely. PJ was a competent presenter who had broadcast previously on earlier Killarney station WRKY but in his final show, he throws caution to the wind somewhat. John Kiely worked previously for Tralee station Kerry Local Radio. There are plenty of local festive advertisements and professional jingles and station idents. ‘The late, great Rob Orbison’ is compared by PJ to ‘the late, great Kingdom 102’, who says that the history of radio broadcasting in Ireland about to be remade.

Part 1 above runs from 1345-1430 and Part 2 below from 1440-1525. The tape was recorded from 102 FM on 23^rd December 1988. The recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

Part 2 from 1440.

It is not clear when exactly Kingdom 102 closed down, but it is thought to have continued until the end of the year in line with other pirates.

20th December 20228th December 2022

Limerick’s Sound Channel at Christmas 1988

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Sound Channel logo (courtesy Andy Carter).

Sound Channel broadcast from Limerick City from November 1986 to December 1988 and quickly gained a reputation as a professional operation. A rebranding in summer 1988 introduced the tagline ‘Power 98’ but in this recording both names are used, which seems to dilute the station’s identity. The DJ is Stuart Clark, formerly of the Voice of Peace and ABC in Waterford, who notes that a listener is ‘taping for posterity’, a reference to the fact that the 1980s pirate era was coming to an end. There’s mention of the Radio Nova satellite service from midnight, which was carried by many pirate stations overnight in 1988. News is from Independent Radio News in the UK and a £500 shopping voucher is given away during the show. Sound Channel/Power 98 closed down on 30^th December 1988 in line with new broadcasting legislation.

Limerick's Sound Channel at Christmas 1988 — Original cassette label from Anoraks Ireland Collection.

Our tape was made from 98.7 FM on Thursday 20^th December 1988. Part 1 above runs from 1412-1457 and Part 2 below is from 1459-1544.

Part 2 from 1459.

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

17th December 202217th December 2022

Northeast series: Early afternoon on Boyneside Radio

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This recording of popular northeast station Boyneside Radio was recorded from its Dublin FM relay in autumn 1986. From the main studio in Drogheda, the late Dave C. (Cunningham) presents his lunchtime programme, including the buy-and-sell slot Tradio and listener’s requests in the People’s Choice. He is followed by the Golden Hour with Kieran Murray, who is standing in for one of Boyneside’s founders, Heady Eddie (Eddie Caffrey).

Adverts for businesses in Counties Louth, Meath and Down are voiced by various Boyneside DJs and presenters including Kieran Murray, Eddie Caffrey, Dave C., Dermot Finglas and Mike Ahern (Richard McCullen). Main lunchtime news at 1.15pm, including local news and sport, is read by newsroom stalwarts Mike Ahern and Áine Ní Ghuidhir.

Part 1 above runs from 1304-1352 and Part 2 below from 1352-1440.

Part 2 froom 1352.

The tape was recorded from 105.5 FM on 15^th September 1986 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

14th December 202213th December 2022

Gerry Stevens on Q102

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The Dublin super-pirate Q102 ended 1985 on a high after a successful first year of broadcasting. The station prided itself on being Irish-owned in contrast with the city’s other two big pirates, Radio Nova and Sunshine Radio. This recording is of Gerry Stevens on his drivetime show in November 1985. News on the hour is read by Anne Cassin. Gerry Stevens worked subsequently in the licensed Dublin station Q102, which was launched as Lite FM in 2000. Anne Cassin is a television presenter with RTÉ.

Our tape was made from 102.1 FM from 1635-1708 on 27^th November 1985. There is some wobble due to the age of the cassette. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.