1971 Archives - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

14th August 202114th August 2021

Pirate Pioneers: late night Channel 70

Channel 70 was one of several Irish pirate pioneers in Dublin in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Although short-lived hobby stations with irregular hours and low power, they paved the way for the next generation of full-time pirates from the late 1970s.

Channel 70 was one such station, broadcasting regularly from Monkstown in Co. Dublin between 1970 and 1972. Operated by Jack O’Carroll, it broadcast on 1320 kHz (announcing 227 metres) using 100 watts into an inverted L. The station was heard over a wide area and was popular with DXers. It was usually on air around midnight on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

This is an undated recording (probably from 1971) of Channel 70 featuring ‘Gary Logan’ (aka Jack O’Carroll) on his regular soul music programme, beginning at about 0015. There is also a reference to the British offshore pirate Radio 255, which was heard in Dublin. Many thanks to Bill Ebrill for the donation.

26th February 20216th August 2021

Pirate Pioneers: Channel 70 from 1971

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Another pioneer of Dublin pirate broadcasting was Channel 70 which operated, unsurprisingly, from 1970 until 1972. The man behind the station was Jack O’Carroll who previously had operated Radio Jacqueline with Davitt Kelly. Channel 70 started broadcasting in 1970 from Monkstown, Co. Dublin.

The station broadcast on the crystal-controlled frequency of 1320 khz and with a power of 100 watts into an inverted L, was heard well in Ireland and other European countries. Transmissions normally commenced at 0015 or 0030 early on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday mornings and were popular with DXers. In addition to a DX programme, Channel 70 broadcast music consisting of pop, country and soul, as well as other genres. The station continued into 1972, but had disappeared by the middle of the year.

Our recording consists of a DX programme and is undated. However, it is assumed to be from around June 1971 as there are references to the recent bomb attack on Radio Nordsee International from May that year. Later in the recording the Channel 70 operator can be heard in a QSO conversation with a station in England. The recording was made by Roger Lloyd (Prince Terry). QSL is by kind permission of Mike Barraclough. Our thanks to Ian Biggar for supplying the text, images and recording.

22nd February 20216th August 2021

Pirate Pioneers: the early days of Radio Dublin

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Radio Dublin or ‘Radio Baile Átha Cliath’ started as a technical point to point experiment by Ken Sheehan (Kenneth Edwards) in 1966 from his home in Drimnigh in Dublin. At about 10 watts, power was too low to travel further than about a mile but over the next three years, the transmitter was modified and power doubled to 20 watts. A new transmitter was installed in 1969 and regular taped music programmes were broadcast, normally on Sunday afternoons. The above information sheet from 1972 gives a flavour of the early history of the station. It’s interesting to see ‘Big D’ being used, years before the split that led to the breakaway station of that name.

Our first recording above of the early days is undated but may be from 1969. It features Radio Baile Átha Cliath on its early 217 metre wavelength. We’re not certain who the DJ is, nor was Ken Sheehan when he heard the recording. The second recording is of Ken Sheehan himself and although again undated, is probably from 1971. By now Radio Dublin was the station name and the wavelength had changed to the well-known 253 metres. The address given was that of the Brighton Independent Radio Movement in England and was used by most of the Irish pirates of the period. There is a short taped insert from ‘Mark Welby’ who might be Mark T. Story, later to be very involved in the early pirate scene, and a home-made sung jingle. This is pirate gold at its best!

These unique recordings were supplied by Roger Lloyd (Prince Terry) who was an integral part of the pioneering days of Radio Dublin. Thanks to Ian Biggar for the research and for sharing the recordings with us. You can hear an interview with Ken Sheehan here.