Festival station Community Radio Dollymount

Festival station Community Radio Dollymount
An unidentified DJ at Echo Radio in September 1982 (Anoraks Ireland collection).

Community Radio Dollymount was another name for Echo Radio that broadcast from the north Dublin suburb of Dollymount in 1982. Echo Radio was run by John Thewlis, who operated various pirates from the Clontarf/Dollymount area during the 1980s. According to Offshore Echoes from December 1982, Echo began testing in May that year on 186 metres (equivalent to 1611 kHz, although this would have been beyond the range of many receivers), beginning official broadcasts in June and later adding another transmitter on 97.3 FM. Community Radio Dollymount was a short-lived festival station and just a name change for Echo Radio. Ken Baird of DX Archive logged Echo Radio on 18th July 1982 announcing a test for Community Radio Dollymount and further tests were heard the following day and again on 19th August with presumably fully programmes.

A DX Archive listing from August that year includes Echo Radio on 1600 kHz (187 metres). Shortwave News from October 1982 refers to ‘R. Echo, alias Community R. Dollymount’ and reports that it was being relayed by shortwave station Westside Radio International on 6280 kHz. According to the same source, Echo/Community Radio Dollymount closed down in October 1982.

Festival station Community Radio Dollymount
Original cassette label from Anoraks Ireland Collection.

This recording of Community Radio Dollymount was made from 2019-2149 on Saturday 28th August 1982 from 1600 kHz, announcing 188 metres. The DJs listed are Aidan Hughes and Donal Summerville and requests from listeners and adverts for local businesses are heard. Audio quality is fair to poor with variable levels and co-channel interference worsens as night falls. Cassette degradation is probably also a factor. The tape is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson. Thanks to Ian Biggar and Ken Baird for further information.

Sunday night oldies on Waterford Local Radio

Sunday night oldies on Waterford Local Radio
Early WLR logo (courtesy Colin Kennedy).

This recording is of John O’Shea with a Sunday night oldies show on the popular southeast station Waterford Local Radio (WLR), which broadcast from 1978-1988. The programme includes requests from listeners, lost and found notices, a competition and a featured artist. Plenty of adverts are aired for businesses in Waterford and surrounding towns. Sound quality is generally good but there is some variation in audio levels, especially during commercial breaks. John O’Shea continues to broadcast on the licensed WLR FM today. In this recording, he is followed by Conor Halpin with the Guilty but Insane show.

Sunday night oldies on Waterford Local Radio
Original cassette label from Anoraks Ireland Collection.

The tape was recorded from 99.9 FM between 2044 and 2216 on 8th August 1982. WLR also broadcast on 88.8 FM and 1197 kHz (252 metres). The recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

Chart sounds on Enniscorthy Local Radio

Chart sounds on Enniscorthy Local Radio

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 9th 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.

‘Dance Radio’ on South Coast Radio

'Dance Radio' on South Coast Radio
John Ashford on South Coast Radio in 1982 (courtesy Lillian O’Donoghue).

The fluid nature of pirate radio gave breaks to sometimes very young DJs, many of whom went on to carve out careers in broadcasting. John Ashford (real name John Buckley, RIP) was one of the younger part-time presenters on Cork station South Coast Radio, which came on air in spring 1982. Joining South Coast in the summer when he was aged only 19, John presented weekend shows including a Sunday afternoon request programme called ‘Dance Radio’.

'Dance Radio' on South Coast Radio
Original label from Anoraks Ireland Collection.

In this recording, there are plenty of requests and commercial breaks include local businesses and larger companies. The voices of Siobhán Walls and Hugh Browne (RIP), both of whom went on to have careers in radio, are heard on adverts. Before joining South Coast, John worked in smaller stations Cork City Local Radio and Radio City.

The tape was made from 102.7 FM (announcing 104) on 22nd August 1982. Part 1 above runs from 1614 and Part 2 below from 1700.

Part 2 from 1700.

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

Radio Carousel reports on Bisto Soapbox Derby

Radio Carousel reports on Bisto Soapbox Derby
Undated photo of Dunleer Soapbox Derby (source: Dunleer Parish on Facebook).

Soapbox derby competitions began in the United States in the 1930s and were revived in Ireland in the 1980s where they are often known as go-karting. The All-Ireland Soapbox Derby was held in Dunleer, Co. Louth in 1982 and sponsored by gravy company Bisto. Dundalk pirate station Radio Carousel was at the event and broadcast a special half-hour programme in the Carousel Tonight slot on Monday 16th August. Presented by Kieran Murray, the programme consisted of interviews with organisers and participants at the event, including with local TD Bernard Markey and a representative of Bisto. As the pirates gained listeners during the 1980s, political parties attempted to prevent elected representatives from being interviewed on the pirates but politicians knew that they would gain publicity if heard on their local station.

Radio Carousel reports on Bisto Soapbox Derby
Kieran Murray in the Radio Carousel studio in Dundalk (courtesy of Kieran).

This is a studio copy of the programme provided by Kieran Murray. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson. Watch an RTÉ television report on the same event here.