1983 Archives - Page 13 of 21 - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

19th May 20218th May 2024

Radio Leinster closes down suddenly

Radio Leinster closed unexpectedly just after 1pm on the 19th of May 1983, following the raid on Sunshine Radio that morning and on Radio Nova the previous day. Although almost all stations in Dublin switched off their transmitters on the 19th as fears about raids spread, most were back on air within days but Radio Leinster was never to return. Anna Craig (Chisnall) read the lunchtime news at 1pm and said there would be another bulletin at 3pm but within minutes the closure of the station was announced suddenly by managing director Justin James. The station closed with its signature tune, Seán Ó Riada’s ‘Mise Éire’.

Radio Leinster was an innovative and unique station which aimed at the RTÉ Radio 1 listenership with a mixture of musical styles, talk programmes and specialist shows. It broadcast on 738 kHz am (406 metres) and 93 FM, the signal benefiting considerably from a high site in Sandyford overlooking Dublin.

This recording is courtesy of one of the Radio Leinster presenters, Al Dunne who was on air for the closedown.

18th May 20212nd May 2024

Punk and reggae on Concord Community Radio

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Concord Community Radio broadcast from the Artane/Coolock area of northeast Dublin from 1982 and would become North Dublin Community Radio (NDCR), which continued until the end of 1988. It was an AM-only station, announcing 337 metres or 890 kHz (presumably 891). This is a recording from 18^th May 1983, the day of the Department of Posts and Telegraphs raid on Radio Nova, which sent shockwaves through the pirate world. No time is given, but the choice of music suggests an evening programme. The unnamed presenter plays punk and reggae and takes requests from listeners but there is no mention of the raid that morning. In the following days many pirates closed down temporarily as a precaution.

This recording is from the Leon Tipler Tapes Collection, donated to us by Steve England.

5th December 20206th August 2021

Through the ether: Don Allen on Cork pirate ERI

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The Canadian DJ Don Allen (1939-1995) gained fame on this side of the Atlantic on stations such as Radio Caroline and Radio Northsea International before moving to Ireland in the 1980s. He was a familiar voice on Irish pirate radio, working at stations such as Radio Carousel, Radio West, Cavan Community Radio, Royal County Radio and ERI in Cork .

This recording of Don on ERI was made on 21^st November 1983 by Leon Tipler at his home in the English midlands. Unlike Tipler’s other tapes of night-time ERI, in this case the signal is much fainter and the whole experience is a bit of a DXer’s dream with faint traces of ERI fading in and out from time to time. Perhaps the 5 kW transmitter was on lower power that night, but it’s all part of the joy of pulling in pirate signals from afar.

The recording is from the Leon Tipler Tapes Collection, donated to us by Steve England

4th December 20206th August 2021

John Blake (aka Creedon) on ERI

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John Creedon is a well-known RTÉ broadcaster and presents a nightly programme from Cork on Radio 1. Like so many high-profile broadcasters, he started his career in pirate radio and was known as John Blake on air. He joined the Cork super-pirate ERI in 1982.

This is a recording of the John Blake show during a frenetic outside broadcast from the Wilton Shopping Centre in Cork in 1983. The ERI stage is mobbed by excited kids, one of whom signs a station jingle to rapturous applause. There are mounds of requests from shoppers and listeners around Co. Cork, plenty of spot prizes and a charity event introduced by station boss Joe O’Connor.

The recording was made from 1305 kHz from 1503-1535 and 1638-1712 on 22^nd October 1983. It is from the Leon Tipler Tapes Collection, donated to us by Steve England. ERI was among the Cork stations featured in Tipler’s documentary series ‘The Irish Pirates’ which is available on our site here.

2nd December 20206th August 2021

Overnight ERI as heard in the English midlands

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Today we bring you another late-night recording of the Cork pirate giant ERI as heard by the British radio enthusiast Leon Tipler at his home in the English midlands. Tipler (1942-2013) began his radio career on the offshore stations in the 1960s. He made extensive recordings of Irish radio and visited Ireland on many occasions. Recordings of ERI and other Cork stations are to be heard in his renowned documentary covering the early 1980s pirate stations.

This recording was was made from 1305 kHz on 3^rd June 1983 from 0030-0105 and 0320-0350. On air is Liam Quigley followed by Ian Richards with the Night Shift programme and overnight news is read by John O’Connor. Despite the distance between Cork and Kidderminster, the signal is reasonable and the fading only adds to the sense of magic of pulling in distant stations on the crowded AM band of the time.

ERI began its life in Ballycotton east of Cork City in summer 1982 using about 200 watts of power on 1305 kHz. After investing in a professional 5 kW US-manufactured transmitter in September that year and moving to Cork City, it quickly established itself as the region’s biggest pirate.

This recording is from the Leon Tipler Tapes Collection, donated to us by Steve England.