1983 Archives - Page 4 of 21 - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

19th November 202324th November 2023

Sunday shows on South Coast Radio

This recording of South Coast Radio was made on a sunny Sunday afternoon in Cork in 1983. It begins with Pete O’Neill presenting the South Coast Countdown and he is followed by Don Stevens. Station idents are voiced by the legendary Tony Allan, who is also heard on some adverts.

The recording was made from 103.7 FM, announced as 104 MHz, on 6^th March 1983. South Coast Radio also broadcast on 1557 kHz or 194 metres. Sound quality is fair, possibly due to degradation of the tape. First up is Pete O’Neill from 1430-1515 and then Don Stevens from 1115-1200. The recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

22nd September 202317th September 2023

Drivetime on Sunshine Radio

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This recording of Sunshine Radio from the autumn of 1983 features the final part of the drivetime show Sunshine in the Afternoon with Paul Kavanagh. It begins with a music sweep followed by a super-set from the Hollies. Solar Energy with David Dennehy is to follow after the news at 8pm. Despite Sunshine’s commercial success, it is interesting to note that there is no commercial break in the half-hour recording.

The tape was made on 24^th August 1983 between 1917 and 1947 from either 100.5 or 101.5 FM (only the announced frequency of 101 FM is mentioned on the label). It is from the Skywave Tapes Collection. Radio Skywave International was a 1980s shortwave station broadcasting from Baldoyle in northeast Dublin.

20th September 202317th September 2023

Radio Nova evening service ‘Super Nova’

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Not long after returning to the air following the raid of May 1983, Radio Nova began splitting its evening service between the main output on 828 kHz AM and specialist programmes on 88.2 FM, under the ‘Super Nova’ banner. The Nova offshoot station KISS FM was a casualty of the raid and didn’t return until later in the year but Super Nova helped absorb additional advertising over the summer and early autumn. This recording from that time begins with Colm Hayes winding up his drivetime show and telling listeners that the service will split after the 1900 news: current affairs show Dublin Today on AM and Denis Murray’s Rock Show on FM. News is read by Sybil Fennell and commercial breaks include the high-level agency adverts associated with Nova. There’s also mention of the station’s £6,000 giveaway that would be won at the end of August. The beginning of the Rock Show is heard after the news.

The recording was made on 24^th August 1983 between 1845 and 1915 from 88.2 FM. It is from the Skywave Tapes Collection. Radio Skywave International was a 1980s shortwave station broadcasting from Baldoyle in northeast Dublin.

18th September 20239th September 2023

Radio West closes down for the night

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Finding suitable frequencies on the crowded AM band of the 1980s was one of the technical challenges facing the Irish pirates and the story of Radio West is a case in point. The midlands station began on 1071 kHz in 1982 before moving to 702 kHz and then 729 kHz, a bad choice given the presence of RTÉ’s Cork opt-out service on the same frequency. Radio West switched to 765 kHz on 27^th June 1983, increasing its range within Ireland and beyond. From 1986-1988, it returned to 702 kHz, rebranding itself as ‘West National Radio 3’ and claiming national coverage on AM and a series of FM transmitters.

This tape was made from 765 kHz in the early hours of Saturday 9^th July 1983 and features the closedown of Radio West for the night. The unidentified DJ signs off in both Irish and English and then plays the iconic Desiderata song, also used by Sunshine Radio in Dublin at closedown each night. The broadcast ends with the national anthem.

There is plenty of fading as would be expected in late-night DX reception outside the core transmission area. The recording was made in the English midlands and is from the Leon Tipler Tapes Collection, donated to us by Steve England.

15th September 20239th September 2023

Gerard Roe on Radio Dublin Channel 2 (14 December 1983)

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The recording of Gerard Roe’s popular FRC programme on Radio Dublin Channel 2 was made at Christmas 1983, at the end of a dramatic year for Irish pirate radio due to a clampdown by the authorities. The programme includes a report about the recent raid on and closure of Community Radio 257 and the confiscation of equipment from Nova Television, Chris Cary’s shortlived experiment that rocked the media world. Ger says there was no need for Nova to enter the television market and reads a letter from Sunshine Radio boss Robbie Robinson who condemned the move as irresponsible. The show also contains archive recordings of Southside Radio from 1979 and KELO from 1981. There is an advert for Anoraks Ireland voiced by Kieran Murray.

The recording was made on 14^th December 1983 from 98.7 FM between 2003-2100 and contains some edits. Radio Dublin Channel 2 also broadcast on 1152 kHz AM, announcing 260 metres. The tape is from the Skywaves Collection. Radio Skywave International was a 1980s shortwave station broadcasting from Baldoyle in northeast Dublin.