1984 Archives - Page 5 of 14 - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

4th May 20231st August 2024

Final day of Radio Sandymount 1984

Radio Sandymount was one of several pop-up community radio stations run by the Community Broadcasting Co-operative (CBC) in Dublin and surrounding counties between 1982 and 1988. Set up by Dave Reddy and Al O’Rourke, Radio Sandymount was the first such station and proved so popular that the idea was replicated in other parts of Dublin as well as Wicklow and Meath. The CBC stations coincided with local community festivals and were a regular part of the radio scene on the east coast during the 1980s. Another CBC station was Radio Snowflake, which came on air at Christmas.

Radio Sandymount broadcast each year during the Sandymount and Merrion Community Week in late May or early June. This recording features the last day of the station’s run in 1984 . On air is David Baker, a familiar voice on the CBC stations and on numerous other pirates throughout the decade. There are plenty of requests, competition winners and references to local talent competitions and dinner dances – local radio at its finest!

The recording was made from 103.3 FM on 28^th May 1984 between 1048-1135. Radio Sandymount also broadcast on 1116 kHz during the same period. The tape is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

15th February 202312th February 2023

Nova offshoot KISS FM nears end of run in 1984

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KISS FM was set up by Chris Cary as an offshoot of Radio Nova in September 1982, and offered specialist programming aimed at listeners in Dublin, in contrast to Nova’s more mainstream service and wider reception area. It also had the function of absorbing additional advertising for the main station but as it entered 1984, KISS FM was in trouble. Jamming by RTÉ and growing industrial unrest with the National Union of Journalists was threatening the entire Radio Nova operation and KISS FM closed down at midnight on 15^th January.

This recording was made a fortnight earlier and includes the afternoon show with John Clarke from 2pm. The emphasis is on the music with limited talk and from 3pm John presents the Top 40 most played easy listening songs on KISS in 1983. News on the hour is read by Ken Hammond, who went on to work as a journalist with RTÉ. The bulletins contain reference to the new state telecommunications board Telecom Éireann, which was set up to deal with the dire state of the Irish telephone system in the early 1980s.

The tape was made from 102.7 FM from 1341-1521 on 2^nd January 1984 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

25th December 202214th November 2023

David Baker on Christmas Day Radio Annabel

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David Baker was a familiar voice on many Dublin stations throughout the 1980s. In this recording, he is heard on Radio Annabel on Christmas Day 1984. Reflecting David’s own taste, the music is in the laid-back and easy listening style. There are plenty of requests and dedications from listeners as well as a competition to win a bottle of wine. No adverts are aired as is the custom for Christmas Day but festive Radio Annabel jingles are heard.

Radio Annabel was one of the smaller Dublin pirates and broadcast from the north inner-city from 1983 to 1985. Listings from around Christmas 1984 logged it on 1323 kHz AM and 92.4 FM, although the cassette label mentions 91.8 FM. Part 1 of the tape above runs from 1406-1454 and Part 2 below from 1506-1554.

Part 2 from 1506.

The recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson. Listen to our special podcast with David Baker here.

15th September 202218th September 2022

Gerard Roe on Radio Annabel (10 June 1984)

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Radio Annabel began broadcasting in September 1983 and soon became the new home for Gerard Roe’s popular Free Radio Campaign (FRC) show. Facilities and coverage were better than at Radio Dublin Channel 2 and the FRC moved to a Sunday afternoon slot. In this recording from summer 1984, Gerard begins with a recap of news from the same week the previous year, which included the renowned £6,000 giveaway by Radio Nova. There’s also a recording of Andromeda Independent Radio from Manchester and a feature about the use of pirate radio for political reasons. Radio Sinn Féin is reported to be on air in advance of the European elections and Gerard notes previous radio activity by Republicans, including disruption to existing pirates. The show also covers the 20th anniversary of Manx Radio.

Our recording was made from 98.3 FM from 1405-1507 on Sunday, 10^th June 1984. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson. Listen here to Pirate.ie Podcast #10 featuring our interview with Gerard Roe about his memories of pirate radio, including the move from Radio Dublin to Radio Annabel.

17th June 202216th June 2022

Afternoon show on Radio Carlow

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Radio Carlow broadcast on AM and later also on FM between 1981 and 1984. Local anorak John Dowling logged its first location as Ballyhide, which is just on the Laois side of the border with Carlow but it later moved into Carlow Town. A frequency listing from summer 1984 listed Radio Carlow on 1413 kHz AM (212 metres) and 103.8 FM. The station continued into 1986 but discontinued AM towards the end.

This is a short recording of Radio Carlow from Sunday 17th June 1984. Pat Scully is on air with an afternoon requests show. The tape runs from 1715-1800 and is airchecked. There is some wobble due to the degradation of the cassette after almost 40 years. The recording was made originally by Kieran Murray and is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.