Exterior of Energy 103 on Upper Leeson Street (courtesy Andy Carter).
Alan Burns presented the breakfast show on Dublin station Energy 103 in 1986 and 1987. This recording was made on a cold morning in the autumn of 1986 but despite the weather, there’s plenty to keep listeners engaged including a prize of a food hamper, horoscopes and a ‘beat the intro’ competition. Some well-known voices on adverts include Tony Allan (RIP), Colm Hayes and Pat Courtenay and there’s a recorded insert featuring Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders. News on the half-hour is read by George Long (Henry O’Donovan, RIP), who also presents an idiosyncratic newspaper review that wouldn’t make it on air by today’s standards.
The tape is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection and was made from 103 FM between 0755-0843 on 23rd October 1986.
Tony Allan in the Radio Nova studio in 1983 (photo Joe King).
This recording of Dublin station Energy 103 features the legendary Tony Allan (RIP) on a late night show in 1986. The emphasis is on the music with minimal chat between records. The tape is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection and was made from 103 FM on Wednesday 22nd October 1986 between 2257-2345..
Energy 103 studios at 144 Upper Leeson Street (courtesy Andy Carter).
By the summer of 1986, Energy 103 was established as one of the three big Dublin pirate stations, following the sudden closure of Radio Nova earlier that year. This recording was made on a sunny bank holiday Monday in Dublin and contains plenty of references to the fine weather and people listening to their radios in the garden. Up first is Richard Jackson until 1500 and he is followed by Dave Johnson (Andrew Hanlon) who is standing in for Tony McKenzie. There is no news due to the bank holiday but a promo urging young people to vote in the forthcoming divorce referendum airs every hour.
As was typical of Energy 103, the recording contains the usual mixture of chart hits, loads of requests (including one from Tipperary) and slick imaging although there are no adverts, possibly due to the bank holiday. A promo for the syndicated American Music Magazine show with Rick Dees is also heard. The tape is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection and was made from 103 FM from 1433-1521 and 1557-1645 on Monday 2nd June 1986.
Radio North sticker after the move to 846 (courtesy DX Archive).
This is another early recording of the long-running Donegal pirate Radio North shortly after its launch in the winter of 1986. On air is ex-Voice of Peace DJ Mark Warner with a morning musical mix of folk, oldies, country and some pop. The first adverts for local businesses are aired in the busy pre-Christmas period. An advertising promo for the station mentions businesses in Northern Ireland, where Radio North always had a following. News is read by former Radio Caroline DJ Ian Akers.
The recording was made on 9th December 1986 from 98 FM between 0918-1020. Radio North also broadcast on 1404 kHz AM at this time, before moving to the clearer frequency of 846 kHz in 1987. Thanks to Ian Biggar for the donation.
We’re delighted to launch a new strand in our border series, this time focusing on one of Ireland’s longest-running pirate stations, Radio North from Co. Donegal. Broadcasting under various names more or less continuously since 1986, Radio North continues to operate today on 846 kHz AM and online. The station was launched on 18th November 1986 from Carndonagh on the Inishowen peninsula, a short distance from the border with Co. Derry and throughout its almost 40-year existence, has aimed at listeners in Northern Ireland.
The arrival of Radio North was reported by Anoraks UK in its Weekly Report of 23rd November, which referred to the ‘radio explosion’ in Donegal such was the number of pirates based there. Anoraks UK said the station was easily audible on 1386 kHz in Blackpool during early morning skywave conditions but was swamped by foreign stations after dark. Within 3 days, the frequency had changed to 1404 kHz which improved daytime listening but was still prone to night-time interference. Among the better-known names in the line-up were Australian Mark Warner, who had done a stint on the Voice of Peace, and English DJ Ian Akers, formerly of Radio Caroline. There was an hourly news service from 0800 to 1800 and 3 FM frequencies were also noted (the main one on 98.1 with link frequencies on 100.1 and 103).
The Weekly Report of 30th November noted that although 1404 kHz was an improvement, night-time interference was still audible even within the service area. Reflecting the crowded AM band of the 1980s, it added: ‘Clearish night-time channels are just about nonexistent, and at this time of year, interference can be terrible at times, even a few miles from the transmitter’. In 1987, Radio North moved to the vastly superior frequency of 846 kHz, where it remains to this day. In a letter to Ian Biggar in January 1987, Mark Warner wrote that he had joined Radio North because the owner wanted someone with experience to run the station. However, Mark did not have confidence in the owner and moved to a rival Donegal station, Northwest Community Radio, before the end of 1986, following a botched attempt to takeover Radio North.
Our first recording was made just a few days after the launch of Radio North and features Ian Akers presenting a drivetime show with a mixture of country and pop music. The postal address of Bridge Street, Carndonagh is read out and there are several requests from listeners. News is read by Mark Warner but there are no adverts. The recording was made 23rd November 1986 between 1600-1649 from 98 FM and is courtesy of Ian Biggar. Audio quality is mostly good but there are crackles in places as if from electrical interference.
