1987 Archives - Page 2 of 11 - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

9th February 202429th January 2024

Border series: Sunday afternoon on KTOK

This recording of Donegal station KTOK was made on a Sunday afternoon in the winter of 1987. On air is Dave James, formerly of offshore station Radio Caroline, with a mix of chart music, requests, community notices, entertainment guide and the Bargain Basement buy and sell slot. There are plenty of adverts in the busy pre-Christmas period from the core listening area of Counties Donegal and Sligo. John Breslin reads the news, which is dominated by that morning’s IRA attack near the cenotaph in Enniskillen, in which 12 people were killed. As a border station, KTOK was of course also audible in Co. Fermanagh.

Part 1 of the recording above runs from 1431-1603 and Part 2 below from 1605-1738.

Part 2 of the Dave James show.

The tape was made on Sunday 8^th November 1987 from 103.9 FM. KTOK also broadcast on 96 FM and 1566 kHz AM. The recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

5th February 202426th February 2024

Lunchtime on Liberty Radio

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Liberty Radio, also known as Liberty 104, was established as a serious player in the tight Dublin market by the beginning of 1988. Launched as Liberties Local Community Radio in spring 1986, the station moved away from its community focus and began a more commercial operation. This recording from the end of 1987 includes plenty of adverts in the pre-Christmas rush, including one for Prendergast Aerials, a company owned by station boss Sammy Prendergast. Of interest is a promo for a Christmas toy appeal in association with Fr Michael Cleary, a Catholic priest who broadcast on various pirate stations.

The cassette inlay lists the DJ as Ian Scott, formerly of Boyneside Radio in Drogheda but the presenter is in fact Mark Grace. News is read by Kieran Murray, who also worked previously with Boyneside and Radio Carousel. The recording was made on Thursday 3^rd December 1987 from 104.35 FM from 1123-1300 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.

31st January 202422nd January 2024

Border series: Saturday sounds on KTOK

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This recording of Donegal Town station KTOK features Saturday programmes in the winter of 1987. Up first is Brian McLoughlin and he is followed by station owner Russ Padmore with the weekly northwest Top 40, sponsored by a local hifi company. There are plenty of adverts from around Donegal and Sligo, including a promo for a weekly KTOK club night in Glenties. News is read by John Breslin and there are also some local community announcements. The DJs announce the main channel of 96FM but in order to cover the hilly terrain, KTOK also broadcast on other FM frequencies and on AM.

KTOK broadcast from the middle of 1987 until the end of 1988, when it closed in line with new broadcasting legislation. The recording was made on Saturday 7^th November 1987 from 103.9 FM. Part 1 above runs from 1006-1140 and Part 2 below from 1317-1348.

Part 2 of Top 40.

Both are from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

26th January 202421st January 2024

Gareth O’Callaghan on Q102

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Q102 logo from 1987 (Alan MacSimoin Collection).

Gareth O’Callaghan broadcast on various 1980s pirates stations including Radio Nova, Energy 103 and Q102. In this recording, he is heard presenting the afternoon show on Q102 in the autumn of 1987. There’s the usual upbeat mixture of music, chat, comedy, a newspaper review and traffic news along with adverts for local businesses and larger companies or brands. The ’10 in a row’ feature consists of 10 songs without adverts from 1700-1730. News at half-past the hour is read by Anne Cassin, who would go on to work for RTÉ. Gareth O’Callaghan continues to broadcast today on Classic Hits Radio.

Gareth O'Callaghan on Q102 — Original inset from Anoraks Ireland Collection.

Audio quality on this tape is fair as there is distortion throughout, most likely due to an issue with the recording device as Q102 had a highly professional signal. The recording was made from 101.9 FM from 1620-1752 on Thursday 1^st October 1987 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

24th January 202421st January 2024

Border series: mid-morning on Donegal’s KTOK

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KTOK was one of several stations broadcasting from Co. Donegal during the pirate era. It was established in Donegal Town in the summer of 1987 by Russ Padmore, who worked previously for North West Community Radio in Buncrana. KTOK broadcast on 1566 kHz AM and on 96, 98 and 103 MHz FM. As well as Donegal, it claimed to have listeners in Sligo and Leitrim as well as across the border in Derry, Fermanagh and Tyrone. The station closed down in line with new broadcasting legislation on New Year’s Eve 1988. Russ Padmore now works for the BBC.

This recording of KTOK was made on a Wednesday morning in the winter of 1987 and features Paul Cooke on air. There are plenty of adverts for businesses in Sligo and Donegal, many featuring the voice of Russ Padmore. Paul also presents a buy and sell section and local entertainment guide. News on the hour is read by John Breslin, with a half-hourly update by the DJ.

The tape was made from 96 FM from 1104-1247 on 4^th November 1987 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.