1988 Archives - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

30th May 202529th May 2025

Border series: Tom Hardy on KISS FM Monaghan

Despite being on air for only 9 months in 1988, KISS FM from Monaghan Town was one of the more successful and ambitious stations during the peak period of pirate radio in Ireland in the 1980s. Tests began at the end of 1987 but the start date was delayed by technical problems in spring 1988 and full tests did not begin until the end of March with a full schedule commencing on 1^st April. High powered transmitters gave unparalleled coverage of Northern Ireland and FM reception was reliable even in parts of northern England and Scotland.

This recording of the early period of KISS FM features the experienced English DJ Tom Hardy (RIP), who had worked previously in offshore pirates and larger Dublin stations such as Sunshine Radio and Radio Nova. Adverts are heard for businesses in Armagh and Belfast but are not particularly plentiful, perhaps reflecting the fact that the station was little more than a month on air. There is the usual slick imaging with top-class jingles, idents and liners, news is read by Con McConville and Tom presents the regular Job Spot section. The KISS FM Ulster sailboard championships coming up that weekend in Antrim is an example of one of the many marketing events than the station excelled in during its short existence. The KISS FM closedown on 30^th December 1988, also presented by Tom Hardy, was emotional and dramatic and underlined the station’s popularity on both sides of the border.

The tape was made on 9^th May 1988 from 1008 kHz AM between 1000-1045 and 1138-1233. It was recorded in Ayrshire in western Scotland and is courtesy of Ian Biggar.

14th February 202523rd May 2025

Border series: Radio North closes down at end of 1988,

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Along with the vast majority of the other pirates, the Donegal station Radio North closed down at the end of 1988 in compliance with new broadcasting legislation. This recording of the final hour of Radio North on New Year’s Eve is presented by Mickey Henry who shares many requests from loyal listeners on both sides of the border, including one who has recorded most of the shows for posterity. Other presenters join Mickey in studio and there is a supportive phone call from neighbouring pirate Donegal Community Radio (DCR).

The closedown speech just before midnight is read by station manager Francis Callaghan, who thanks everyone involved over the previous two years. Although the transmitter is about to be switched off, he hints that more is to come when he says that Radio North will be bigger and better than ever in 1989.

The recording was made by Rodney Neill from 98 FM between 2302-0000 on December 31^st 1988 and is courtesy of DX Archive. Within days, Radio North would return to the airwaves.

3rd February 202526th January 2025

Bee Bop Gold on Sunshine 101

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Bee Bop Gold was a popular oldies show on Dublin pirate station Sunshine 101 towards the end of its eight years on air. It was presented by Nails Mahoney, who went on to have a successful radio career in Ireland, the UK and Canada and now runs a radio consultancy.

By 1988, Sunshine was Dublin’s leading station and was hotly tipped to get one of the city’s two licences to be awarded in 1989 after the closedown of the pirates. That was not to happen and Sunshine’s managing director Robbie Robinson took an unsuccessful case against the Independent Radio and Television Commission.

This recording of Bee Bop Gold was made during Sunshine 101’s final month on air in 1988. It is slick and professional and features the high-level adverts and imaging associated with a successful commercial station. The tape was made on Sunday 4^th December 1988 from 101.1 FM between 1344-1430 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.

24th January 202524th January 2025

Wedding package giveaway on Class FM

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Class 98.5 FM (formerly KLAS), was an easy-listening station broadcasting from Dublin from 1986-1988. Set up by the founder of Radio Carousel, Hugh Hardy (RIP), it was later sold to television aerials salesman John Maye. Based in the up-market Harcourt Street area for the last part of its existence, Class was popular with older listeners not catered for by the chart music played on many pirate stations.

This recording of Class was made in the station’s final month and begins with Bryan Lambert presenting an evening show sponsored by Clearvision. Music is a mixture of easy-listening and classical and there are news headlines at the top of the hour. News is followed by station owner John May to announce the winner of a wedding package worth £2,000 sponsored by various Dublin businesses. The voice of Hugh Browne (RIP), who had previously broadcast on pirate radio in Cork, is among those heard on adverts and there is also a promo for a special classical music show in aid of the National Children’s Hospital, presented by Nella Allen. Nella had previously presented classical shows on Radio Leinster (1981-1983), which bore certain similarities to Class in its offering to listeners.

The recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection and was made from 98.5 FM between 1747-1833 on Monday 5^th December 1988.

19th January 202519th January 2025

Late-night on hobby station Q107

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Q107 was a part-time hobby pirate station broadcasting in Dublin in the 1980s. Information about the station is scant, but it seems that Q107 appeared sporadically between 1984 and 1988. In common with many other hobby stations, it spent a longer period on air towards the end of 1988 as the deadline for the closure of the pirates approached. Based in Ballyfermot in west Dublin, Q107’s owner was Ray Brennan, reportedly a nephew of the legendary pirate pioneer Don Moore (RIP), who provided studio gear for the hobby station. This recording was made in the final few weeks of 1988 and features Ray Brennan himself, using his on-air name Alan Byrnes. Callers to Q107 include Paul Davidson (Tony Donlon, RIP) of Anoraks Ireland, who says he has plans to record the closedown of every one of the 128 pirates still on air at the end of the year.

This recording was made from 107 FM from 2343-0029 on Sunday and Monday 11^th and 12^th December 1988 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection. Alan Byrnes closes down the station for the night and says it will return later that morning at 0700. Thanks to Ian Biggar for additional information.