This is another recording of the late Tommy Murphy Show on Independent Radio Mayo (IRM) from 4th February 1988 from 1203-1248. Recorded from 99 FM, it begins with a syndicated US religious message following the midday news. Tommy thanks John Breslin from Co. Clare who sent in a recording of IRM as heard in the Banner County. There’s also an interview with a representative of Castlebar Swimming Club, a hospital requests slot, snooker results from Ballina and entries to the phone-in quiz from across Mayo.
We thank John Breslin for his donation of this recording.
Independent Radio Mayo (IRM) was launched in Castlebar in mid-1987 on 738 kHz AM, using the old Radio Leinster transmitter from Dublin, which gave it a good range across the region. It also broadcast on 99 MHz FM and later on 95.7 and 101.6. One of those involved was Gerry Delaney who had founded Mayo’s first pirate station, Atlantic Radio, in 1978. According to Magic and Madness, a history of Midwest Radio written by James Laffey: ‘IRM was mainly targeted at a younger audience and its playlist was not dissimilar to RTÉ Radio 2 but it also had a strong local feel to it and was a credible rival to Midwest’. IRM also drew the attention of the national media when Sharon Flynn, daughter of the Minister for the Environment Pádraig Flynn, began presenting an Irish language programme on the station.
This recording from 99 FM is of the late Tommy Murphy from 1115-1200 on 4th February 1988. The music is country and Irish and plenty of requests and ads from all over the county are heard. There’s also a phone-in quiz and an interview with a listener organising a charity event in Ballina. Tommy went on to work at the licensed Midwest Radio and died in 2012. News at midday is read by Chris Clesham, who went on to work in RTÉ.
We thank John Breslin for his donation of this recording.
KTOK studio in 1988 with Russ Padmore in the blue shirt (photo courtesy of DX Archive).
KTOK broadcast from Donegal Town from mid-1987 until the end of the 1988, one of many stations from a county that has long boasted a pirate tradition. It was set up by Russ Padmore who had come from North West Community Radio in Buncrana. KTOK was first noted on 1566 kHz on 24th May 1987 in the Anoraks UK Weekly Report. By July that year, FM frequencies on 96, 98 and 103 MHz were also logged. Russ Padmore closed down KTOK on New Year’s Eve 1988 when the Irish airwaves fell largely silent. He now works for the BBC.
KTOK flyer (courtesy of Ian Biggar).
This recording was made from 95.9 FM (announcing 96FM for south Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim) on 26th August 1988 from 1934-2021 and features ‘Laura Live’ (Laura Hughes) with Weekend Sounds. Another transmitter on 99 FM covered north Donegal. There are ads from across central and south Donegal and from Sligo Town. Thanks to John Breslin for the donation.
Paul ‘Stoney’ Burke at WCR in 1988 (courtesy of Ken Baird, taken originally by Andy Carter).
West Coast Radio (WCR) was an FM-only station broadcasting from Ennis in Co. Clare for four years from 1984 until the end of 1988. It is listed first by DX Archive in March 1985 on 100 FM and changed frequency regularly during its existence. WCR coexisted with another Ennis station, Radio Clare, for a short period in 1985 but as was the case in many small Irish towns, there wasn’t enough advertising revenue to support two stations and there are no listings of Radio Clare from 1986 onwards.
West Coast Radio flyer from 1988 (courtesy of Ian Biggar).
This recording was made from 104.2 FM on Saturday 17th September 1988 from 1323-1411. Ollie Byrnes is on air until 2pm with a mix of music including plenty of soul and folk. At 2pm Marty G. takes over with a pop format and promises cross-channel soccer results. There are ads for local businesses in Ennis and one in Ennistymon 25 km away.
A current view of 13 Parnell Street, Ennis where WCR was based (photo by John Walsh).
We thank John Breslin for his donation of this recording.
Cover image from a 1981 KCR magazine (courtesy of DX Archive).
Kilkenny Community Radio (KCR) broadcast for almost a decade from May 1979 to December 1988 and was one of the eleven stations affiliated to the National Association of Community Broadcasters. It operated on 1386 kHz (217 metres) for many years but with several other pirates in the south of Ireland on the same frequency, co-channel interference was a problem. FM frequencies were 99.9 and later 97.4 MHz. A new AM rig bought in 1987 allowed KCR to move to 1395 kHz where it remained until it closed, along with the other pirates, on 31st December 1988.
KCR’s AM rig (courtesy of Bill Ebrill).
KCR was based on a community co-operative structure and was chaired in its early years by local priest Fr. Gerry Joyce. A programme committee of shareholders and listeners updated the schedule regularly and the station’s slogan was ‘By the people for the people’. A 1981 magazine For the Record produced by KCR gives a flavour of the philosophy and the wide range of programming, with plenty of input from local voluntary groups. The station was featured in Leon Tipler’s documentary ‘The Irish Pirates’ in 1983. KCR was licensed as Radio Kilkenny in 1989 and continued to broadcast until 2003 when it lost its licence after a reorganisation of the franchises in Counties Carlow and Kilkenny. The present Community Radio Kilkenny City has links with the original pirate station and the 40th anniversary of community radio in Kilkenny was celebrated in 2019.
This recording is of Pat Maher with an easy listening programme from 1414-1502 on Saturday 17th September 1988, during the station’s ‘last 100 days of broadcasting’, as announced by the presenter. It was made from 97.4 FM and was kindly donated by John Breslin.
