1988 Archives - Page 23 of 24 - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

30th December 201830th December 2024

Final Alternative Top 30 on Capitol Radio/Nitesky 96

Capitol Radio/Nitesky 96 specialised in indie and alternative music and was one of the last stations in Dublin on air on New Year’s Eve 1988, broadcasting live from Side’s nightclub. This recording from the Pirate.ie collection is from 30^th December 1988 and features Conor Brooks promoting the listeners’ all-time Alternative Top 30 that was to be broadcast on the 31^st, the final day. The suggested bands and songs give a good indication of Capitol’s unique musical style. The Alternative Top 10 based on listeners’ votes was a popular weekly feature on the station. Capitol Radio/Nitesky 96 closed down at midnight on 31^st December 1988.

30th December 20187th August 2021

Interview with Radio Dublin on its ‘last day’ of broadcasting

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Centre Radio in Bayside was one of the last stations to close at midnight on New Year’s Eve 1988. Rumours abounded that Radio Dublin was going to defy the new legislation and continue broadcasting so early on the morning of the 31^st December, Bobby Gibbson (Brian Greene) decided to call Radio Dublin live on air. In this recording, he speaks to breakfast presenter Robbie Prior who says all presenters have been told that this is their final day. However he adds that station owner Eamon Cooke could well have something up his sleeve. The recording includes poor quality live audio from Radio Dublin’s AM broadcast on 1188 kHz.

30th December 20187th August 2021

Interview: Brian Matthews (Community Radio Fingal)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Community Radio Fingal broadcast from Swords and then Skerries in north Co. Dublin from 1982 to 1988 and was an example of one of the many community-focused pirates in Ireland. It began with a 300 watt transmitter in Skerries and later moved to the nearby village of Loughshinney where it operated a 1kW rig on 1575 kHz and also broadcast on FM. In this fascinating interview from our own collection, station owner Brian Matthews talks about the history of CRF, its studio and transmitter facilities and provides some amusing anecdotes about presenters and listeners. The recording is undated but was made in 1988.

30th December 20183rd April 2023

Radio Tara picket reported by Boyneside Radio

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

This recording is of the main 6.00 evening news from Drogheda-based Boyneside Radio on 30^th August 1988 and includes an interview with a representative of local residents in Clonlyon in Co. Meath protesting against the erection of a high longwave mast for Radio Tara in nearby Clarkestown.

RTÉ’s proposed joint venture with Radio Luxembourg, Radio Tara went on the air as Atlantic 252 in September 1989. It was aimed at the large and lucrative British market at a time when the UK had no national commercial radio station. Atlantic 252 was very successful in the first half of the 1990s but closed in 2002.

The recording was made from 98 FM and is from the Pirate.ie collection.

22nd December 20187th August 2021

Final overnight of Centre Radio, 30th to 31st December 1988

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

This is an aircheck of the northeast Dublin station Centre Radio recorded from 2300 on 30^th December 1988 to 0530 on 31^st, the final day of broadcasting before the pirates were silenced. On air overnight is Bobby Gibbson (aka Brian Greene). Centre had just finished broadcasting a live variety concert from its studio location at the Mid-Sutton Community Centre. The decision was taken to broadcast through the night for the last time before the closedown at midnight on the 31^st.