1988 Archives - Page 6 of 24 - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

1st March 202313th March 2023

Mid-morning music and requests on CBC

Clonmel Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) broadcast from the town of Clonmel in south Tipperary for over seven years from 1981 to the end of 1988. CBC had a wide variety of programmes and strong roots in its community, reflected in the number of requests from listeners heard in this recording made about two months before the station closed down. First up is one of the long-standing DJs, John (Jonathan) Ryan, presenting the breakfast show. There’s a mixture of musical styles, community notices and a jobs slot and adverts are heard from local businesses in south Tipperary and nearby areas of Waterford and Wexford. John is followed by station manager Peg Power with Golden Memories and a competition to win a breadbin sponsored by Dunnes Stores. News is read by Jimmy Williams.

Frequencies announced are 102.7, 99.5 and 96 FM. CBC also broadcast on 828 kHz and for a while on 1512 kHz AM, the latter frequency being the former Radio Carrick channel from Carrick-on-Suir. CBC closed down at midnight on New Year’s Eve 1988, along with the vast majority of the pirates.

This recording was made on Wednesday 2^nd November 1988 from 102.7 FM. Part 1 above runs from 0938 and Part 2 below from 1027.

Part 2 from 1027.

The recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

20th February 202311th February 2023

Night-time rock on AMS from Kilkenny

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AMS (Astra Media Services) was a Kilkenny station broadcasting from 1987 until the end of 1988. Daytime programming was aimed at a mainstream audience, with more specialist shows in the evenings, including this rock show presented by Michael Porter. The programme includes a small number of adverts and a promo seeking sales reps for counties Kilkenny, Carlow and Tipperary.

The recording was made on 25^th May 1988 from 98.6 FM between 2040-2126. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

8th February 20233rd March 2023

Drivetime on Cork’s WKLR

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WKLR (West Cork Local Radio) broadcast from the town of Bandon from January 1984 until the end of December 1988. Originally aiming primarily at west Cork, by the end of its run WKLR could be heard throughout the county. The station broadcast on 1503 kHz AM, announced as 200 metres, and on various FM frequencies including 100 MHz.

In this recording from winter 1988, John Greene finishes up his Friday afternoon show until 4.30 and he is followed by Tim Coughlan who presents the drivetime show featuring mostly easy listening music. An outside broadcast from Cork City is promised for the following week and the station is identified as ‘WKLR – the new voice of Cork’. News is read by Deirdre O’Reilly. Tim presented a show on Cork commercial station C103 until 2022 and John is still heard on that station.

The recording was made from 95.5 FM on 4^th November 1988. Rather than being a studio link transmitter as stated on the label, this was in fact located on a hill southwest of Bandon and covered a large area in its own right. Part 1 above runs from 1607-1653 and Part 2 below from 1654-1740.

Part 2 from 1654.

The tape is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson. WKLR closed at 0130 on December 31^st 1988.

15th January 202317th May 2023

Border series: early Radio Star Country broadcasts

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Welcome to our special series on Monaghan station Radio Star Country, one of the longest-running Irish pirates ever. The country music station has been on the air more or less continuously since 1988 to the present day. It broadcast initially on 927 kHz, then 891 kHz, and finally (and today) 981 kHz.

Radio Star Country’s first test transmission took place on Wednesday 11^th May 1988 at 1.30pm on 927 kHz AM (324 metres medium wave) and 103.2 MHz FM, and consisted of continuous country music. The station was broadcasting from the Swan Lake Hotel in Monaghan Town and the man behind the new venture was Gerry Byrne, who had also worked on Telstar Community Radio (Dundalk), Big M Community Radio (Castleblayney) and Northern Star (Monaghan).

The recording above is the earliest known tape of Radio Star Country shortly before it began broadcasting officially. The test broadcast on 12^th May 1988 (no times were logged) consists of continuous country and Irish music and links every few records by Gerry Byrne, who invites potential DJs to apply for positions at the station. The address of the Swan Lake Hotel is given, as well as a Monaghan phone number. Both 103.3 and 103.5 FM are mentioned at different times in the broadcast. The recording below is of Gerry Byrne’s morning show from 0823-1023 on 9^th June 1988.

Gerry Byrne as heard in Blackpool on 9th June 1988.

Both tapes were made in Blackpool, England and suffer from electrical interference at times. Audio levels are variable in the test broadcast. The recordings are courtesy of DX Archive.

24th December 202214th November 2023

Final Christmas Eve on Heartbeat FM

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This is a recording of the final Christmas Eve on Dublin love song station Heartbeat FM from 1988. John Keogh is on air from an unnamed pub with plenty of festive music and requests. He reminds listeners that there are only six days left before Heartbeat closes down and the iconic ‘final countdown’ promo is aired. Adverts of interest include one for a course in computer keyboard skills and another for ‘Bros-look outfits’.

Heartbeat was launched in November 1986 and quickly gained a strong listenership due to its love song format. It changed its name to Cara 95 FM in 1987 but reverted back to Heartbeat due to popular demand. Heartbeat closed at the end of December 1988 in line with the new legislation.

The tape was recorded from 95.5 FM from 1417-1502 on 24^th December 1988 and is partly airchecked. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.