AMS poster at the studio in 1988 (Anoraks Ireland Collection)
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.
Original cassette label from Anoraks Ireland Collection
The recording was made on 25th May 1988 from 98.6 FM between 2040-2126. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.
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.
WKLR exterior in 1988 (courtesy Andy Carter).
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.
Original cassette label from Anoraks Ireland Collection.
The recording was made from 95.5 FM on 4th 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 31st 1988.
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 11th 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 12th 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 9th 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.
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.
Original cassette label from Anoraks Ireland Collection.
The tape was recorded from 95.5 FM from 1417-1502 on 24th December 1988 and is partly airchecked. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.
Original cassette label from Anoraks Ireland Collection.
Kingdom 102 broadcast from Killarney in Co. Kerry in 1988 at the end of the pirate era. This recording is of the final edition of the Golden Hour Show with PJ O’Neill. News on the hour is read by John Kiely. PJ was a competent presenter who had broadcast previously on earlier Killarney station WRKY but in his final show, he throws caution to the wind somewhat. John Kiely worked previously for Tralee station Kerry Local Radio. There are plenty of local festive advertisements and professional jingles and station idents. ‘The late, great Rob Orbison’ is compared by PJ to ‘the late, great Kingdom 102’, who says that the history of radio broadcasting in Ireland about to be remade.
Part 1 above runs from 1345-1430 and Part 2 below from 1440-1525. The tape was recorded from 102 FM on 23rd December 1988. The recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.
Part 2 from 1440.
It is not clear when exactly Kingdom 102 closed down, but it is thought to have continued until the end of the year in line with other pirates.
