KIKX 102 was the new name for the short-lived Monaghan pirate FM 100, that broadcast for a few months from 26th July 1989. Using the former studios and transmitter of previous pirate KITS in Monaghan Town, FM 100 had big plans to secure a music radio licence for Northern Ireland following the closure of the pirates south of the border at the end of 1988. After moving to 102 FM in November 1989, FM 100 relaunched as KIKX 102 but only lasted for another few weeks before closing down. This was an unstable period for the pirates due to the introduction of draconian new broadcasting laws in the Republic.
Our recording features an evening show with mostly chart music and adverts for businesses in Antrim (including Belfast), Armagh and Monaghan. The tape is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection and was made from 102 FM sometime in November 1989 between 2134-2219. The DJ calls himself ‘the Gooseman’.
Breffni Radio caravan from 1987 (courtesy DX Archive).
Breffni Community Radio, later Breffni Regional Radio, broadcast from Kilnaleck in Co. Cavan from the end of 1984 until the end of 1988, one of several successful border stations playing mostly country and Irish music. After applying unsuccessfully for a licence, Breffni returned to the airwaves for a few weeks in late 1989.
As reported in the newsletter Newsline Ireland produced by Rodney Neill, the station was first heard on Wednesday 8th November on 100.0 FM, later moving to 98.9 MHz. The AM transmitter was brought back into service on Sunday 12th November on the old frequency of 657 kHz. Breffni continued to broadcast 24 hours a day until Friday 24th November, when officials from the Department of Communications were rumoured to be in the vicinity of the FM transmitter. This was switched off and Breffni continued on AM only. Newsline Ireland continued:
However, on Friday 1st December, Breffni Radio were raided. Sean Brady was hosting his morning show, as he had since the station returned to the air. An engineer had travelled from Donegal to do some work on the AM transmitter as it had been quite distorted since it had been switched off the previous week as a precaution. The AM rig went silent at around 12.15pm to allow the work to be carried out and it was 15 minutes later when the officials arrived.
The Breffni staff present were cautioned and told that they were liable to proseuction under the new broadcasting legislation. The AM transmitter and studio equipment were confiscated and that was the end of Breffni Radio’s brief return in 1989.
This recording of Breffni Radio was made from 99 FM on Monday 20th November 1989 from 1027-1201 and features Seán Brady with plenty of requests, a notice board and death notices, which would become a staple of licensed independent radio in Ireland. The recording was made by Rodney Neill. Thanks to Ian Biggar for the donation and background information.
Oliver McMahon (aka Big O) on Radio Carousel Northern Ireland c1986 (courtesy Eddie Caffrey).
Border Weekend Radio was a short-lived pirate broadcasting in January and February 1989 after the introduction of new legislation that was supposed to silence the unlicensed stations. Based in Carrickcarnon on the Louth/Armagh border, it was a reincarnation of Rainbow Radio that had broadcast from the same location since August 2nd 1987 until 31st December 1988. Border Weekend Radio was run by the same operators, Oliver McMahon (Big O) and Eugene Markey, both formerly of Boyneside Radio North.
The first log of Border Weekend Radio in the Anoraks UK Weekly Report was on 28th January 1989. It was noted that a new local radio station with some well-known voices heard previously on Rainbow Radio was heard the previous weekend on 1152 kHz AM and 98.5 FM, the former frequencies of Rainbow Radio. According to Weekly Report, Border Weekend Radio began broadcasting on the afternoon of Friday 20th January on AM only. FM followed on Saturday morning and programming continued until midnight on Sunday. There were no adverts but blocks of programming were sponsored by local businesses. The station was logged again on Saturday 4th February on 1152 kHz, using a Newry telephone number. However, in Weekly Report of 18th February 1989, it was noted that following the second raid on Radio Dublin on February 11th, both Border Weekend Radio and another Louth pirate Zee 103 seemed to have left the air for good. Border Weekend Radio would in fact return briefly as Summertime Sounds later in 1989.
This recording was made from 98.5 FM on 22nd January 1989 between 1030-1350, with the final section partially edited. First up is Jolly Ollie (Oliver McMahon) with country and Irish music, followed by Mr Wonderful with a more mixed bag. The sheer volume of requests and mentions of local businesses underline the ongoing demand for local radio that was unserved in the vacuum caused by the closure of the pirates. Thanks to Ian Biggar for the donation.
Gospel 98 promotional poster (courtesy Ian Biggar).
Gospel 98 FM was a short-lived offshoot of Donegal station Radio North and an example of the long-standing religious programming on the station itself or on related services. It began broadcasting on 11th December 1989 from Shrove Head outside Greencastle on the Inishowen Peninsula. A promotional poster described the new station’s aim as promoting ‘vibrant, joyful, biblical Christianity’ over the airwaves. Gospel 98 was to be controlled and staffed by committed Christians who aimed to produce short bible studies, youth programmes and programmes for older people. The station’s ethos was described as non-denominational but also Evangelical Christian and it was envisaged that programmes would be sponsored.
This short recording is of a test transmission the day before Gospel 98 went on air and features music interspersed with recorded messages. The station was to broadcast from Monday to Saturday from 1500-1900 and promised gospel music and ‘lively content’. The tape was made in Lancashire on Sunday 10th December 1989 from 97.8 FM during an FM lift and is courtesy of Gary Hogg. Thanks to Ian Biggar for the image. Audio quality is fair and characterised by fading as to be expected some distance from the transmitter.
On 2nd March 1990, the Donegal Democrat reported that Gospel 98 had been put off the air by a storm the previous weekend. In a letter to Ian Biggar on 6th March 1990, Francis Callaghan of Radio North wrote that Gospel 98 had been broadcasting between 1500-1730 every day and relayed Radio North at other times. He said that it would be off the air for at least a month due to the storm but in fact the FM station seems never to have returned. There does not appear to be a direct link with Gospel 846, an AM religious service linked to Radio North that was set up in 1999 when the main station moved to FM only.
This is another recording of Northside Radio, to which Radio North changed its name after some of those involved stepped back from the pirate station in 1989 to apply for a licence for the north Donegal franchise. On air at lunchtime is station manager Francis Callaghan with country and Irish music and plenty of requests from both sides of the border. Francis also reads out community notices and presents the daily Helpline slot. Most but not all adverts are from the North and there is a promo for a Northside Radio roadshow in Co. Derry. The station reverted to Radio North a few weeks later after the licence application was unsuccessful.
This recording of Northside Radio was made from 846 kHz AM on Wednesday 23rd August 1989 between 1309-1440 from 846 kHz AM (the station also broadcast on 98 FM at the time). Reception is fair and consistent with daytime groundwave reception as this tape was recorded in Scotland. Thanks to Ian Biggar for the donation.
