1991 Archives - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

19th August 202618th August 2026

Border series: Earth Sound Radio from border region

Earth South Radio was a short-lived pirate station broadcasting from Co. Tyrone in the early 1990s. It was re-named many time over a number of years and changed its location to south of the border. Earth Sound Radio was started by Timothy Sloan and Basil Gilroy with a small transmitter at the back of a house in Fivemiletown, east of Enniskillen. It changed its name to Starlight Radio and in mid-1993, Rodney Neill’s newsletter Newsline Ireland reported a Starlight Radio operating from Fivemiletown. A list from 1993 noted Starlight Radio on 105.9 MHz and 1413 kHz AM.

The station was re-named again in 1993, this time as Music City Radio, with its mast in Co. Monaghan. The KISS FM Anoraks Show review of 1993 reported that on 4^th June that year, a new station was heard from Clones called Music City Radio. It was reported as a 250 watt CTE transmitter installed by Gerry Reilly on 100.5 MHz FM in mono, with medium wave also planned. The Anoraks Show on 4^th July 1993 reported Music City Radio on 100.5 MHz with continuous test tapes of country music and poor audio. It appeared on Friday 20^th August on 1251 kHz, but as there was no studio available, it would simply relay Downtown, RTÉ etc. The station then disappeared but it was reported it could re-appear in early 1994 as new funding had been found.

In issue 2 of the pirate magazine Playback (March 1994), it was noted that on 14^th January, Music City Radio appeared on 105.4 MHz playing a diet of country music. On 20^th February 1995, a station list produced by Dublin pirate Coast FM noted Music City Radio on 105.4 MHz and 1404 kHz. Later logs by Coast FM that summer also reported Music City Radio on 1413 kHz. There was no mention of Music City Radio in station lists from 1996, so it may have been finished by that time.

This recording of Earth Sound Radio was made between 2034-2120 from 101.9 FM on 15^th December 1991. The DJ announces himself as Tony Walker. There is plenty of FM fading, reference to a barking dog outside and an advert for a carpet business in Fivemiletown at the very end. The recording was made in Portadown by Rodney Neill and was donated by Ian Biggar. Thanks to Ralph Barry for background information about Earth Sound Radio and successor stations and to Ian for assistance with the text.

21st May 202522nd May 2025

Border series: afternoon shows on Radio North

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

This recording of Donegal pirate Radio North was made on a winter’s afternoon in 1991, not long before the station left the airwaves for over two years. It begins with Eddie Barr who holds a phone-in competition, attracting callers mostly from the North. In another reflection of the station’s popularity across the border, all advertisements in this recording are from Co. Derry. There is also a horoscope spot and plenty of requests for the usual diet of country and Irish music. Eddie’s show is followed by the evening drivetime programme with John Wright. Radio North closed down near the end of 1991 when its AM frequency was taken over by rival station North Atlantic Radio. In early 1994, North Atlantic Radio reverted to the Radio North name.

The tape was made from 846 kHz AM on Tuesday 29^th October 1991 from 1504-1635 and is courtesy of Ian Biggar. It was recorded in Scotland and as would be expected for the time of year, there is increasing co-channel interference as darkness falls.

14th May 202513th May 2025

Border series: Lunchtime on North Atlantic Radio

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

North Atlantic Radio was a breakaway station from Donegal pirate Radio North, broadcasting from November 1989 until January 1994, when it reverted to the Radio North name. Both stations were based on the Inishowen peninsula and fishing in the same advertising pool locally and across the border. First up is DJ Laura with a lunchtime mix of requests, country and Irish music and long commercial breaks featuring businesses in Donegal, Derry and Antrim. She is followed by Harry with the afternoon show.

The recording was made from 954 kHz AM on 22^nd June 1991 from 1230-1400 and is kindly donated by Ian Biggar. Audio quality is consistent with AM but there is some distortion in places.

7th May 20257th May 2025

Border series: Interview with Francis Callaghan of Radio North

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

This interview with Radio North founder Francis Callaghan was conducted in mid-1991, almost two and a half years after the Donegal station defied the new broadcasting laws and decided to stay on the air. Francis gives a short station history, describing how Radio North receives reception reports from listeners throughout Europe and explaining the change of name to Northside Radio in 1989. He also refers to the new breakaway station, North Atlantic Radio, which was at the time broadcasting from the old Radio North location in Carndonagh. Radio North was at the time focusing on serving listeners in Northern Ireland.

This interview was conducted by DX Archive during a visit to Radio North in the village of Muff in May 1991 and was donated by Ian Biggar.

1st April 20253rd April 2026

Border series: Closedown of Donegal station WABC

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

On Easter Monday 1991, Donegal pirate WABC announced that it was closing down. The pioneering Inishowen station had been on air for 3-and-a-half years, with the exception of 6 months in the first half of 1989 due to the new legislation. At one stage it ran two parallel services specialising in hot hits and olides, and gained many listeners and advertising across the northwest, a region starved of music radio after 1988.

But at 1700 on Easter Monday, WABC began broadcasting continuous dance music interspersed with jingles and a message by owner Paul Barnett (RIP) announcing that it would go off air at 1900. It was a low-key closedown that was not flagged officially in advance, although there were hints on air and a farewell appearance on Saturday of Paul’s then wife and fellow DJ Krissi Carpenter at her oldies roadshow in Coleraine, Co. Derry. After a two-hour loop of music and the recorded announcement, WABC closed down shortly before 1915. Ian Biggar takes up the story:

The 101.7 transmitter remained on site and started relaying the programmes of [fellow Donegal pirate] Riverside 101. It continued to do so until a UK licence was received to broadcast as Q 102.9 and again continued to relay the legal station for many years. At one point the frequency was changed to 102.9 MHz. Paul and Krissi continued to do programmes for Radio Fax which was operating on short wave from Donegal before both were offered jobs on commercial radio in the UK. However, Paul still had a love for Ireland and both he and Krissi could still be heard on commercials and promos on Radio North. Unfortunately, their marriage broke up and Paul headed back to Donegal in the late 1990s to take up a managerial role with Radio North.

This recording was made from 101.7 FM from 1800-1919 on 1^st April 1991. Thanks to Ian Biggar for the recording and research. However, as is often the case with pirate radio, the 1991 closedown was not the end of the story, and WABC would rise again in the future for a final time.