1999 Archives - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

18th August 202519th August 2025

Border series: Radio North religious service Gospel 846

During its almost 40 years on air, Donegal pirate Radio North has broadcast religious programming at various times, either as a part of its main output or as separate services broadcasting on AM or FM only. In 1989, it had ambitious plans for an FM station called Gospel 98 but after only a few months, this offshoot closed following a storm in March 1990. Around the turn of the millennium, another religious service called Gospel 846 was launched, using the original AM frequency while the main country music service continued on FM. The change was introduced by Paul Barnett (RIP), who took over Radio North in 1998 along with the American Mike Dobbins (RIP), ushering in a more tightly formatted diet of American country music on FM along with opt-out religious programming at certain times of the day on AM.

Gospel 846 was reported by the British DX Club in 2000 as a subsidiary of Radio North broadcasting religious material. There are references to Gospel 846 on various websites up to the late 2010s but it appears that a distinct separate service ceased in 2001, when Paul Barnett decided to put his original Donegal pirate WABC back on the air on FM frequencies then being used by Radio North (103.9 and 104.4). Paul had previously run WABC from 1987-1991, apart from a 6-month break following the introduction of new broadcasting legislation in 1989. After the revival of WABC, religious programming became a more integral part of Radio North itself as all the output was then on AM only. The station did not return to FM due to raids by the Department of Communications on pirates in the northwest at that time. Details of the religious shows can be seen in the flyer above from 2001.

A letter and QSL of Gospel 846 (see above) received by Ian Biggar in 2001 were issued by Adventist World Radio, an international Christian broadcaster that was paying Radio North for the output. Although there are no separate religious services today, both Radio North and fellow AM pirate Radio Star Country in Monaghan rely heavily on religious programming for income.

This recording of Gospel 846 was made between 1117-1217 on 4^th November 1999 and features part of a gospel music programme presented by Mark Fleming. Unlike Radio North itself, there are no adverts but the show is sponsored by a business in Derry and a PO Box number in Limavady is given as an address for requests and dedications. The tape was made by Ken Baird in Ayrshire in Scotland and is courtesy of Ian Biggar.

11th August 202511th August 2025

Border series: Saturday morning on Donegal’s Radio North

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The Donegal pirate Radio North relaunched in 1999 with a new format of mostly American country music, calling itself ‘the new Radio North’. The station focused on FM and ran a parallel religious service Gospel 846 for part of the day on AM.

This recording of a Saturday morning show from autumn that year features presenter Donna Reeves, although the emphasis is on the music with only short links and a tighter station formatting. The voice of station manager Paul Barnett (RIP) is heard on station idents and adverts. As usual there are long commercial breaks featuring small businesses from Donegal, Antrim and Derry.

The tape was made on 2^nd October 1999 between 1005-1056 from 846 kHz AM and is courtesy of Ian Biggar. Presumably Gospel 846 was not on the air at the time, with Radio North broadcasting on both AM and FM.

26th July 202521st July 2025

Border series: ‘the new Radio North’ from 1999

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After the shortlived change to Radio North 2000 in 1998, the Donegal pirate dumped the reference to the millennium and relaunched itself as ‘the new Radio North’ in 1999. Owner Paul Barnett (RIP) maintained the focus on American country music and the station developed a more polished sound and concentrated on FM (103.9 and 104.4), while running a parallel AM service for religious music and programming, Gospel 846.

This recording from summer 1999 gives a flavour of the new Radio North, complete with a slick advertising promo and a huge number of adverts from both sides of the border, many of them voiced by Paul Barnett. The DJ is Steve Marshall, who had been involved in previous Irish pirate stations in the 1980s. Among the straplines used are ‘the northwest’s fasting growing station’ and ‘the only station that’s increasing its audience’. There’s also a syndicated news service from IRN at the top of the hour.

The tape is courtesy of Ian Biggar and was made on Tuesday June 1^st 1999 between 1405-1535 from 103.9 FM.

23rd March 202317th May 2023

Border series: Country Girl Claire on Radio Star Country

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There is relatively little coverage of Radio Star Country in local press in Co. Monaghan after the initial warnings and raids in the early 1990s. One bone of contention locally was the relationship between the small number of pirates that remained on the air and the new licensed local station. The licence for Counties Cavan and Monaghan was awarded to Northern Sound Radio, and there are occasional reports about the perceived threat posed by the pirates to the new independent station. The Northern Standard on 7^th January 1993 reported a claim that the pirates were damaging Northern Sound’s revenue. On 28^th January, the paper carried a report that a meeting of the County Council was told that there were still two pirates on air in Co. Monaghan. However, the Standard itself carried an advertisement for Radio Star Country’s religious programme, ‘Showers of Blessings’, on 6^th May 1993, the first of many over the years.

There have been sporadic references over the years in local press to Radio Star Country, often in relation to the station’s involvement in local events, awards or concerts or in the form of advertisements for the growing number of religious programmes. On 17^th July 1997, the Anglo-Celt newspaper in Co. Cavan reported that Radio Star Country was presenting the Ulster Line Dancing Championships, reflecting a popular musical trend at the time. In March 1998, the Northern Standard reported that Radio Star DJs appeared at heats of the Blackwater Talent Contest in northern Monaghan. On 13^th May 1999, the Standard carried an advert for another Christian programme on Radio Star Country and exactly a year later on 13^th May 2000, another advert referred to station DJs at the Cookstown Gala Night in Co. Armagh. Similarly, the Standard of 13^th March 2003 reported that Radio Star Country would provide live coverage of a Special Olympics World Games benefit night from the Lakeside Hotel, Monaghan. On 7^th February 2008, there was a report in the Standard that the Radio Star Music Award would be presented to local musician Tony Cannon at a concert in the Kelly’s Inn Hotel in Omagh. From 2014, the Northern Standard reported an annual live broadcast by Radio Star Country from a vintage rally in Clontibret, Co. Monaghan. On 10^th September 2015, the newspaper reported that Monaghan Vintage Club thanked Radio Star Country, Northern Sound and the Standard for promoting their event – the ironic equivalence between the different types of local media apparently unnoticed!

This recording of Radio Star Country was made on 11^th May 1999, more than a decade after the Monaghan station first defied the new broadcasting laws that were supposed to silence the pirates. On air is Country Girl Claire, who continues to broadcast on the station to this day. News on the hour is from INN in Britain and the recording also includes a Radio Star Country noticeboard. Part 1 of the tape above runs from 1003 and Part 2 below from 1048.

Part 2 from 1048.

The tape was made by Rodney Neill from 981 kHz AM. Many thanks to Ian Biggar for the donation.