The small Dublin pirate ABC Radio was one of a handful to stay on the air after the raids on the bigger station Radio Nova and Sunshine Radio on 18th and 19th May 1983. This short recording of ABC was made before 2300 on the evening of 19th May and includes a call from a listener who says she finds RTÉ Radio 1 and Radio 2 depressing and will miss pirate radio. The DJ is Jimmy Williams and the recording was made from 963 kHz, 312 metres. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.
This is part of the final hour of Bray Local Broadcasting (BLB) before it closed voluntarily following the raids on the larger Dublin pirates in 1983. At the microphone is a familiar voice on BLB, Mark Quinn, who is joined by other presenters including Shay Byrne (now with RTÉ), Sally Byrne and Terry Daniels. They reminisce about the station since it began on 22nd August 1979. There are also calls of support from listeners and messages of goodwill from community groups, showing how respected BLB was in the north Wicklow town.
The recording was made from 96.7 FM between 2255-2341 on 19th May 1983. BLB also broadcast on 657 kHz, announcing 456 metres. Along with most other pirates, it returned to the airwaves after a short time once the immediate shock of the raids had passed.
Radio West owner Shaun Coyne in 1986 (courtesy Andy Carter).
Following the raids by Gardaí and the Department Posts and Telegraphs on the large Dublin pirate stations in May 1983, panic spread throughout the sector and many stations left the airwaves, some for good. One such station to turn off its transmitters was Radio West, that had been broadcasting to the midlands from Mullingar in Co. Westmeath since early 1982.
This airchecked recording is of the last 2½ hours of Radio West on the night of 19th May 1983. The station announces that it is closing on a voluntary basis as a gesture of solidarity with Radio Nova but will return to the airwaves if the situation changes. The station says it has run out of petition forms but urges listeners to lobby their TDs for licensed local radio. Among those calling the station with good wishes is Kieran Murray of Radio Carousel Navan. DJs include Mike McCartney, Davina Carroll, Mike Young, Dave Murphy, Mike Lewis, Willie Harte, Helen Bradley, Harry Burns and Michael O’Flaherty. The final word goes to station owner Shaun Coyne and Radio West closes with the iconic spoken word version of the poem Desiderata by Les Crane, followed by the national anthem.
The airchecked recording was made from 702 kHz (430 metres) from about 2230 until 0015 on 19th and 20th May 1983. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection and was recorded originally by Kieran Murray. There is some wobble on the cassette due to degradation over time. The closedown was short-lived and despite the on-air drama, Radio West returned to the airwaves in less than two weeks and continued to broadcast until the end of 1988.
Sunshine boss Robbie Robinson in Portmarnock on the morning of the raid (courtesy Joe King).
Gardaí and officials from the Department of Posts and Telegraphs raided Sunshine Radio on the morning of 19th May 1983. This a recording of the final minutes of Sunshine from 0924 before the closedown at 0938. There are adverts right up to the end, including a promo for a Sunshine Radio car sun visor, although Sunshine boss Robbie Robinson comments that ‘this may be your last chance’. News headlines at 0930 with Cathy Cregan make no reference to the situation but shortly afterwards Robbie Robinson announces that the station is being raided and invites listeners to come down to the Sands Hotel and ring their TDs to protest. Sunshine’s theme song ‘You are my Sunshine’ is played and then goes off the air. The station returned on June 12th.
The recording was made from 100.58 FM stereo, announcing 101. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.
A march on 27th May 1983 following the raids on pirate radio (courtesy Joe King).
Following the raids by the Department of Posts and Telegraphs on the large Dublin stations Radio Nova and Sunshine Radio, fear spread through the pirate radio world in Dublin and further afield. Many stations closed temporarily as a precaution and Radio Leinster left the airwaves for good. It was expected that the long-running Radio Dublin in Inchicore would be the next to be raided and the premises and equipment were secured as a precaution. During Thursday 19th May, the date of Radio Nova’s official closedown, Radio Dublin opened its phone lines and studios to listeners concerned that they were to lose their favourite pirate stations.
This recording of that afternoon captures both the growing sense of panic among the pirates and the deep loyalty of listeners to Radio Dublin. First up is DJ Damien McCloskey who chats to other DJs and listeners both in studio and by phone, all of whom express their anger at the Department of Posts and Telegraphs. A protest march to support local radio is announced for the following week and there are references to the demise of Radio Leinster and the forthcoming Nova closedown. There are plenty of technical glitches and the Department is accused of jamming the phone lines preventing listeners from getting through. At 4pm Seán Day (Murphy) takes over and continues in the same style.
Audio quality is fair with some cassette degradation and wobble. The recording was made on 19th May 1983 from 1188 kHz, announcing 253 metres, and there is ample use of the iconic Radio Dublin 253 jingle package and station theme ‘I Like It’ by the Da Band. Radio Dublin was not on FM that day, probably as a precaution against removal of transmission equipment. Part 1 of the recording above begins at 1510 and Part 2 below at 1608 but there are minor edits in both.
Part 2 from 1608 with Seán Day
The recording is from the Skywave Tapes Collection. Radio Skywave International was a 1980s shortwave station from Baldoyle in northeast Dublin.
