AM Archives - Page 14 of 55 - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

18th May 202318th January 2025

Radio Nova raided

This is the well-known recording of Radio Nova on the morning of the infamous raid on the 18th of May 1983. Gardaí and officials from the Department of Posts and Telegraphs arrived at about 9.30am and requested that both Nova and KISS FM cease transmission at once. Keys were sought for the transmission site and just over an hour later, the plug was pulled. Nova returned at about 4.15am the following morning but on lower power and at lunchtime the station announced that it would close officially at 6.00pm that evening.

This recording from 819 kHz AM begins on May 18th during the 10am news with Bob Gallico. After the news, DJ Declan Meehan asks station owner Chris Cary to come to the studios in Herbert Street immediately. During the following 30 minutes, Declan makes several references to the fact that Nova may go off the air and back to back jingles are played during records. Bob Gallico joins Declan throughout the hour for live versions of their inimitable two-handers, responding to unfolding events. At the same time another DJ Tom Hardy was bringing the P&T officials to the transmitter site in Rathfarnham in order to put Nova off the air. During our interviews with former Nova staff, many recalled their memories of the 1983 raids including Tom Hardy and Denis Murray. Declan Meehan recalls his Nova days here.

This recording is courtesy of DX Archive where more information about and recordings of the 1983 raids can be found. For a comprehensive overview, see also the Radiowaves site.

17th May 202314th November 2023

Border series: Radio Star Country on Christmas Eve 2010

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This recording of border station Radio Star Country was made on Christmas Eve 2010, during the coldest weather in decades. On air is Stevie King with copious requests from all over mid-Ulster and as far afield as Derry and Antrim. Adverts are heard for various country music stars and for businesses in Armagh, Down, Fermanagh and Tyrone. An advertising promo thanks advertisers and listeners for their support during the year. Reflecting the mixed political or religious allegiances along the border, Stevie announces events linked to both sides of the community including a céilí and a concert by the Royal British Legion.

Due to a technical issue, no news bulletin from Sky is aired for the first few hours and there are several periods of dead air, which Stevie attributes to the adverse weather. The drivetime show is to be presented by Rita but given the continuous music after 4pm, it seems she did not make it through the snow. Reception is fair to poor as the tape was recorded in Blackpool in England and co-channel interference and fading increase as darkness falls. The recording was made from 981 kHz from 1208-1630 on 24^th December 2010 and is courtesy of DX Archive.

10th May 202314th August 2023

Border series: Radio Star Country prepares for Christmas 2010

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This recording of border station Radio Star Country was made in the week before Christmas 2010 when Ireland and the UK were paralysed by a severe cold snap. There was snow on the ground where the station was located north of Emyvale in Co. Monaghan, but DJ Rita plays the usual country and gospel music and shares plenty of seasonal requests from listeners. There are adverts for businesses in Antrim, Armagh, Fermanagh and Tyrone including jarring references to ‘Southern Ireland’. A promo thanks listeners and advertisers for their support during 2010 and businesses are invited to advertise by contacting sales representatives on UK mobile numbers. The religious programme New Life in Christ is broadcast from Killeen Gospel Hall in Co. Armagh and Rita is followed at 4pm by ‘The Cowboy’ on the drivetime programme.

This tape was recorded from 981 kHz from 1435-1640 on 16^th December 2010. Made in Blackpool in England, it suffers from worsening co-channel interference and fading as darkness falls. The recording is courtesy of DX Archive.

3rd May 202314th August 2023

Border series: Radio Star Country still going after 22 years

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Radio Star Country marked 20 years on air in 2008 and continued to broadcast in defiance of the strict broadcasting legislation in the Republic of Ireland. Many pirate stations around the country had been raided or chose to apply for licences but the Monaghan station defied the odds and stuck to its winning formula of country and gospel music aimed mostly at a Northern audience. This recording from the run-up to Christmas 2010 gives a good sense of the station as it entered its third decade on air. On air is ‘The Cowboy’ who reads out seemingly endless requests from listeners across a wide area stretching from the border to Belfast and Ballymena and even Stranraer in Scotland. Christmas songs, often with religious themes, are added to the usual country and gospel mix. The adverts are from Northern counties only in contrast to earlier recordings of Radio Star Country, perhaps reflecting a clampdown on businesses in the Republic advertising on pirate radio. Promos inviting businesses to advertise for the Christmas period refer to the recession that was in full swing at the time. Hourly news is from the Sky News Centre in Britain and the Cowboy is followed by Jenny B with her drivetime show.

This tape was made from 981 kHz from 1233-1640 on 14^th December 2010, 22 years after Radio Star Country began broadcasting. It was recorded in Blackpool in England and reception deteriorates as darkness falls, with some fading and increasing co-channel interference. The recording is courtesy of DX Archive.

26th April 202317th May 2023

Border series: religious shows on Radio Star Country

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Radio Star Country is distinctive from the few pirates that venture on air these days in Ireland. As well as its longevity, it stands out for its musical style – Irish and American country and gospel music – and its daily religious content. The station was sold on by Gerry Byrne in 1992 and after three further changes of ownership was taken over by Dr Albert Chambers from Portadown in Co. Armagh, founder and director of religious organisation World Vision for Christ. A letter from WVFC to a Swedish DXer in 2006 referred to Radio Star Country as ‘our radio station in Ireland’ and said that, as well as playing country and gospel music, ‘the major programmes are the Christian broadcast messages given by pastors of various denominations’. Dr Chambers himself was listed as presenting programmes on Monday and Thursday evenings.

The Radio Star Country website lists daily religious programmes including Showers of Blessing, Let the Bible Speak, New Life in Christ and Foundations of Faith, the latter presented by Albert Chambers. World Vision for Christ is registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales, whose website states that its ‘aim is to promote Biblical Christianity’ by a number of means, including radio ministry. Its income increased from £57,000 in 2017 to £114,000 in 2021.

This recording begins with the 15-minute religious programme Let the Bible Speak presented by an evangelical minister from Co. Tyrone. It is followed by a music show with Patsy Jordan (McDonald, RIP) who reads out requests from over a wide area including Antrim, Armagh, Cavan, Meath, Monaghan, Fermanagh and Tyrone. Long adverts for businesses in Monaghan, Armagh and Fermanagh are also heard. The tape was made in Troon in Scotland from 981 kHz from 1002-1048 on Monday 16^th May 2005. Thanks to Ian Biggar for the donation and for background information.