AM Archives - Page 26 of 54 - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

29th October 202123rd October 2021

Irish Christian Broadcasting Service

Masthead of an ICBS flyer from c. 1986 (courtesy Ian Biggar).

Christian and Catholic pirate stations were among the niche unlicensed broadcasters of the 1980s. The longest running station was the Irish Christian Broadcasting Service which went on air in 1981 and continued until midnight on 30^th December 1988. In the early days, it broadcast from a convent in Finglas in northwest Dublin and later moved to Chapelizod and then Ballsbridge. The station was listed on 1071 kHz in logs spanning 1981 to 1985, when it moved to 891 kHz and then to 981 kHz, where it remained until the end of 1988. An Evening Herald report from 5^th May 1983 said that ICBS was test broadcasting for a few hours each evening on 1404 kHz.

The same article reported that ICBS intended to apply for a licence and a spokesman Jim Sherlock was quoted as saying that they did not wish to defy the authorities. He claimed that the Catholic Church was interested in ICBS and that the minister with responsibility for broadcasting, Ted Nealon was ‘sympathetic’ with their case. It was reported that ICBS did not carry advertisements and was financed by voluntary contributions. The schedule consisted of 70 percent religious and other music and 30 percent religious interviews and news.

This recording was made from 1071 kHz on 5^th April 1982 and consists of biblical extracts read by a woman with an American accent, interspersed with religious music. It may have been a tape sent to ICBS by a US religious group. Recordings of this type were occasionally used as income streams by Irish pirates, both religious and non-religious. Thanks to Shay Geoghegan for the donation.

13th October 202110th October 2021

Disco hits and requests on CBC

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Our final recording of CBC is of Alan Edwards on 21^st August 1979. It is a partial aircheck of his show from 1930-2130 and begins with Alan thanking Noel Evans (aka Welch) who was on air before him. Of interest are the live-read and pre-recorded adverts for various businesses including Greg Anthony Fashions, Adam and Eve’s Restaurant and Cork Joinery. Requests include one ‘for the girl in the green blouse from the dancer’ at the Ballyphehane disco and another for ‘Miss Ballinacurra’, a village near Cork. People from Blackrock are asked to ring in requests and they duly do so, followed by listeners in Douglas and then Farranree. The next DJ Conor O’Sullivan can’t make it because he has no transport so Alan announces that CBC is to close down at 2130. At the end of the recording is an advert for the ‘Alan Edwards disco roadshow’, a sign of how pirate DJs relied on gigging around town to make ends meet. There’s also a request for Lillian McCarthy (O’Donoghue) and the recording is followed by two personal messages recorded for Lillian by Alan and Noel. The music is fantastic and Alan is an enthusiastic DJ who clearly has many loyal listeners.

As often happens in the world of pirate radio, there was a split in the CBC ranks which led to Stevie Bolger and Con McParland starting Alternative Broadcasting Cork (ABC) from the same building that originally housed CBC in Montenotte. ABC began testing in July 1978 on an announced 233 metres. This station continued into 1979, but again a split from ABC led to the formation of Capital Radio which was on air until 1982. Stevie went on to work with RTÉ Cork Local Radio. Thanks as ever to Lillian O’Donoghue for the photo and recording and to Gearóid Quill and Ian Biggar for background information.

11th October 202110th October 2021

Susan James spins the hits on CBC

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This is a recording of Susan James (O’Connor) on CBC on Friday 3^rd August 1979 from 2009-2051. The station was on 1394 kHz at the time, announcing 230 metres. As well as spinning the latest hits and her favourite classics, Susan reads a live advert for Seán Jennings’ carpet shop and plugs Tom Duffy’s circus and other local events. It’s a lively, upbeat show from a woman DJ, a rarity in the pirate era. Unfortunately Susan isn’t in the group photo above, which was taken in August 1979.

Thanks to John Breslin for the donation.

7th October 20215th October 2021

Cork’s Top 40 on CBC

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This recording of the Cork Broadcasting Company (CBC) was made on 24^th July 1979 and features various DJs. Luke Ward is heard first, inviting entries into his quiz and signing off at the end of his show. The station is located in Patrick’s Quay at this time.

Luke is followed by the lunchtime show with Pete Andrews (O’Neill) who introduces Cork’s Top 40. The number one record is ‘I Don’t Like Mondays’ by the Boomtown Rats. The final DJ is Ed Harris.

Thanks again to Lillian O’Donoghue for the donation.

6th October 20215th October 2021

Alan Edwards celebrates one year on CBC

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This recording of Alan Edwards was made on 1^st July 1979, a year to the day after he began working at CBC. Alan plays snippets from his first show on 1^st July 1978 and comments on the difference in his voice over the past year. A birthday cake was delivered to the station by a loyal fan and Alan and his producer tuck in between records. It is announced that the station will close at 10pm instead of midnight because Barry Jones won’t be in for his show.

In the 1978 recording CBC’s frequency is given as 1327.52 kHz which is equivalent to almost 226 metres rather than the announced 230 metres. A year later, Alan announces 1303 kHz which is equivalent to 230 metres. This is a 40+ year-old cassette recorded from AM, with the 1978 inserts themselves recorded from AM, so audio quality is poor throughout. The recording above starts at around 7.30pm and is a partial aircheck. The recording below starts just before 9pm. Thanks to Lillian O’Donoghue for the donation.

Part 2 of the Alan Edwards show.