Posted on

Bray Local Broadcasting (BLB) during 1983 raids

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Bray Local Broadcasting (BLB) during 1983 raids
BLB car sticker courtesy of DX Archive.

Bray Local Broadcasting (BLB) was a pioneer in Irish community radio and spent almost ten years on air from 1979 to 1988. Based in the north Wicklow town, it focused on local speech content and carried specialist music shows in contrast with other stations broadcasting mostly pop music. You can hear a panel discussion about the history of BLB here or read a newspaper report here.

This recording, made from 657 kHz AM from 6.53pm on 18 May 1983 is significant because of its date, not its content: this was the same day as the infamous raid by the Department of Posts and Telegraphs on Dublin super-pirate Radio Nova. Sunshine Radio was raided the follow day, prompting panic among pirates throughout the country. On 19 May many, including BLB, closed down temporarily as a result of the raids and some such as Radio Leinster were never to return.

This recording is from the Skywave Tapes Collection. Skywave Radio International broadcast a shortwave station in the 1980s from Baldoyle in northeast Dublin.

Posted on

Concord Community Radio promotes politics of community radio

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Concord Community Radio promotes politics of community radio
Concord Community Radio flyer (Alan MacSimoin Collection).

This recording features Jack Byrne of Concord Community Radio and John Murphy of Bray Local Broadcasting on Dateline Dublin on 337 metres/890 kHz at 1800 on 27th March 1983, not long before Concord began broadcasting to northeast Dublin. Conor Cullihy is the presenter of this programme promoting the politics of community radio. At 30 minutes there is a recording credited to BLB. The 10-minute piece makes the case for locally owned community radio and explains the other versions of commercial local and state-run community radio that were being considered in Ireland in the early 1980s.

This recording is from the Skywave Tapes Collection. Skywave Radio International broadcast a shortwave station in the 1980s from Baldoyle in northeast Dublin.

Posted on

Rockabilly on Concord Community Radio (Dublin)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

From 890 kHz/337 metres, this is Concord Community Radio from the Artane/Coolock area of Dublin on 27th March 1983 from 1900. Boppin’ Billy is on air. Billy went on to be manager at Concord’s successor North Dublin Community Radio (NDCR), was on Radio Caroline Dublin for 10 years in the 90s, worked for Beaumont Hospital Radio and these days he is on Dublin City FM on Fridays from midnight to 2am. Still playing rockabilly!

Posted on

First day of Liberties Local Community Radio

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

First day of Liberties Local Community Radio
Car sticker for LLCR courtesy of DX Archive

This is a recording of the first day of Liberties Local Community Radio (LLCR) from 4th April 1986. The presenter is Paul Barrett and this is aircheck includes jingles and a helpful interjection from Brian Greene who informs us that the FM transmitter on 96.7 was running 50 watts. There’s a change in sound quality half-way through, when it seems the source was switched from FM to the AM transmitter on 1035 kHz.

LLCR broadcast from Weaver Square in the Liberties until the end of 1988 during which time it changed format and name several times. You can hear LLCR jingles here. This recording is from the Pirate.ie collection.

Posted on

Documentary: history of Community Radio Youghal

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Documentary: history of Community Radio Youghal
The farmhouse near Youghal from where CRY broadcast in its early pirate days (courtesy Ian Biggar/DX Archive).

In the summer of 2019, Community Radio Youghal celebrated 40 years since it began broadcasting as a pirate from the east Cork town. CRY was licensed as a community radio station in 1995 but its history stretches back to 1979 when it began broadcasting without a licence. See the DX Archive site for more photos and history of CRY’s pirate days. You can listen to the current CRY here.

Documentary: history of Community Radio Youghal
A ladder leading to the studio at the farmhouse (courtesy Ian Biggar/DX Archive).

A special documentary, Born in the USA, aired by CRY on July 4th 2019 to mark its 40th birthday, was funded by the then Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. We thank CRY Manager Darragh Parker and Programme Director Justin Maher for granting us permission to share this.