Anoraks Ireland Collection Archives - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

18th November 20249th November 2024

Peter Madison and Bob Gallico on Magic 103

Magic 103 was one of the many offshoots of the large Dublin station Radio Nova (1981-1986). It was short-lived, broadcasting for only about 5 months between April and September 1985. Magic became entangled in the dispute between Chris Cary and the National Union of Journalists that eventually contributed to Nova’s demise. This recording features two of the station’s star broadcasters, Peter Madison (RIP) and Bob Gallico (RIP), with a mix of chat, community announcements and Magic’s trademark easy-listening music. The conversation is natural and witty and reflects the skill and experience of two fantastic broadcasters at the top of their game.

Bob reads news headlines on the half-hour and there is also a news flash about a bomb explosion in Belfast courtesy of the Press Association wire that was mentioned hourly at the end of bulletins. The programme contains an interview with a representative of the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals but virtually no advertising, a concern for a station already a few months on air.

The tape is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection and was made on Wednesday 31^st July 1985 from 103.5 FM between 1105-1241. Magic 103 also broadcast on 1512 kHz AM, announced as 199 metres in this recording.

13th November 202418th November 2024

Southside Radio FRC programme from 1981

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Southside Radio was one of the early Irish medium wave pirates of the late 1970s and early 1980s, based in various places in north Wicklow and south Dublin. It began broadcasting in December 1978 from a caravan to Bray for a few hours daily before extending its coverage. Southside Radio was raided in 1979 but a rate card and schedule from December that year showed an ambitious full-time schedule including accomplished broadcasters such as Bryan Dobson, Cathy Cregan, Sybil Fennell, Hugh Browne (RIP) and Paul Nicholas (Andy Ruane). Southside claimed to be the ‘major radio station on the southside of Dublin’ and said it had a community emphasis in its programmes. In spring 1980, a lightning strike and a break-in damaged equipment and disrupted broadcasts. In June that year, Southside moved to the Victor Hotel in Dún Laoghaire and became a round-the-clock operation. A report by DX Archive from April 1982 said that Southside was on its last legs and that the station closed the following month for good.

Of interest in the Southside schedule was the weekly Free Radio Campaign (FRC) show by Mark Boland on Sunday mornings, which was also relayed on shortwave stations Westside Radio International and Radio Condor and therefore heard well beyond Ireland. This recording is of an edition of the FRC that includes free radio and station news, a report from Liverpool, a tape of Australian station OZFM and Radio Caroline jingles from the 1960s. There are plenty of adverts for local businesses on the southside, including the voice of Tony Allan (RIP), who also features on station idents.

The tape was made on Easter Sunday 19^th April 1981 between 1133-1305 from 999 kHz, announcing 300 metres. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.

21st October 202421st October 2024

Death of veteran radio presenter Michael Reade

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The death was announced on 21^st October 2024 of Michael Reade, who presented a current affairs show on the independent radio station for Louth and Meath, LMFM, for the past 21 years. Michael announced in September 2024 that he had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and was very sick. Earlier that year, his long-running show on LMFM was awarded the IMRO radio award for best current affairs programme on local radio. We extend condolences to Michael’s family and friends. RIP.

Like so many other broadcasters of his era, Michael got his first experience in pirate radio as a teenager. He was just 15 when he first broadcast in 1981 and went on to present rock shows on Dublin stations Radio City, Radio Annabel and Capitol Radio. His daily programme on Capitol in 1988 was promoted as the country’s only rock breakfast show, reflecting that station’s alternative music style. He was also one of the presenters of Capitol’s final day of broadcasting on New Year’s Eve 1988, when the station closed in advance of new broadcasting legislation that was meant to silence the pirates. Capitol Radio broadcast from 1983-1988 and became the go-to place to fans of alternative, indie and rock music in Dublin. It relaunched as Capitol-Nitesky 96 in 1986.

This is an extract from Michael’s final show on that day, which features his favourite music and phone calls on a scratchy line from listeners sending New Year’s wishes to friends and to those involved in pirate radio. There are regular promos for the closing-down party later that night at Side’s nightclub in central Dublin. The tape is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection and was made between 1621-1707 on 31^st December 1988 from 95.8 FM.

16th October 20247th October 2024

Sunshine Radio breakfast show in October 1983

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Following the raids on the big Dublin pirates Sunshine Radio and Radio Nova in May 1983, the radio scene settled down again temporarily in the summer of that year. Having returned to the airwaves in June, Sunshine re-established itself as one of the city’s most popular stations particularly among listeners on the northside, reflecting its base in Portmarnock. A jamming campaign by RTÉ against Radio Nova and later Sunshine would soon be cranked up a gear but for the moment the Portmarnock station was able to broadcast unimpeded.

This recording of Sunshine is from autumn 1983 and features part of the breakfast show presented by Deirdre Mulins, who as well as the usual mix of music has horoscopes, a review of the papers and a weather update. News is read by Paula Daly. The tape was made from 101 FM between 0643-0733 on Friday 21^st October 1983 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.

14th October 20247th October 2024

Second last 78s Show on Radio Galaxy

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Tony Boylan (RIP) was one of the leading pioneers of pirate radio in Ireland, first broadcasting in 1945. His best-known and longest-running station was Radio Galaxy, which first aired in the mid-1950s and subsequently broadcast from the late 1960s until 1986, mostly on Sundays. By focusing on underserved genres of music, Radio Galaxy was a unique sound among the Irish pirates. Following the closure of the station, Tony retired to the Isle of Man where he died in 2010.

This tape of Radio Galaxy is the penultimate Sunday broadcast from autumn 1986 and features the popular weekly 78s Show with its mixture of classical, instrumental, country and religious music. There are several requests from Tony’s loyal listeners around Dublin, many of whom were no doubt with him for decades.

The recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection and was made from 1512 kHz AM, announcing 196 metres, from 1204-1332 on Sunday 14^th September 1986. Audio quality is fair and resembles slightly weak daytime groundwave reception, so the tape may have been recorded outside the core reception area around Santry in the northeast of the city.