Anoraks Ireland Collection Archives - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

14th April 202519th February 2025

Sunday evening on Westside Radio

Westside Radio was a small station broadcasting to Dublin in 1982 and 1983. It had its origins in Double R Radio in Inchicore and moved around different premises in Dublin, later broadcasting from a site in Mulhuddart in the west of the city. Westside was one of a small number of pirates to stay on air following the infamous raids of May 1983 but did not last for long as it ran into trouble due to claims of interference, a common charge levelled against the pirates.

This short recording of Westside Radio was made on a Sunday evening in early summer 1982. Up first is Chris Byrne and he is followed by DJ Lynne. Both DJs read out a letter from the Irish Wheelchair Association thanking Westside for promoting them during a recent sponsored run in the Phoenix Park. Audio quality is fair to poor due to an over-modulated signal and cassette degradation.

The airchecked recording was made by Kieran Murray from around 2000 on 16^th May 1982 from 1035 kHz, announcing 290 metres and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.

11th April 202530th March 2025

Northeast series: Kieran Murray on Radio Carousel Drogheda

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The Louth station Radio Carousel developed many satellite stations during its long existence (1978-1988). Apart from the headquarters in Dundalk, at various times it had stations in Navan (Co. Meath), Drogheda (Co. Louth), Castleblayney (Co. Monaghan) and on the border aimed at Newry (Co. Armagh/Co. Down). The model was for satellites to run their own programming but link up with Dundalk for certain programmes, for instance Country Call presented by station owner Hugh Hardy (RIP). The first satellite service was opened in Drogheda in 1982 and claimed coverage of south Co. Louth and north Co. Dublin. The studios were based in the Boyne Valley Hotel but it was difficult for the station to gain a hold in Drogheda due to the dominance of Boyneside Radio in the town.

This short recording of Radio Carousel Drogheda features a familiar voice on the station, Kieran Murray, presenting an afternoon musical mix, interspersed with adverts and community announcements. The airchecked recording was made by Kieran from around 1500 on Wednesday 19^th May 1982 from 99.4 FM and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection. Radio Carousel Drogheda also broadcast on 1413 kHz, announcing 215 metres.

7th April 202519th February 2025

Northeast series: Plenty of requests on Telstar Community Radio

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Telstar Community Radio (1980-1988) was a long-running pirate station broadcasting from in and around Dundalk in Co. Louth. Despite stiff competition from other stations in the small county, especially Radio Carousel, it held its own and carved out a niche in the local market.

This short recording of Telstar gives a flavour of afternoon programming in 1982. An unidentified DJ reads out plenty of requests from listeners, there is an oldies spot and sports results are promised. The station also offers a chance to win tickets to a concert by Irish traditional band Clannad, who were making waves at the time. One of the most familiar voices on Telstar, Ray Stone, is heard on many of the adverts for businesses in and around Dundalk.

This airchecked recording was made by Kieran Murray from around 1400 on 13^th May 1982 from 1197 kHz (announcing 250 metres) and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection. Audio is of DX quality as the recording was made outside the core listening area in north Louth.

3rd April 20252nd April 2025

Afternoon shows on Radio West in the early days

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Mullingar-based pirate Radio West grew from humble origins in early 1982 into a large regional station by 1987, even rebranding itself as West National Radio 3 and claiming coverage of 22 of the 26 counties. Our short recording was made not long after its launch and features snippets of afternoon programmes. First up is John Flood (if we heard the name correctly), who is followed by Mike Young with the Solid Gold show. News is read by Orla Francis. The strapline of ‘the mighty 290’ is used but Radio West in fact broadcast on 1071 kHz at the time, which was closer to 280 metres. Such flexibility in announced frequencies was common in the days before digital displays on radios. The recording is of note because it shows how Radio West developed from a relatively amateur local service into a much larger regional operation during its 6 years on air. Its footprint was transformed after it acquired a 10 kW transmitter that gave it widespread coverage, leading it to claim national coverage.

This airchecked recording of Radio West was made from shortly before 1500 on 12th April 1982 from 1071 kHz AM. The tape was recorded by Kieran Murray and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection. Audio is of DX quality as Radio West was on low power at the time and the tape was made outside the core listening area in Westmeath.

30th March 202520th February 2025

Sunday afternoon on Bray Local Broadcasting

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Bray Local Broadcasting (BLB), was one of the leading community radio stations in the country during the pirate era of the 1970s-1980s, and was a founding member of the National Association for Community Broadcasting that lobbied for the licensing of non-commerical local radio. It broadcast from Bray in north Co. Wicklow for the best part of a decade from 1979-1988.

This is a short airchecked recording from 1983 of the Sunday Disco Mix show with an unidentified DJ, interspersed with adverts for small businesses in Bray. It is followed by Louis O’Rourke with At Your Service, a programme for Civil Defence, Red Cross and the Order of Malta, an example of the type of community material championed by BLB. The tape was made by Kieran Murray between 1730-1800 on Sunday 1^st May 1983 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection. 96.3 FM is noted on the inlay card, but BLB broadcast on 96.7 at the time, as well as 657 kHz AM.