Anoraks Ireland Collection Archives - Page 10 of 47 - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

2nd August 20242nd August 2024

Peter Madison in the afternoon on Big D

English DJ Peter Madison (RIP) was a familiar voice on Irish pirates big and small in the 1980s, ranging from Big D and Boyneside Radio to Sunshine Radio and Radio Nova. In this recording of Big D from summer 1981, Aidan Cooney signs off at the end of his lunchtime show before handing over to Peter, who is presenting his final show using the name Skip Cameron although he says that ‘Peter Madison’ is to take over the slot on Monday. There are listeners’ favourites, plenty of requests and the ‘mystery voice’ competition, featuring none other than Chris Cary, who had launched Radio Nova about a month previously.

Peter chats in studio to his producer John Kenny (now with RTÉ Sport), Jason Maine and Tony Allan (RIP) who jokes that many DJs are moving to Portmarnock, referring to the success of Sunshine Radio that was launched the previous autumn. Advertisements include a live-read for Jett’s Nightclub near Dublin Airport, from where Big D broadcast live on Saturday nights.

Big D (1978-1982) broadcast on 1116 kHz AM (announcing 273 metres) and on 98.5 FM at this time. The airchecked recording was made on Friday 26^th June 1981 from AM and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.

31st July 20241st August 2024

John Clarke plays laid-back music on KISS FM

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KISS FM was one of the many offshoots of the renowned Dublin station Radio Nova. It was set up by Chris Cary in September 1982, offering specialist programmes for the Dublin audience and absorbing some of the advertising from Nova, such was the success of the main station. However, a jamming campaign by RTÉ and tensions between Cary and the National Union of Journalists put the entire Nova operation at risk and KISS FM closed down on 15^th January 1984.

This recording is of veteran radio presenter John Clarke over the Christmas holidays in 1983, towards the end of KISS FM’s run. The musical style is relaxed and there are relatively few advertisments for the time of year, perhaps reflecting the wider problems affecting Nova. News headlines are read by Ken Hammond, who would go on to become an RTÉ journalist. The tape was made from 102.75 FM between 1634-1708 on Tuesday 27^th December 1983 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.

29th July 202423rd July 2024

Early morning shows on Radio Nova

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1985 was the last full year of Radio Nova, the ambitious radio experiment created by Chris Cary in 1981 that dominated the Dublin radio market for several years. In September 1985, Cary closed the offshoot station Magic 103 and sold transmitters and equipment to rival station Q102. A bitter strike with the National Union of Journalists had resumed and was affecting advertising. Nova closed down in March 1986.

This recording from just before Nova’s final Christmas features the end of Richard Jackson’s overnight slot and the first half hour of the breakfast show with Colm Hayes, who is still heard on Irish radio today. Perhaps due to the early hour, no advertisements are aired and there is no news bulletin at 0600. The recording was made from 102.7 FM between 0544 and 0632 on Monday 16^th December 1985 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.

26th July 202430th July 2024

Midnight megamix from Tamango’s on Sunshine Radio

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Sunshine Radio (1980-1988) was located behind the Sands Hotel in Portmarnock on the north Dublin coast. The hotel itself and the adjoining Tamango’s nightclub were regular advertisers on Sunshine, and the station frequently broadcast live club nights from Tamango’s at the weekend.

This recording from just before Christmas 1985 features part of the Midnight Megamix with Jim Kenny (RIP), broadcast live from Tamango’s. News is read by Joyce Jackson, who would go to to work in RTÉ in the 1990s. The recording was made from 101.5 FM from 0049-1037 on Sunday 15^th December 1985 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.

24th July 202415th June 2024

Northeast series: FRC show #35 on Radio Rainbow International

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This is another episode of the Free Radio Campaign (FRC) on Louth shortwave station Radio Rainbow International (1985-1988). It is presented by Kieran Murray, who describes Radio Rainbow as the biggest free shortwave station in Europe at the time. The Louth station operated on much higher power than other Irish shortwave pirates, and received reception reports from across Europe during its three years on air.

Episode #35 of the FRC show contains Boola Boola by Drifter Sound, the theme tune to Radio Dublin, which was then celebrating its 20^th birthday. There’s the customary 5-minute sweep of jingles and a feature on early 1980s stations ARD and Southside Radio. The free radio newsdesk includes information about the raid on KISS FM in Dublin earlier that month.

The recording was made on Sunday 12^th October 1986 from 1100-1200 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection. This is a studio copy but Radio Rainbow International at this time broadcast on 6240 kHz shortwave and the FRC show was relayed on various stations in Ireland and elsewhere.