Sunshine sticker from the mid-1980s (Anoraks Ireland Collection)
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 Mullins, 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 21st October 1983 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.
Tony Boylan in August 1986 (Anoraks Ireland Collection).
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 14th 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.
Feature on Barry Falvey from Sunshine Review 1985 (courtesy DX Archive).
Live overnight radio is rare these days, so a historical recording of a DJ made in the early hours is always of interest. This tape features Barry Falvey on All-Night Sunshine from 1984, during a sustained jamming campaign against the station by RTÉ. Along with the usual requests and dedications, there is a look-back at 1970 and a mixture of chart music and oldies. The voice of Sunshine’s owner and director Robbie Dale is heard on some adverts. News on the hours is read by Justin McKenna, who refers to RTÉ’s jamming on AM and FM, going on for 6 weeks at that stage although this broadcast isn’t affected. After the pirates in the 1990s, Barry Falvey went on to work as a journalist in RTÉ under his real name Éamon Falvey.
This recording was made from 531 kHz AM on Friday 4th May 1984 from 0030-0205 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection. Sunshine Radio also broadcast on 100.5 and 101.5 FM at this time.
LLCR business card from the early days (courtesy DX Archive)
Peter Madison (RIP) was an English DJ who broadcast on many Irish pirate stations in the 1980s. In this recording from 1986, he is heard on Liberties Local Community Radio (LLCR), a newly-established station serving the Liberties area of Dublin’s southwest city centre. Using the name ‘Skip Cameron’, Peter presents the lunchtime golden oldies programme and regularly refers to the station as ‘Big L’. He then hands over to John Keogh for Afternoon Delight. No adverts are heard during the hour-long broadcast, a concern for a new station with bills to pay.
LLCR was set up on 4th April 1986 from Weaver’s Square in Dublin 8. Focused initially on the local community, it was later re-named Liberty 104 and expanded its coverage, carving out a commercial niche in the Dublin radio market. Liberty 104 closed suddenly before Christmas 1988. This recording was made from 1035 kHz AM between 1303-1410 on Wednesday 23rd April 1986 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.
FM 100 was one of many pirates that defied the new broadcasting legislation in 1989. Based in Monaghan town, it was owned by Frank McCarthy (RIP) and programmed by Lawrence John. Using the studios and transmitter of former pirate KITS that closed at the end of 1988, FM 100 was first noted testing by Anoraks UK Weekly Report on Saturday 15th July 1989. An AM frequency of 1116 kHz was added on 19th July and regular live shows were expected within days. As stated by Weekly Report: ‘For the first time since the end of 1988, Radio Star Country (981) has a neighbour, although most certainly not competition, due to their 100% country and Irish format’.
FM 100 launched on 26th July 1989, with the first live show presented by John Friday (Lawrence John), formerly of Monaghan super-pirate KISS FM and various other stations. The station’s aim was to secure a music licence for Northern Ireland to fill the gap left by the demise of the pirates south of the border. Weekly Report of 29th July commented: ‘The latest area to show dissatisfaction with the current radio situation is the border area of Ireland. A province-wide drive to try to persuade the Home Secretary to grant a licence for an all music station for Northern Ireland is already underway. The “Campaign for Music Radio in Ulster” is being spearheaded by the new Monaghan-based station “FM 100” and expected to be assisted by all the other border and NI pirate operators. Apparently a survey has shown that 83% of the 15-39 age group want a music station, whilst the IBA and Government continue to ignore their requests for this type of radio for which a demand clearly exists. Marches and rallies are expected to be organised in the province to support the cause’.
American-produced messages to support the campaign were due to be aired on FM 100 and other border pirates but these failed to materialise because, according to Weekly Report, the tapes went missing while crossing the Atlantic. Many of the presenters were originally from KITS and former Louth pirate Zee 103, with names other than John Friday including Graham Marks, Ollie Clarke, Noel McStay, Paul Thomas, Gary Peach, Terri Hooley, the Gooseman and Roy McKee. Adverts were heard as well as promos for the ‘music radio for Ulster’ campaign and by August there was an increase in power and a relay into Newry by Magic 103 on 103.25. A big night out was planned in a Belfast nightclub in September where petitions would be available, along with t-shirts and car stickers.
FM 100 lasted for a few months but failed to get much traction with the local audience. It was also interfering with Century Radio’s Dublin FM transmitter, although this was not aimed at the border region. Eventually FM 100 changed to 102 FM and re-named as KIKX Kicks 102 in November but lasted only a few more weeks before leaving the airwaves.
This recording is of Peter Wright (ex KITS) from 1235-1409 on Thursday 19th October 1989, recorded from 102 FM. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection. Thanks to Rodney Neill for background information and the stickers.
