Anoraks Ireland Collection Archives - Page 21 of 44 - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

15th July 202315th July 2023

Ringo Starr special on Dublin’s Q102

The Irish-owned Dublin station Q102 was quick to make an impact on the capital’s competitive radio market after its launch in January 1985. As well as a core offering of chart music, the station also had a credible news service, did outside broadcasts and occasionally ran feature programmes. This recording is of one such programme, Ringo’s Yellow Submarine, a US syndicated show presented by Ringo Starr of the Beatles.

Plenty of agency adverts are heard, reflecting Q102’s commercial success, as well as the iconic early jingle package. The recording was made from 102 FM between 1405-1451 on Sunday 14^th July 1985. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection, donated by Paul Davidson.

3rd July 20233rd July 2023

‘Dance Radio’ on South Coast Radio

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The fluid nature of pirate radio gave breaks to sometimes very young DJs, many of whom went on to carve out careers in broadcasting. John Ashford (real name John Buckley, RIP) was one of the younger part-time presenters on Cork station South Coast Radio, which came on air in spring 1982. Joining South Coast in the summer when he was aged only 19, John presented weekend shows including a Sunday afternoon request programme called ‘Dance Radio’.

In this recording, there are plenty of requests and commercial breaks include local businesses and larger companies. The voices of Siobhán Walls and Hugh Browne (RIP), both of whom went on to have careers in radio, are heard on adverts. Before joining South Coast, John worked in smaller stations Cork City Local Radio and Radio City.

The tape was made from 102.7 FM (announcing 104) on 22nd August 1982. Part 1 above runs from 1614 and Part 2 below from 1700.

Part 2 from 1700.

The recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

20th June 202318th June 2023

Q102 outside broadcast from Dublin city centre

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Q102 logo from 1987 (Alan MacSimoin collection).

By summer 1987 after more than two years on air, Q102 was well established as one of the leading pirate radio stations in Dublin and Ireland. It and other super-pirates repeatedly pushed the boundaries in terms of content, standards and technology and this tape is a good example of the high levels of professionalism attained by the bigger stations towards the end of the 1980s pirate era.

Q102 outside broadcast from Dublin city centre — Original cassette label from Anoraks Ireland Collection.

The recording features an outside broadcast by Q102 from the Switzer’s department store during the Midsummer Madness party taking place there. There are vox pops with shoppers and kids on Grafton Street, some of whom have just finished school exams, £5 gift vouchers and ice creams are given away as prizes. The OB features various presenters including Mickey Joe, Scott Williams, Mike Hogan, Dave Kelly, Greg Gaughren, Martin Block and Anne Cassin. The usual agency ads are heard and there is a competition for tickets for the iconic U2 concert in Croke Park on June 28^th. News at 3 minutes to the hour is read by Maura O’Neill.

The tape was made from 102.1 FM on Saturday 20^th June 1987. Part 1 above runs from 1342-1430 and Part 2 below from 1430-1518.

Part 2 from 1430

At this time Q102 also broadcast on 819 kHz AM and 103.5 FM. The tape is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

16th June 202325th May 2024

Summer sounds on Munster Broadcasting Corporation

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The Munster Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) was one of the smaller Limerick pirates, broadcasting in 1986. Despite the gradiose name, the station was situated in a tiny loft room on Catherine Street in the city centre. It claimed coverage of counties Limerick, Clare and Tipperary on various FM frequencies, but most of the advertisements were from Limerick City itself. This recording from July 1986 features the lunchtime show with current pop hits presented by Will Rogers, who had one of the stranger mid-Atlantic accents of the pirate era. He also features on many of the adverts. MBC was relaunched as Stereo Radio Munster in 1987.

The tape may have been recorded from one of the Limerick City frequencies, 95.9 or 98.6 FM. There is no date but Part 1 above runs from 1304-1349 and Part 2 below from 1351-1437.

Part 2 from 1351.

The tape is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

11th June 202312th June 2023

Ballincollig Community Radio from 1988

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Ballincollig Community Radio broadcast to the large Cork suburb of Ballincollig for the latter part of 1988 at the end of the pirate era. The station operated on FM only and in this recording from November 1988, station manager Margaret Mahon is heard with a mixture of country, ballads and classical music. There are community announcements, a competition for tickets to attend a local céilí and an interview with showband singer Laurie Hartz after a concert in Bandon.

The recording was made from 103.6 FM, announced as 104 on air, on 4^th November 1988. An Anoraks Ireland log from the same date recorded the address as 2, The Arcade, The Square, Ballincollig. Part 1 above runs from 1244-1330 and Part 2 below from 1331-1417.

Part 2 from 1331

The tape is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.