Tony Allan on KISS FM

Tony Allan on KISS FM
Tony Allan pictured at the Nova “closedown” in May 1983 (courtesy Joe King).

Tony Allan (1949-2004) was one of the most iconic broadcasters of the pirate era, whose distinctive voice was heard on offshore and Irish stations from the late 1960s, including Radio Caroline, Sunshine Radio and Radio Nova. This is a recording of Tony presenting a mid-morning show on Radio Nova offshoot KISS FM. The music is an eclectic mix of chart sounds, rock and even country but is linked effortlessly by the flawless presentation. Commercial breaks feature many agency adverts, reflecting the station’s impact on the Dublin market. News is read by another Radio Nova veteran, the late Bob Gallico.

Tony Allan on KISS FM
Original cassette label from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.

Part 1 above runs from 1002 and Part 2 below from 1053.

Part 2 from 1053 – news is airchecked.

The recording was made from 102.7 FM on Thursday 10th October 1982 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

Rolling Stones special on Q102

Rolling Stones special on Q102
Q102 logo from 1985 (Anoraks Ireland Collection).

This recording of Dublin super-pirate Q102 was made on the St. Patrick’s bank holiday in 1985, less than two months after the station went on air. It begins with popular DJ Jason Maine who is wrapping up his morning show. This is followed by a syndicated Spotlight special from the US featuring the Rolling Stones. News on the hour is read by Gary Hamill (Seán McCarthy). Part 1 above runs from 1153 and Part 2 below from 1241.

Part 2 from 1241.
Rolling Stones special on Q102
Original cassette label from Anoraks Ireland Collection.

The recording was made from 102 FM on Monday, 18th March 1985 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

Fergal Owens on the CBC Night Shift

Fergal Owens on the CBC Night Shift
Fergal Owens (left) and Jimmy Williams in a wig in the CBC studios (courtesy Jonathan Ryan).

This recording is of part of the Night Shift programme on CBC (Clonmel Broadcasting Corporation), toward the end of the popular Tipperary station’s seven years on air. DJ Fergal Owens is in flying form despite the late hour and has plenty of chat and music. The day’s broadcasting ends with the national anthem at midnight, which is played at the wrong speed for the first few bars.

Fergal Owens on the CBC Night Shift
Original cassette label from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.

The tape was made on 1st and 2nd November 1988 from 102.7 FM in mono. CBC also broadcast on 828 kHz AM. It closed down at midnight on New Year’s Eve 1988. This recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

Henry Owens on Q102

Henry Owens on Q102
Promo for the news service from 1985 (courtesy Andy Carter).

Henry Owens (real name Henry Condon) was heard on various pirate stations in the 1980s, including Q102, Radio Nova and South Coast Radio in Cork, where he was known as Alan Reid. In this recording from 1986, he presents an afternoon show on Dublin super-pirate Q102. Along with plenty of agency adverts, there’s also a competition to win a trip across the skies of Dublin in the Eye in the Sky helicopter, from which Q102 delivered its traffic reports each morning. News is read by Anne Cassin at two minutes to the hour, an innovation allowing the station to claim that it was first to bring the news to Dublin listeners.

Henry Owens on Q102
Original label from Anoraks Ireland Collection

Henry went on to enjoy a long career on licensed radio in Ireland and UK up to his untimely death in 2013. Anne Cassin is now a presenter of Nationwide on RTÉ. This tape was recorded on Tuesday 11th March 1986 from 102.1 FM. Part 1 above runs from 1519 and Part 2 below from 1618.

Part 2.

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

Mid-morning music and requests on CBC

Mid-morning music and requests on CBC
Jonathan Ryan in the CBC studio c. 1986 (courtesy of Jonathan).

Clonmel Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) broadcast from the town of Clonmel in south Tipperary for over seven years from 1981 to the end of 1988. CBC had a wide variety of programmes and strong roots in its community, reflected in the number of requests from listeners heard in this recording made about two months before the station closed down. First up is one of the long-standing DJs, John (Jonathan) Ryan, presenting the breakfast show. There’s a mixture of musical styles, community notices and a jobs slot and adverts are heard from local businesses in south Tipperary and nearby areas of Waterford and Wexford. John is followed by station manager Peg Power with Golden Memories and a competition to win a breadbin sponsored by Dunnes Stores. News is read by Jimmy Williams.

Mid-morning music and requests on CBC
Jimmy Williams reading the news (courtesy Jonathan Ryan).

Frequencies announced are 102.7, 99.5 and 96 FM. CBC also broadcast on 828 kHz and for a while on 1512 kHz AM, the latter frequency being the former Radio Carrick channel from Carrick-on-Suir. CBC closed down at midnight on New Year’s Eve 1988, along with the vast majority of the pirates.

Mid-morning music and requests on CBC
Original cassette label from Anoraks Ireland Collection.

This recording was made on Wednesday 2nd November 1988 from 102.7 FM. Part 1 above runs from 0938 and Part 2 below from 1027.

Part 2 from 1027.

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