Anoraks Ireland Collection Archives - Page 28 of 44 - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

20th January 202319th January 2023

Second night on Nova replacement Zoom 103

Zoom 103 was a short-lived replacement for Dublin super-pirate Radio Nova after it went into receivership and closed on 19^th March 1986. Zoom began identifying itself shortly after 10pm that evening and the following day’s programming featured the normal Nova presenters but without an AM service. Nova founder Chris Cary denied any involvement in the new station and said he was leaving Ireland. Zoom 103 was based at 144 Upper Leeson Street in the city centre but lasted only until 24^th March, when the Nova receiver seized the transmitter. On 28^th March, a new station called Energy 103 began broadcasting from the same location, continuing until 11^th March 1988.

This recording of Zoom 103 features Richard Jackson with a late night show on the second day of the station. There are very few commercials and no jingles or idents, but listeners are reportedly hearing the station as far away as Belfast and Blackpool. Our tape was made on 20^th and 21^st March 1986 from 103.1 FM. Part 1 above is from 2246 and Part 2 below from 2359.

Part 2 from 2359.

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

18th January 202317th January 2023

Eddie Coady on Crystal City Sound

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Crystal City Sound broadcast from Waterford city from 1985-1988, replacing an earlier station, Suirside Radio. Crystal City Sound retained the AM frequency of 1332 kHz and also broadcast on FM. It changed its name to NCR in April 1988, closing down at the deadline of 31^st December. The station claimed to offer a broader range of programmes than other Waterford pirates WLR and ABC. In this recording from its early days in 1985, the final few minutes of Kevin McCarthy’s show are heard before station manager Sandra Penkert reads lunchtime news.

Sandra is followed by Eddie Coady (RIP) with his Saturday sports show, featuring plenty of racing results. Some adverts for local businesses are heard but Crystal City Sound clearly had yet to establish a stronger commercial base in the city. Eddie was a popular local DJ and huge Elvis fan who also ran a chip shop and he was well known in the city. He died tragically in a car crash in 1994.

The recording was made on 9^th November 1985 from 97.8 FM between 1300-1347. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

13th January 20237th January 2023

Friday night on Waterford’s ABC

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This recording of Waterford station ABC was made on a Friday evening in late 1985 and features Roddie Cleere on air. The tape begins with the final section of the Golden Hour and is followed by the start of two hours of love songs. There is a competition for passes to a local disco and plenty of requests from listeners looking forward to the weekend. Roddie also reads news at the top of the hour. He has had a long radio career in the southwest since the pirate era and is currently heard on Kilkenny/Carlow station KCLR FM.

Our tape was recorded on 8^th November 1985, presumably from 101 FM, ABC’s Waterford City transmitter. 1026 kHz AM is mentioned on the cassette label but this is a stereo recording. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

11th January 202310th January 2023

Sunday afternoon on Waterford’s ABC

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Although largely playing chart music, this recording gives a sense of some of the diversity of weekend programming on Waterford station ABC. It includes Russ Padmore presenting the American Top 40 and Billy Power with a country music programme. News at 6pm is also read by Russ Padmore and there are plenty of adverts for local businesses and national brands. Russ is clearly burning the candle at both ends because he is to return at 1am for the night shift. He is now a journalist with BBC World Service. Billy Power went on to present a country show on rival Waterford station Crystal City Sound.

Our tape was made from 1026 kHz AM from 1735-1820 on Sunday 5^th May 1985 and was recorded in Kilkenny, some distance from the transmitter. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

9th January 20237th January 2023

Breakfast on Waterford’s ABC

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By the mid 1980s ABC was well established as one of the leading stations in Waterford and covered the southeast on a network of transmitters on AM and FM. This recording is of the breakfast show hosted by Richard Staines (aka Steve Silby), one of the many English DJs involved in the station. The programme includes the ‘Bits and Pieces’ competition to guess clips from chart hits, the ‘Memory Module’ oldies section and a quiz featuring software transmission sounds made by an early generation of home computers. Among the many adverts is a promotion for the ABC 3^rd birthday party and outside broadcast coming up the following weekend. News on the hour is read by Steve himself.

Our tape was made from 101 FM on Wednesday 6th March 1985. Part 1 above runs from 0748-0836 and Part 2 below from 0836-0924.

Part 2 from 0836.

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