Anoraks Ireland Collection Archives - Page 40 of 55 - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

25th December 202214th November 2023

Christmas Night on Q102

This recording of Dublin super-pirate Q102 is from Christmas Night 1986. It begins with Eamonn Kelly who is finishing up a marathon 6-hour shift. Talk is limited reflecting the station’s format and the day that’s in it, and there are just a few requests for listeners and a weather bulletin. An advert for the 1987 Q102 diary is heard and the top-of-the-hour promo is sponsored by Sony. Eamonn is followed at midnight by Ken Harley, who is facing into another 6-hour show.

Part 1 of the recording above runs from 2231-2319 and Part 2 below from 2349-0037.

Part 2 from 2349.

Eamonn was heard previously on Cork stations WBEN and ERI and KISS FM in Foley Street in Dublin. Ken also worked on Big D, ARD, Radio Leinster and Radio Nova, and had previously made adverts for Nova in Bay City Studios. Listen to an interview with him here.

The recording was made from 103.5 FM on December 25^th and 26^th 1986 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

25th December 202214th November 2023

Laois Community Radio on Christmas Day

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Laois Community Radio (LCR) broadcast from early 1982 for six years from the town of Mountrath, closing down on 31st December 1988 along with the vast majority of the other pirate stations. This recording was made on Christmas Day 1987 and features Jimmy Hayes with the Nashville Sound show. The music is country and bluegrass and there are Christmas requests and a promo urging listeners to support the businesses advertising on LCR. At the time, the station broadcast daily from 9am to 11pm on 1242 kHz and on 101.5 and 102 FM.

The recording was made from one of LCR’s two FM frequencies from 1713-1800 (the times on the label are incorrect) on 25^th December 1987. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated by Paul Davidson.

24th December 202214th November 2023

Final Christmas Eve on Heartbeat FM

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This is a recording of the final Christmas Eve on Dublin love song station Heartbeat FM from 1988. John Keogh is on air from an unnamed pub with plenty of festive music and requests. He reminds listeners that there are only six days left before Heartbeat closes down and the iconic ‘final countdown’ promo is aired. Adverts of interest include one for a course in computer keyboard skills and another for ‘Bros-look outfits’.

Heartbeat was launched in November 1986 and quickly gained a strong listenership due to its love song format. It changed its name to Cara 95 FM in 1987 but reverted back to Heartbeat due to popular demand. Heartbeat closed at the end of December 1988 in line with the new legislation.

The tape was recorded from 95.5 FM from 1417-1502 on 24^th December 1988 and is partly airchecked. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

24th December 202214th November 2023

South Coast Radio on Christmas Eve

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This recording of South Coast Radio is from Christmas Eve 1982, at the end of the popular Cork station’s first year of broadcasting. On air is veteran English DJ Stevie Dunne who had previously worked on offshore stations Radio Caroline and the Voice of Peace. He was also heard on Sunshine Radio and Radio Nova in Dublin during the pirate era. Stevie is currently programme director of Dutch AM station Radio Seagull. There are promos for a broadcast of the original ‘War of the Worlds’ programme by Orson Welles from 1938 and a spot featuring South Coast Radio’s very own Cinderella on Christmas Day. News is edited and is read by an unidentified presenter.

The recording was made from 104 FM from 1846-1935 on Friday 24^th December 1982. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson. Although the label refers to an ‘ERI Song for Christmas’, the tape includes a song about South Coast Radio itself, with no obvious reference to its rival station.

24th December 202214th November 2023

Christmas Eve into Christmas Day on Radio Nova

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This recording of Radio Nova was made on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 1982, by which time the station was well established as one of the leading pirates in Dublin and Ireland. The tape kicks off with Scott Williams who finishes his show with a Christmas tune from a group of singers in studio. ‘Independent radio news from Ireland’ at midnight is read by Siobhán Purcell. ‘Clutterfree Nova’ – continuous music – follows for the next 40 minutes or so before Roland Burke (RIP) signs on until 6am on Christmas morning. Among the requests from listeners is one from Liverpool, reflecting the wide range of Nova’s coverage.

The tape was recorded from 88.2 FM. Since August, Nova was also broadcasting on 819 kHz AM but the cassette label refers to the earlier frequency of 846 kHz.

Part 1 above runs from 2348 and Part 2 below from 0039.

Part 2 from 0039.

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