Nova car sticker from the 738 days (courtesy Ian Biggar)
This recording of Dublin super-pirate Radio Nova is of an overnight show presented by Lawrence John, who was involved in a range of 1980s Irish pirates including Radio Leinster, KISS AM/FM (Dublin), Q102 and KISS FM (Monaghan, where he was known as John Friday). Given the time of night, the music is laidback and talk is limited to occasional requests, including one for veteran offshore DJ Don Allen of Radio West in Mullingar. There are no adverts, although a promotion for a £10,000 cash giveaway is heard at the top of the hour.
The tape was made from 102.7 FM between 0036-0125 on Monday 9th July 1984 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.
Magazine advert for Energy 103 in 1986 (Anoraks Ireland Collection).
Energy 103 was one of Dublin’s most popular radio stations in the 1980s. Emerging from the ashes of Radio Nova, it began broadcasting on 29th April 1986 and quickly built a solid listenership and advertising base. The station closed suddenly on 11th March 1988.
These days, live radio programming is rare in the evenings, let alone overnight but back in the pirate era, many stations broadcast live around the clock. Although automatic options were sometimes used, larger stations could afford to pay an overnight DJ and maintain a live connection with listeners in the early hours. This recording gives a flavour of such overnight programming on Energy 103 in the autumn of 1986.
First up is Mike Kingston’s show from 0131-0219 on Monday 15th September. He is followed by Alan Burns from 0127-0215 on Tuesday 16th September. Given the time of night, the musical mix is relaxed and talk is minimal. There are no adverts or news but a smattering of requests intersperses the records.
The recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection and was made from 103 FM. Energy 103 also broadcast on 738 kHz AM.
Studio shot of KELO with Dave Kelly at the mixer (courtesy DX Archive)
KELO broadcast from Swords in north Co. Dublin for about nine months in 1981. Although short-lived, the station broke the mould by playing chart and album tracks back to back with a minimum of talk and many talented DJs were heard on the air. For most of its existence KELO broadcast on 1233 kHz, announcing 244 metres, and DX Archive reported that a weak signal could be heard in Scotland. However, 1981 was a turning point in Dublin radio due to the arrival of Radio Nova and the growth of the other large pirate Sunshine Radio, causing many smaller stations, including KELO, to go to the wall.
This recording from about a week after KELO began broadcasting on 15th March features an aircheck of the first show by Marty Moore in his early evening slot from 1700-1900. Branded station jingles and adverts for local businesses are heard and the musical choice is mostly chart and pop. There is a sense of a new station still finding its feet: the DJ slips up once or twice, audio levels are variable and the signal is fair, perhaps because the recording was made outside the core reception area in north Dublin.
The tape was made on Monday 23rd March 1981 from 1233 kHz and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.
An advert for Telstar Community Radio in Anoraks UK Weekly Report 1987
Telstar Community Radio (1980-1988) was a long-running pirate station based in and around Dundalk in Co. Louth. Despite stiff competition from Radio Carousel in the same town, Telstar built up and maintained its own listeners and advertisers throughout its time on air. This recording of Telstar was made in 1986, just after it had moved back into Dundalk from the village of Blackrock to the south, where it had spent the previous four years.
The recording begins with the breakfast show presented by Alex Evans, with news headlines on the half-hour and a mixture of chart, pop and easy-listening music. There are adverts for local businesses and branded station jingles. The second part of the tape begins with Alex handing over to Ray Stone for his mid-morning show until lunchtime. Ray promises an eclectic music mix including charts, ballads, céilí and rock and roll. He also shares community notices and trivia news items, apologising to listeners for the temporary absence of a phoneline following the move back into Dundalk.
The recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection and was made on Wednesday 30th April 1986 between 0652-0740 and 0956-1044 from 88.5 FM. Audible levels are variable and there is some distortion in places, due either to an on-air issue at the time or the cassette itself. Telstar also broadcast on 1197 kHz, announcing 250 metres.
Early Q102 sticker from when the station was on 828 kHz AM (Anoraks Ireland Collection).
By the summer of 1985, new kid on the block Q102 was well established as a serious player in the Dublin radio market. The Irish-owned super-pirate had a crisp, professional sound and high broadcasting standards. Q102 had many experienced DJs but also launched other media careers and some of the same people continue to broadcast to this day.
Over the August bank holiday weekend of 1985, Q102 broadcast a day-long special of number ones of the 1970s between 1000-1900. The hits were interspersed with historical news and entertainment items as well as voxpops with the public. The 9-hour show was followed by an all-time listeners’ top 70 records from 1900-2000 based on a phone survey. Customary high-level agency adverts for brands and larger businesses are heard throughout the recording, along with the iconic early jingle package. The presenters are Martin Block and Derek Jones and news on the hour is read by Brian Carroll.
The tape is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection and was made from 102 FM between 1000 and 1132 on Monday 5th August 1985.
