Border Archives - Page 2 of 23 - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

17th June 202615th June 2026

Border series: Drive 105 from Donegal/Derry

Drive 105 began transmissions to Derry and surrounding area on 105.3 MHz in 1999. Originally the station was located in a property just over the border in Muff, County Donegal, near the Rock Bar. The station broadcast a mainly pop music format and featured some staff who had worked on other pirates like Radio North and Riverside 101. As far as we are aware Drive 105 was never raided but did have to temporarily close in August 2001 when officials from the Department were operating in the area. At some point the station moved its studio to Shipquay Street in Derry, linking from there to the transmitter site just over the border in Donegal.

Ian Biggar recalls: I remember hearing Drive 105 in Portpatrick, Scotland on December 30^th 2004 clearly having technical issues with very low audio.

Whether it was due to technical problems or not, Drive 105 left the air in January 2005 seemingly with the intention of applying for a licence. After some time off the air, they received a community licence in 2012 to broadcast to Derry, which they still do to this day. This recording was made from 105.3 FM on 26^th April 2000 between 1315-1445. Plenty of entries into a listeners’ quiz and adverts from Derry and Donegal. The DJ is Brian Magoo. Many thanks to Ian for the donation and background text.

2nd June 20262nd June 2026

Border series: Evening show on KIKX 102

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KIKX 102 was the new name for the short-lived Monaghan pirate FM 100, that broadcast for a few months from 26^th July 1989. Using the former studios and transmitter of previous pirate KITS in Monaghan Town, FM 100 had big plans to secure a music radio licence for Northern Ireland following the closure of the pirates south of the border at the end of 1988. After moving to 102 FM in November 1989, FM 100 relaunched as KIKX 102 but only lasted for another few weeks before closing down. This was an unstable period for the pirates due to the introduction of draconian new broadcasting laws in the Republic.

Our recording features an evening show with mostly chart music and adverts for businesses in Antrim (including Belfast), Armagh and Monaghan. The tape is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection and was made from 102 FM sometime in November 1989 between 2134-2219. The DJ calls himself ‘the Gooseman’.

4th May 20261st May 2026

Border series: Country requests on Misty Mountain Radio

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Misty Mountain Radio broadcast from the Cavan border region in the 2000s, specialising in show bands and country and Irish music. In this recording, DJ Mark Gregory has a CD to giveaway and there are requests from listeners around the county. The recording was made between from 106.2 FM between 2056-2200 on 15^th January 2007.

Thanks to Ian Biggar for donating the tape, which was recorded originally by Brian Johnson. There is no known link between this station and the shortwave pirate Misty Mountain Radio that broadcast from the border region in the 1980s.

16th February 202616th February 2026

Border series: Evening shows on KISS FM Monaghan

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KISS FM from Monaghan Town was a short-lived but highly successful and professional pirate station that broadcast for only 9 months in 1988. Although many border pirates relied on Northern listeners and advertisers, few were professional or powerful enough to make inroads into Belfast. Work began in 1987 on establishing a professional commercial station whose signal would be viable to capture the Belfast market. Test transmissions began at the end of that year and after technical problems, KISS FM eventually launched officially on 27^th March 1988 and began broadcasting full-time a few days later. Powerful signals on AM and FM reached to Belfast and beyond, making KISS FM a serious player in the Northern radio market during its short time on air.

This recording is of various evening shows from a Wednesday not long after KISS FM went on the air. First up is the end of the long afternoon shift with Owen Barry (Larkin), who is followed by John Friday (Lawrence John). Formatting is slick, with minimal talk, music sweeps and station jingles and liners. There’s also a promo for the US syndicated radio show, Gary Owens Music Weekend, and a small number of adverts for larger businesses and brands.

The recording was made from 103.7 between 1840-1928 on 6^th April 1988 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection. KISS FM also broadcast on 1008 kHz AM at this time.

9th February 20263rd April 2026

Northeast series: Boyneside Radio North at Easter

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Boyneside Radio North was one of several satellite services of the main Drogheda station, aimed at listeners north of the border as far as Belfast. This was the most successful of the offshoot stations, broadcasting continuously from late summer 1982 to 31^st December 1988. The studios of Boyneside Radio North were located at Killeen, just south of the border, and AM and FM transmitters were situated on the border itself. There were local programmes from Killeen for long parts of the day, with the remainder of material relayed from Drogheda.

This recording of Boyneside Radio North was made on Easter Sunday 1988 and features an unidentified DJ with a mixture of pop and oldies. Requests are mostly from the Northern counties of Down and Armagh. Adverts feature businesses around the Newry area and an advertising promo contains Northern phone numbers. News at 1500 is read by Gerry Malone from Drogheda.

The tape is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection and was made from 1419-1508 on 3^rd April 1988 from the 106.1 FM transmitter located at Edentubber, just on the border. Boyneside Radio North also broadcast on 1233 kHz (244 metres) to Newry.