Community radio Archives - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

7th January 20261st December 2025

Friday afternoon on Ballincollig Community Radio

Ballincollig Community Radio broadcast to the Cork suburb of Ballincollig for the latter part of 1988 up to the deadline for the pirate stations to go off the air. The station operated on FM only and in this recording from November 1988, station manager Margaret Mahon presents ballads, country and showbands, along with a listeners’ quiz. There is a reference to Paul Davidson of Anoraks Ireland, who had just visited the station.

The recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection and was made from 103.6 FM, announcing 104, between 1542-1613 on Friday, 4^th November 1988.

27th December 202519th February 2025

Dublin Community Radio at Christmas 1981

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The original Dublin Community Radio (DCR) had its origins in Downtown Community Radio, which was set up by long-time radio anorak Joe King in 1979 in the south Dublin suburb of Ringsend. It was renamed Dublin Community Radio after moving from a community hall to a shed behind Joe’s house and later transferred to better premises in Gardner Street in the city centre. DCR claimed to be the first community radio station in Dublin, making links with several community groups and broadcasting specialist shows. DCR broadcast on 963 kHz, announcing 312 metres, as well as FM. There is no known link with a later DCR, set up on FM only in 1984.

This airchecked recording from Christmas 1981 begins with the end of the Golden Years show presented by an unidentified DJ. He hands over to another presenter who continues the music and has various community announcements. There are scratchy sounding adverts and station liners voiced by Tony Allan (RIP), referring to DCR as ‘Dublin’s first and only community radio station’. Other identified DJs on the recording are Mike Sheridan, who makes a questionable decision to sing ‘Jingle Bells’ live on air, and Paul Caffrey.

The tape was made by Kieran Murray from 98.4 FM between 1600-2000 on 27^th December 1981 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection. Audio quality is fair due to an aging cassette and possible issues with studio output at the time.

12th September 20254th September 2025

Concord Community Radio explains aims of community broadcasting

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Concord Community Radio began broadcasting in March 1983 to the Artane district of the northside of Dublin, before changing its name to North Dublin Community Radio (NDCR) in 1984. It was one of a number of stations committed to developing licensed community broadcasting in Ireland and a leading member of the National Association of Community Broadcasters. Like the other pirates, NDCR closed at the end of 1988 but many of those involved went on to form NEAR FM, the licensed community station for northeast Dublin that launched in 1995.

This short recording of Concord Community Radio includes an unidentified DJ and a promo outlining the philosophy of community radio, reflecting the political debate about the licensing of local radio at that time. It was made from 891 kHz AM on Saturday 21^st May 1983, just days after the raids on the large commercial Dublin stations Radio Nova and Sunshine Radio. The tape is from the Leon Tipler Collection, donated to us by Steve England.

5th September 20254th September 2025

Sunday afternoon on Community Radio Youghal

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Community Radio Youghal (in its unlicensed form on air from 1979-1988) was one of several pirate stations espousing a community radio ethos. This short airchecked recording features programming from a Sunday afternoon in 1983 and gives a sense of some of the variety on the station. It begins with the end of the the CRY On Tour slot, an example of the station travelling around east Cork to make programmes. This is followed by Programme Signpost and community notices for east Cork and west Waterford. There are also sung jingles and a bilingual station ident, following by John Roche with the Good News Programme.

The recording was made from 1485 kHz, announcing 202 metres, from around 1300 on Sunday 20^th March 1983. It is from the Leon Tipler Collection, donated to us by Steve England. Community Radio Youghal returned as a licensed station in 1995 and continues to broadcast to east Cork on FM and online.

4th July 202521st July 2025

Sunday afternoon on Wicklow Community Radio

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Wicklow Community Radio began as a temporary festival station in the summer of 1982, but due to its success soon became a full-time operation. In 1985, it changed its name to Wicklow Local Community Broadcasting (WLCB) and in 1987 it was relaunched as Viking 105, with a more commercial focus.

This recording begins with the Top 30 countdown and the number 1 record, presented by Gerry Lang. This is followed by Willie Naughton’s Sunday Special show featuring album tracks. Voices on adverts include those of Scott Williams and David Harvey, both of whom would become big names on 1980s pirate radio and who continue to work in the media industry to this day. An announcement of a festival in east Wicklow includes a reference to the popular Radio Nova disco roadshow! The station signs off for the night with a bilingual announcement at 1900.

This airchecked recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection and was made from 1512 kHz AM, announcing 198 metres, on Sunday 4^th September 1983 between 1700-1900.