Cork Archives - Page 20 of 21 - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

13th June 20198th September 2021

Pirates co-operate in charity marathon

In 1986, three large pirate stations – Sunshine Radio in Dublin, ERI in Cork and ABC in Waterford – co-operated to jointly organise a 250-mile maxi-marathon between the three cities.

Here are two promos – the first from ERI and the second from ABC – voiced by Mark Byrne of Sunshine Radio. They are fascinating on so many levels: co-operation between pirate stations, a campaign backed by big commercial sponsors and funds raised going to a major charity, the Central Remedial Clinic.

This is a good example of how the archive can give us a more global view of what was happening in the 1980s. Listeners to each station did not know that all three stations were involved but the archive can tell us that. Arguably the level of co-operation surpasses what exists today between stations in the same large radio groups.

It also reminds us that despite often fierce local competition, stations from different parts of the country were willing to co-operate for charitable causes. No doubt they also had an eye to the impeding legalisation and wanted to position themselves as socially responsible.

These clips are based on recordings from the Leon Tipler Tapes Collection and the Skywave Tapes Collection.

26th February 20197th August 2021

Full recording: ERI (Cork)

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This full-length recording of ERI in Cork is from 96.9 MHz FM and begins at 2130 on 24^th March 1986. The presenter is Ian Andrews and the segment includes news at the top of the hour with Emer Lucey (aka Lucy Potter-Cogan).

This recording is from the Skywave Tapes Collection. Skywave Radio International was a shortwave station broadcasting from Baldoyle in northeast Dublin.

26th February 20196th August 2021

Full recording: ERI (Cork)

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This recording of ERI is from 22 July 1984. The presenter is Brian Biggs. Although recorded from FM audio quality is less than optimal and the receiver drifts off channel in the final 10 minutes. ERI also broadcast on 1305 kHz, announced as 225 m.

See here for further information about ERI.

20th January 20197th May 2023

Jingles: WBEN

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WBEN was founded in October 1985 by Pete O’Neill and Romano Macari. O’Neill had helped set up Radio City Cork in 1980 and later the original South Coast Radio. WBEN specialised in playing mainly American Top 40 and initially had no presenters. It broadcast on low-power FM in the city centre and therefore coverage was limited, although the station gained a following from shops looking for background music. In summer 1986 they replaced the automated style with presenters and introduced a medium wave transmitter on 1386 kHz.

Pete O’Neill left Ireland temporarily in late 1986 and the station continued under Macari but changed format to mixed oldies, pop, showbands and an infamous late-night phone show presented by Macari himself. WBEN was eventually changed to South Coast Radio using the jingle package from the original station of that name and the station continued until December 31^st 1988. O’Neill remains influential in Cork radio circles, having recently put Juice FM on the trial DAB service. He works as a lecturer in radio at CSN College of Further Education, Cork. This jingle package came from the original WBEN in Buffalo, New York.

With thanks to Martin O’Brien for the donation and Gearóid Quill for background information.

14th January 20196th August 2021

Jingles: South Coast Radio (Cork)

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Another big Cork station from the early 1980s was South Coast Radio of which there were three incarnations between 1982 to 1988. The original South Coast (1982-1984) broadcast from above a pub in St. Luke’s in Cork on 1557 kHz (announced as 194 metres) and also 104 FM. During its existence the station had many high-profile broadcasters including Tony Allan, Nick Richards, John Kenny, Peter Madison, Henry Owens and Hugh Browne. Here are some of the South Coast jingles.

You can hear an interview with Nick Richards here about his involvement in other stations.