Along with the vast majority of the other pirates, the Donegal station Radio North closed down at the end of 1988 in compliance with new broadcasting legislation. This recording of the final hour of Radio North on New Year’s Eve is presented by Mickey Henry who shares many requests from loyal listeners on both sides of the border, including one who has recorded most of the shows for posterity. Other presenters join Mickey in studio and there is a supportive phone call from neighbouring pirate Donegal Community Radio (DCR).
Cutting from the Donegal Democrat in early 1989 featuring the county’s pirates.
The closedown speech just before midnight is read by station manager Francis Callaghan, who thanks everyone involved over the previous two years. Although the transmitter is about to be switched off, he hints that more is to come when he says that Radio North will be bigger and better than ever in 1989.
The recording was made by Rodney Neill from 98 FM between 2302-0000 on December 31st 1988 and is courtesy of DX Archive. Within days, Radio North would return to the airwaves.
Radio North sticker after the move to 846 (courtesy DX Archive).
This is another early recording of the long-running Donegal pirate Radio North shortly after its launch in the winter of 1986. On air is ex-Voice of Peace DJ Mark Warner with a morning musical mix of folk, oldies, country and some pop. The first adverts for local businesses are aired in the busy pre-Christmas period. An advertising promo for the station mentions businesses in Northern Ireland, where Radio North always had a following. News is read by former Radio Caroline DJ Ian Akers.
The recording was made on 9th December 1986 from 98 FM between 0918-1020. Radio North also broadcast on 1404 kHz AM at this time, before moving to the clearer frequency of 846 kHz in 1987. Thanks to Ian Biggar for the donation.
We’re delighted to launch a new strand in our border series, this time focusing on one of Ireland’s longest-running pirate stations, Radio North from Co. Donegal. Broadcasting under various names more or less continuously since 1986, Radio North continues to operate today on 846 kHz AM and online. The station was launched on 18th November 1986 from Carndonagh on the Inishowen peninsula, a short distance from the border with Co. Derry and throughout its almost 40-year existence, has aimed at listeners in Northern Ireland.
The arrival of Radio North was reported by Anoraks UK in its Weekly Report of 23rd November, which referred to the ‘radio explosion’ in Donegal such was the number of pirates based there. Anoraks UK said the station was easily audible on 1386 kHz in Blackpool during early morning skywave conditions but was swamped by foreign stations after dark. Within 3 days, the frequency had changed to 1404 kHz which improved daytime listening but was still prone to night-time interference. Among the better-known names in the line-up were Australian Mark Warner, who had done a stint on the Voice of Peace, and English DJ Ian Akers, formerly of Radio Caroline. There was an hourly news service from 0800 to 1800 and 3 FM frequencies were also noted (the main one on 98.1 with link frequencies on 100.1 and 103).
The Weekly Report of 30th November noted that although 1404 kHz was an improvement, night-time interference was still audible even within the service area. Reflecting the crowded AM band of the 1980s, it added: ‘Clearish night-time channels are just about nonexistent, and at this time of year, interference can be terrible at times, even a few miles from the transmitter’. In 1987, Radio North moved to the vastly superior frequency of 846 kHz, where it remains to this day. In a letter to Ian Biggar in January 1987, Mark Warner wrote that he had joined Radio North because the owner wanted someone with experience to run the station. However, Mark did not have confidence in the owner and moved to a rival Donegal station, Northwest Community Radio, before the end of 1986, following a botched attempt to takeover Radio North.
Our first recording was made just a few days after the launch of Radio North and features Ian Akers presenting a drivetime show with a mixture of country and pop music. The postal address of Bridge Street, Carndonagh is read out and there are several requests from listeners. News is read by Mark Warner but there are no adverts. The recording was made 23rd November 1986 between 1600-1649 from 98 FM and is courtesy of Ian Biggar. Audio quality is mostly good but there are crackles in places as if from electrical interference.
Treble TR Christmas card from 1985 (Anoraks Ireland Collection)
Treble TR (sometimes written TTTR) was a country and Irish pirate station broadcasting from Dublin from the spring of 1981 until the end of 1988. The station began on 945 kHz AM, announcing 317 metres, adding FM from 1983. A second AM frequency on 891 kHz was added in 1987. Initially based in Rathfarnham near Radio Nova, TTTR later moved to Harold’s Cross south of the city centre. It closed down on 30th December 1988 in line with new broadcasting legislation.
Other side of Christmas card from 1985 (Anoraks Ireland Collection).
This recording was made as TTTR entered 1986. First up is Conn O’Mahoney who shares plenty of New Year’s requests from listeners around Dublin. He signs off at midnight and hands over to Dave Stewart who picks up the pace a bit, although the music is still country in style. Adverts are heard from small and medium-sized businesses around town.
The tape is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection and was made from 99 FM between 2343-0030 on 31st December 1985 and 1st January 1986.
Radio Star Country letterhead from 1991 (courtesy Ian Biggar).
Radio Star Country is one of the longest running pirate stations in Ireland, broadcasting from 1988 to the present day. It was one of a handful of stations to defy the new broadcasting legislation that came into effect at the beginning of 1989 and was supposed to silence the pirates for good. Based in Co. Monaghan, Radio Star Country gained listeners and advertisers over a wide area on both sides of the border, and its diet of country music and sponsored religious programming proved highly popular.
Radio Star Country has always been predominantly an AM station, but this is a rare recording of it from FM, presumably a low-powered relay to link the studio with the main transmitter on 981 kHz. Presenter Gerry Callan has plenty of anouncements about community and social events ranging from a donkey derby to a gig by fellow DJ Patsy Jordan (RIP) and his band in Co. Cavan. There is a the usual large number of adverts, many of them voiced by station manager Gerry Byrne, featuring businesses in Counties Tyrone, Derry and Fermanagh. An advertising promo gives out an Armagh number while a Monaghan number is used for requests.
The tape is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection and was made from 105 FM between 1325-1410 on Sunday 21st July 1991.
