Misty Mountain Radio was a country and Irish pirate broadcasting from the Cavan border region in the 2000s. This recording of an evening show from autumn 2003 features the usual diet of requests from listeners throughout the county, one of whose donkeys have gone missing! The unidentified DJ finishes his show at 2130 and is followed by automated music.
The tape was made from 107.1 FM between 2010-2140 on Tuesday 14th October 2003 and is courtesy of Ian Biggar.
Sunshine Radio sticker from mid-1980s (Anoraks Ireland Collection).
Before it was relaunched in 1986, the large Dublin pirate Sunshine Radio broadcast specialist programmes at the weekends, sometimes offering a choice of services on AM and FM. This recording from a Sunday evening in 1984 gives a sense of some of that variety. First up is Greg Merriman with a mixture of new and old tunes including the Famous Five slot featuring five tracks by Steely Dan. He is followed by Colin Russell who is standing in for Bill McLaughlin with Sunshine Country. News is read by Caroline Callaghan and an advert for Tamango’s nightclub next door to Sunshine is heard during a commercial break.
Colin replaces Bill in the recording and Caroline reads news (Sunshine Review 4, courtesy DX Archive).
The recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection and was made from 101.5 FM. Part 1 was recorded from 1949-2038 and part 2 from 2103-2152 on 22nd April 1984.
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 15th 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.
Ballincollig main street in 1987 (courtesy Jim Coughlan/Facebook).
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, 4th November 1988.
Photo of TTTR studio in 1982 (Anoraks Ireland Collection).
Treble TR (also written as TTTR) was a country and Irish station broadcasting from Dublin from spring 1981 until the end of 1988. TTTR began on 945 kHz AM, announcing 317 metres, adding FM from 1983. A second AM frequency on 891 kHz was added in 1987. TTTR carved out a specialist niche in the Dublin market and held its own until it closed at the end of 1988.
This recording of TTTR at Christmas 1981 features two unidentified DJs playing country tunes, interspersed with adverts for businesses in Dublin and surrounding areas. It was made by Kieran Murray from 945 kHz at around 1500 on 28th December 1981 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection. The Sunday Journal radio listings from 1981 list Miss Elli and Grace Porter in these timeslots, so it is possible that they are the presenters in question. Audio quality is fair due to a combination of a weak AM signal, cassette degradation and co-channel interference on the frequency due to the time of year. Thanks to Ian Biggar for additional research.
