Radio West offices in 1987 (courtesy Andy Carter).
This recording of the weekly Radio West Anoraks’ Show dates from summer 1987. Presented by station boss Shaun Coyne and Don Allen (RIP), it begins with a discussion of surveys of pirate radio listenership. Radio West’s new AM frequency is about to go live on 711 kHz in Galway and there are plans for a promotional campaign in the city and county. In other news from Galway, WLS is off the air following a dispute. Other stations mentioned include KTOK in Donegal, Longford Community Radio, Kandy Radio, Power 102 and the new pirate Independent Radio Mayo. There is also speculation about forthcoming changes in the Irish media landscape as the government discusses licensing of independent radio and television.
The partially airchecked recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection and was made from 702 kHz AM on Sunday, 28th June 1987 from 1045-1145.
Radio West’s AM site at Tyrrellspass in 1987 (courtesy Andy Carter).
This recording of Radio West from summer 1987 begins with the end of Don Allen’s easy listening programme just before the weekly Anoraks’ Show presented by Don and Radio West boss Shaun Coyne. There are the usual letters from listeners, one asking for an exchange of pirate recordings and another providing a report from Dublin. From Scotland, Jock Wilson of Radio Stella International is looking for someone to operate a 200w shortwave transmitter in Ireland and is interviewed on the programme.
Shaun Coyne comments on the busy pirate scene in London where raids take place a few times a week. He also announces that Radio West is to return on high-powered FM in Dublin and is planning to install a transmitter in Galway. There are round-ups from around the country and a promise to publish an anoraks’ magazine, which never materialised. A promo for Anoraks Ireland is voiced by David Baker.
The recording from the Anoraks Ireland Collection was made from 702 kHz AM on Sunday 21st June 1987 between 1045-1145 and is partially airchecked. There is some cassette wobble at the start and reception is consistent with a daytime groundwave signal as heard in Dublin.
Shaun Coyne at Radio West in 1986 (courtesy Andy Carter).
The weekly Radio West Anoraks’ Show from Mullingar was essential listening for radio enthusiasts far and near. Fronted by station boss Shaun Coyne, it was unscripted and unpredictable and relied heavily on juicy gossip and rumours about the pirate radio scene. Shaun was joined by another presenter each week – including the late Don Allen – but the second person often struggled to get a word in.
This recording contains highlights of the Anoraks’ Show from 1986 and 1987, with a focus on stations outside Dublin, in particular the west and southwest. It captures the rivalry and volatility in the pirate radio world as well as the continued dominance of AM outside Dublin well into the 1980s. The list of snippets is as follows:
2nd November 1986: Limerick information from a contributor.
16th November 1986: Limerick information from William Leahy, who went on to a career in RTÉ radio.
30th November 1986: Galway information from Noel Dooley.
27th November 1986: Raidió Luimní as heard on 1125 kHz when Radio Carousel was temporarily off the air.
7th December 1986: Paul Davidson of Anoraks Ireland with information from Limerick, Tipperary and Cork.
7th December 1986: Sligo information from James Headd.
1st February 1987: Further Limerick information from William Leahy.
1st February 1987: Further Galway information from Noel Dooley.
12th April 1987: Paul Davidson of Anoraks Ireland with information from around the country.
10th May 1987: Information about Tipperary (Nenagh) from a contributor.
10th May 1987: Joe Cashin from Kilkenny with local information.
10th May 1987: Galway and Mayo information from a contributor.
17th May 1987: Promo for interview with Owen Barry (Larkin) from Zee 103, who went on to work in Century Radio and Downtown Radio in Belfast.
24th May 1987: Owen Barry (Larkin) from Zee 103.
24th May 1987: Don Allen jokes about a statute being put up in honour of Heady Eddie (Eddie Caffrey), pioneer of pirate radio in Co. Louth.
24th May 1987: Nigel Gordon with Kildare information (Naas).
Undated 1987: Interview with Scottish anorak Jock Wilson of Radio Stella International who wishes to broadcast on shortwave from the Republic of Ireland.
26th July 1987: Keith York from Galway about Coast 103.
26th July 1987: David Baker from KLAS in Dublin about his recent short stint on offshore station Radio Caroline.
The recordings were made from 702 kHz AM in Scotland by Ian Biggar. DX groundwave reception by day meant variable audio quality due to the distance from Mullingar.
Don Allen at ERI in 1983 (courtesy Svenn Martinsen).
The Canadian radio presenter Don Allen (RIP) was a familiar voice on Irish pirate radio in the 1980s and 1990s, where he shared his love of country music with appreciative audiences in various parts of the country stretching from Monaghan to Cork. After leaving Canada, Don worked on the offshore station Radio Caroline from 1965-1968 and later with Manx Radio and the BBC, before coming to Ireland and its growing pirate scene. He continued to broadcast on licensed station Midlands Radio 3 until his untimely death in 1995.
This recording of Don’s trademark country show on Cork station ERI in 1983 underlines his natural genius as a presenter. It was made during an outside broadcast from Kinsale before an event later that evening featuring ERI DJs. Reflecting the station’s growing popularity after its expansion earlier that year, several adverts are heard from businesses in the city and all around the county. The airchecked tape was made by Kieran Murray on Sunday 17th July 1983 from 105.8 FM between 1713-1800 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection. ERI also broadcast on 1305 kHz AM, announcing 225 metres.
Don pictured at Cork station ERI in 1983 (courtesy Svenn Martinsen).
The late Don Allen was one of the best-known DJs of the pirate era in the UK and Ireland. Arriving in the UK from Canada in 1965, the Canadian drew on his life-long passion for country music to promote the genre on the airwaves and he gained huge followings on numerous stations big and small over the next 30 years, including into the licensed era. This fascinating interview with Don from 1982 was broadcast on Radio Carousel Navan, which he had recently joined. It covers in depth his early radio experience in Canada and the US and the story of his decision to come to Europe after reading an article about offshore station Radio Caroline.
Don recounts the story of his involvement in Caroline from 1965-1968 including conditions on board the ship off the Isle of Man, the annoyance of the Manx government with the decision to outlaw the station, the letters from fans and his friendship with other DJs such as Tony Blackburn, Tony Prince, Keith Skues and Simon Dee. In 1969, Don became programme controller of Manx Radio and drew on his Caroline experience to tighten the station’s sound and promote the personality of the DJ. In the 1970s, he describes how he worked simultaneously for the pirates and the ‘establishment’, dividing his time first between BBC Radio Merseyside and the unlicensed offshore Radio North Sea International.
Ian Biggar, who worked in Radio Carousel at the same time, recalls his memories of this period and of Don:
Don’s appearance at Carousel coincided with my time there. I can remember being in the Dundalk studio and station owner Hugh Hardy mentioned that Don Allen had been on the phone looking for work. Hugh was wary of Don due to his reputation as THE country jock. I clearly remember Don was not allowed to broadcast on the Dundalk station as that was Hardy’s patch.
I remember one morning in Drogheda tuning in to the Navan station and hearing Don on air. What’s more I was following him on the schedule. You can imagine how excited I was heading across to Navan on the bus in anticipation of meeting one of my heroes from Radio Nordsee International. Don was a gentleman and we had many conversations about the old offshore radio days.
I think Hardy had once again bitten off too much with starting a station in Castleblaney and trying to establish Carousel in Drogheda. So, Don and I were let go on early June 1982. I last saw him in the Drogheda studio in the Boyne Valley Hotel as I was about to catch the train to Belfast for the onward ferry to Scotland. Don asked if I was interested in joining the Voice of Peace off Israel as he had been in contact with them. ‘No need for a demo, if I say your good enough you’re in’, he said. I answered that I was interested but just wanted to take a short holiday in Scotland and would call him.
In the end neither Don nor I went to the Peace Ship. I headed to Cork for the start of ERI and Don went back to Carousel when Hardy’s finances improved. He was there for a few more months, but assume at the same time was planning for Royal County Radio, a rival Navan station.
Screenshot of a VHS interview with Don Allen at Radio Star Country in 1989 (courtesy Miles Johnston).
This interview with Don Allen was broadcast between approximately 1900-2000 on Tuesday 11th May 1982. The presenter is Pádraig Walsh and the tape is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection. This is a studio copy but Radio Carousel Navan broadcast at the time on 1386 kHz, announcing 210 metres. Don Allen’s final pirate was Radio Star Country in Monaghan, one of a handful of stations to defy the 1989 legislation outlawing unlicensed radio. He later took up a post on licensed station Midlands Radio 3 where his Country Jamboree was a hugely popular show up to his untimely death in 1995.
