Rolling Stones special on Q102

Rolling Stones special on Q102
Q102 logo from 1985 (Anoraks Ireland Collection).

This recording of Dublin super-pirate Q102 was made on the St. Patrick’s bank holiday in 1985, less than two months after the station went on air. It begins with popular DJ Jason Maine who is wrapping up his morning show. This is followed by a syndicated Spotlight special from the US featuring the Rolling Stones. News on the hour is read by Gary Hamill (Seán McCarthy). Part 1 above runs from 1153 and Part 2 below from 1241.

Part 2 from 1241.
Rolling Stones special on Q102
Original cassette label from Anoraks Ireland Collection.

The recording was made from 102 FM on Monday, 18th March 1985 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

Henry Owens on Q102

Henry Owens on Q102
Promo for the news service from 1985 (courtesy Andy Carter).

Henry Owens (real name Henry Condon) was heard on various pirate stations in the 1980s, including Q102, Radio Nova and South Coast Radio in Cork, where he was known as Alan Reid. In this recording from 1986, he presents an afternoon show on Dublin super-pirate Q102. Along with plenty of agency adverts, there’s also a competition to win a trip across the skies of Dublin in the Eye in the Sky helicopter, from which Q102 delivered its traffic reports each morning. News is read by Anne Cassin at two minutes to the hour, an innovation allowing the station to claim that it was first to bring the news to Dublin listeners.

Henry Owens on Q102
Original label from Anoraks Ireland Collection

Henry went on to enjoy a long career on licensed radio in Ireland and UK up to his untimely death in 2013. Anne Cassin is now a presenter of Nationwide on RTÉ. This tape was recorded on Tuesday 11th March 1986 from 102.1 FM. Part 1 above runs from 1519 and Part 2 below from 1618.

Part 2.

This recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

Dublin super-pirate Q102 marks one month on air

Dublin super-pirate Q102 marks one month on air
Q102 DJ Jason Maine featured in the Sunday World in 1985 (Anoraks Ireland Collection).

Irish-owned Q102 rocked the Dublin market when it came on the air on 23rd January 1985. In these recordings from one month later, it’s clear that the new station has found its feet and is beginning to make a mark on listeners and advertisers. In the first recording above from 1038-1126 on 23rd February 1985, John O’Hara presents the final 20 minutes of his Saturday morning breakfast show before handing over to Jason Maine. The sound is tight and slick, with agency adverts and professional station imaging. There’s also a promo for cash giveaways for listeners spotted wearing Q102 badges. The second recording below is from 2304-2352 on 24th February and features Martin Block with the laid-back ‘bedtime Q’ show.

Eddie West from 24.02.85

Both tapes were made from 102 FM and are from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

Nova offshoot KISS FM nears end of run in 1984

Nova offshoot KISS FM nears end of run in 1984
John Clarke in the KISS FM studio in December 1982 (Anoraks Ireland Collection).

KISS FM was set up by Chris Cary as an offshoot of Radio Nova in September 1982, and offered specialist programming aimed at listeners in Dublin, in contrast to Nova’s more mainstream service and wider reception area. It also had the function of absorbing additional advertising for the main station but as it entered 1984, KISS FM was in trouble. Jamming by RTÉ and growing industrial unrest with the National Union of Journalists was threatening the entire Radio Nova operation and KISS FM closed down at midnight on 15th January.

This recording was made a fortnight earlier and includes the afternoon show with John Clarke from 2pm. The emphasis is on the music with limited talk and from 3pm John presents the Top 40 most played easy listening songs on KISS in 1983. News on the hour is read by Ken Hammond, who went on to work as a journalist with RTÉ. The bulletins contain reference to the new state telecommunications board Telecom Éireann, which was set up to deal with the dire state of the Irish telephone system in the early 1980s.

Nova offshoot KISS FM nears end of run in 1984
Original cassette label from Anoraks Ireland Collection.

The tape was made from 102.7 FM from 1341-1521 on 2nd January 1984 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

Chris Barry and David Dennehy on ARD/Radio 257

Chris Barry and David Dennehy on ARD/Radio 257
ARD DJs, undated. Back: Eddie West (RIP). Front L-R: David Dennehy, Chris Barry, Aidan Leonard (courtesy Dave Reddy).

Radio 257 was the new name for ARD (Alternative Radio Dublin) when the station relaunched on 4th January 1980. Many of the DJs on ARD/Radio 257 would go on to become household names in Irish radio, including John Clarke, Mike Moran, Tony Allan (RIP), Paul Vincent and Ian Dempsey. The station closed in 1982 as the super-pirates gained dominance in the Dublin radio market.

Radio 257 reverted to the ARD name at a later stage but in this recording from April 1981, both versions are heard in links and idents. First up is Chris Barry with his drivetime show which includes plenty of adverts and generic jingles re-cut with the ‘257’ tagline. He is followed by David Dennehy who has a write-in competition for listeners. Both Chris and David went on to work in larger pirate stations and eventually licensed radio.

Chris Barry and David Dennehy on ARD/Radio 257
Original cassette from Anoraks Ireland Collection.

This recording was made from 99.9 FM on 2nd April 1981 and Part 1 above runs from 1727-1815. Part 2 below is from 1815-1833 on 2nd April and is followed by part of the Night Train show from 3rd April 1981, presented by Gary Edwards.

Part 2 from 2nd and 3rd April 1981.

The tape is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.