This is an early broadcast of KISS FM on 102.7 from 2130-2259 on September 11th 1982, just a few days after the station’s launch. There are a few links by an unidentified DJ, but the style is mostly the clutter-free format for which Nova and its offshoots would gain popularity at various times. Nova’s news service is now known as ‘Independent Radio News’ and is carried by both stations at 10pm. It is read by Bryan Dobson, who retired from RTÉ in 2024. Clearly KISS FM was still experiencing teething problems as the news jingle fires unexpectedly and there is dead air for a few seconds in the final half hour.
This recording is from the Leon Tipler Tapes Collection, donated to us by Steve England.
One of several offshoots of Radio Nova, KISS FM, came on the air on September 7th 1982 and broadcast until January 15th 1984. Starting off by playing continuous music only on 102.7 FM, KISS developed into a specialist and speech service alongside Nova, mopping up additional advertising and listeners.
This is the original version of an interview conducted by British radio enthusiast Leon Tipler during a visit to KISS FM in September 1982. He speaks to Brian Edgar and Stuart McLaughlin about the plans for KISS, rivalry between the Dublin stations and the economics of pirate radio.
This recording is from the Leon Tipler Tapes Collection, donated to us by Steve England. Below is a KISS FM promo from 1982 for a giveaway of £102.70. This was donated to us by Paul Buckle.
Some of the Leon Tipler Tapes Collection held by Pirate.ie.
This is a bandscan of radio as heard on AM and FM in Dublin in August 1981 by Leon Tipler on one of his many visits in Dublin to document the local pirate scene. The scan gives a sense of the sheer volume of stations on AM and the less crowded FM band, where British stations could regularly be heard due to lack of congestion. We don’t have a precise date but part of the recording was made on a Sunday.
The bandscan begins on FM with Belfast station Downtown Radio’s closedown with a read- through of the next day’s schedule. This is followed by unidentified Irish and British stations on FM and céilí music on RTÉ Radio 1. Leon then switches to AM and tunes past foreign stations before settling on Radio City on 257 metres where Brian Harmon is signing off for the night. This is followed by classical music on what sounds like Radio 1 again. A live ad is read out by the DJ for the new Sunday Tribune newspaper on Sunshine Radio on AM and Leon then switches to Radio Nova on 88 FM. This is followed by exchanges from air traffic control, as was the norm on part of the FM band in those days.
Early Sunshine Radio sticker (courtesy DX Archive).
The scan then returns to AM and Radio Leinster on 738 kHz (406 metres) where Anna Craig is signing off at the end of her Sunday morning show. She is followed by Fr. Michael Culloty with a religious programme. The bandscan ends with more AM stations include ARD and part of the Disco Format show on Sunshine.
This recording is from the Leon Tipler Tapes Collection, donated by Steve England.
Declan Meehan at Nova’s official closedown on 19 May 1983 (photo courtesy of Joe King).
This is a recording of Radio Nova made by British radio enthusiast Leon Tipler on 14th September 1982 during one of his visits to Dublin. Recorded from 88 FM from 0911-0956, it features part of the ‘brekkie trekkie’ with Declan Meehan. The music mix is mellow and presented in Nova’s pioneering ‘clutterfree’ format . The late Terry Wogan’s voice is heard on a well-known advert for Bargaintown. News headlines are read by Sybil Fennell and the job spot is also aired.
This recording is from the Leon Tipler Tapes Collection, donated to us by Steve England.
Tony Gareth aka Gareth O’Callaghan in the Nova studio (photo courtesy of Noel Hiney).
Here are two short clips from Radio Nova on Sunday 10th October 1982. The one above features part of the 10am news read by Roland Burke (RIP) followed by the weather with Tony Gareth, aka Gareth O’Callaghan who would become one of Ireland’s best-known broadcasters.
The second clip below is from the religious programme Life is a Celebration, which was launched on Nova on that day. Presented by two priests, it featured music and spiritual reflections and was an example of the early experimentation in specialist programming by Chris Cary.
We thank Paul Buckle for his donation of both recordings, which were made from 88FM near Belfast.
