Tag: Easter Monday

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Border series: Closedown of Donegal station WABC

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Border series: Closedown of Donegal station WABC
L-R: Jock Wilson, Paul Barnett, Ken Baird, Andy Craig and Ian Biggar at WABC in 1991 (courtesy of Ian).

On Easter Monday 1991, Donegal pirate WABC announced that it was closing down. The pioneering Inishowen station had been on air for 3-and-a-half years, with the exception of 6 months in the first half of 1989 due to the new legislation. At one stage it ran two parallel services specialising in hot hits and olides, and gained many listeners and advertising across the northwest, a region starved of music radio after 1988.

But at 1700 on Easter Monday, WABC began broadcasting continuous dance music interspersed with jingles and a message by owner Paul Barnett (RIP) announcing that it would go off air at 1900. It was a low-key closedown that was not flagged officially in advance, although there were hints on air and a farewell appearance on Saturday of Paul’s then wife and fellow DJ Krissi Carpenter at her oldies roadshow in Coleraine, Co. Derry. After a two-hour loop of music and the recorded announcement, WABC closed down shortly before 1915. Ian Biggar takes up the story:

The 101.7 transmitter remained on site and started relaying the programmes of [fellow Donegal pirate] Riverside 101. It continued to do so until a UK licence was received to broadcast as Q 102.9 and again continued to relay the legal station for many years. At one point the frequency was changed to 102.9 MHz. Paul and Krissi continued to do programmes for Radio Fax which was operating on short wave from Donegal before both were offered jobs on commercial radio in the UK. However, Paul still had a love for Ireland and both he and Krissi could still be heard on commercials and promos on Radio North. Unfortunately, their marriage broke up and Paul headed back to Donegal in the late 1990s to take up a managerial role with Radio North.

This recording was made from 101.7 FM from 1800-1919 on 1st April 1991. Thanks to Ian Biggar for the recording and research. However, as is often the case with pirate radio, the 1991 closedown was not the end of the story, and WABC would rise again in the future for a final time.

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Dublin’s Favourite 50 on Q102

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Dublin's Favourite 50 on Q102
Q102 logo from 1987 (Alan MacSimoin collection).

Q102 was one of the largest and most successful 1980s ‘super-pirates’ in Dublin. Priding itself as Irish-owned in contrast with other big stations Radio Nova and Sunshine Radio, it launched on January 23rd 1985 and quickly established a foothold in the Dublin market. In March 1988, Q102 took over the transmitters and equipment of Energy 103 after its sudden closure, given it a range of AM and FM frequencies in the capital. It was relaunched as ‘Super Q 102’ in summer 1988 and closed down on December 30th in line with new broadcasting legislation.

Dublin's Favourite 50 on Q102
Original cassette label from Anoraks Ireland Collection.

This recording was made on Easter Monday, 8th April 1985 and features Dublin’s Favourite 50 with Scott Williams, still a familiar name on the Dublin radio scene. News on the hour is read by Gary Hamill. Part 1 above runs from 1238-1326 and Part 2 below from 1326-1414.

Part 2 from 1326

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

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Alan Reid on South Coast Radio

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Alan Reid on South Coast Radio
Alan Reid (aka Hendy Condon, RIP) in 1982 (courtesy Lillian O’Donoghue).

Alan Reid (real name Henry Condon, known later on radio as Henry Owens), worked in Irish and British radio from the late 1970s until his untimely death in 2013. He began his radio career in the Cork Broadcasting Company (CBC) in 1978, moving to Cork City Local Radio (CCLR) in 1979 and Radio City in 1980 where he held the popular Afternoon Delight slot. After joining South Coast Radio in 1982, Henry presented evening and late-night shows before taking over the breakfast slot after the departure of Peter Madison. Following South Coast, he moved to super-pirates Radio Nova and Q102 in Dublin and later enjoyed a successful career in licensed radio in Ireland and the UK.

Henry is heard here on South Coast from 2204-2304 on Easter Monday, 12th April 1982, recorded from 104 FM in stereo. The recording and photo were kindly donated by Lillian O’Donoghue.