Henry Condon Archives - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

Early Cork series: Radio City enters its second month on air — The late Henry Condon (Alan Reid on air) at Radio City in 1980 (courtesy Lilian O’Donoghue).

In October 1980, the new Cork pirate station Radio City entered its second month on air, offering a variety of programmes from 0700-0200 each day presented by many of the DJs who had cut their teeth on the emerging Cork scene since the late 1970s.

The first part of this recording was made on 1^st October 1980 and features Noel Evans (Welch), Alan Reid (the late Henry Condon, known later as Henry Owens on other pirates) and Tony Allen (Walsh). The second part was made on 10^th October and features Tony Allen, Luke Ward and Pete Andrews (O’Neill). Adverts are sparse after a month on air, underlining the financial challenges involved in sustaining a full-time pirate station at the time.

Audio quality is poor as most of the recording was made by placing a tape recorder against a radio. It was recorded from 1512 kHz AM, announcing 199 metres, and is courtesy of Lilian O’Donoghue.

11th March 202322nd April 2023

Henry Owens on Q102

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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 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 11^th 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.

9th December 20229th December 2022

Various shows on South Coast Radio from 1982

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These snippets of South Coast Radio in Cork were recorded in November 1982. The recording begins with Stevie Dunne who is filling in for Nick Richards on his Nightline show just after 11pm. He is followed by Steve Douglas, at the time South Coast’s youngest DJ who came from earlier Cork pirates Radio City and Capital Radio. Then another excerpt from the Nightline programme is heard followed by the late Alan Reid (aka Henry Condon, known as Henry Owens on later stations) with the breakfast show. South Coast’s number one fan Lillian McCarthy (O’Donoghue) is mentioned throughout the recording.

The tape is dated 14^th November 1982 but appears to cover more than one day. It was recorded from 104 FM and donated to us by Lillian O’Donoghue. Audio quality is fair with some distortion.

8th May 20228th May 2022

Peter Madison and Alan Reid on South Coast Radio

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This is a recording of the very early days of South Coast Radio, the Cork super-pirate that broadcast from 1982-1984. It begins with the late Peter Madison with the final minutes of his Saturday oldies breakfast show on 6^th March 1982 from 1050 to 1100. Peter is followed by the late Alan Reid (Hendy Condon, known later on other stations as Henry Owens) from 1100-1135. South Coast was only on air for three days at this stage, having launched officially on 3^rd March 1982. This tape was made from 102.15 FM stereo, announcing 104. South Coast also broadcast on 1557 kHz AM, announcing 194 metres.

The recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated by Paul Davidson. Thanks to Lillian O’Donoghue for the photo.

23rd March 202230th March 2025

Alan Reid on South Coast Radio

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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, 12^th April 1982, recorded from 104 FM in stereo. The recording and photo were kindly donated by Lillian O’Donoghue.