John Kenny Archives - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

12th December 202310th December 2023

John Lewis on South Coast Radio

Former offshore DJ John Lewis spent a stint on Cork’s South Coast Radio in 1982 and 1983. He had previously worked on Radio Caroline in the 1970s until the Mi Amigo sank in 1980 and was also heard on the Voice of Peace off the Israeli coast. In this recording, John presents a Saturday evening show featuring plenty of requests, the Lewis Cues quiz and sports news with John Kenny. News at the top of the hour is read by Andrew Hewkin and commercial breaks feature both agency adverts and spots for local businesses.

John Lewis returned to North Sea in 1984 and joined the new offshore station Laser before returning to Radio Caroline. He still broadcasts on the current licensed Radio Caroline and has also worked with other UK commercial stations.

This tape was made on Saturday 20^th August 1983 from 1725-1902. It was recorded from 103.7 FM, announced as 104. South Coast also broadcast on 1557 kHz, announced as 194 metres. The recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

30th October 202330th October 2023

October bank holiday 1985 on Q102

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This recording of Dublin super-pirate Q102 was made on bank holiday Monday 1985, eight months after the station had entered the capital’s competitive radio market. It includes a syndicated show by the US ABC Radio Network, featuring the band Huey Lewis and the News who were enjoying chart success at the time.

There’s the usual mix of commercials for medium-sized and large businesses in the city. News on the hour is read by Martin O’Neill, aka Niall Martin, who would go on to have a career as an RTÉ journalist. The syndicated show is followed at midday by John Kenny, who would become an RTÉ sports journalist.

Part 1 above runs from 1054-1139 and Part 2 below from 1142-1227.

Part 2 from 1142

The tape was made on 28^th October 1985 from 102 FM and is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

31st July 202330th July 2023

John Kenny on Dublin’s Q102

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This recording of popular Dublin station Q102 was made in the summer of 1985 and features part of the evening drivetime show presented by John Kenny. Chart music alternates with classic tunes and there are plenty of adverts ranging from larger companies and brands to restaurants and clothing shops around Dublin. A promo airs for a 1970s special over the August bank holiday weekend, there’s a competition for tickets to the Horse Show and gigs by Stockton’s Wing and Blue in Heaven are mentioned. News with Gary Hamill (Seán McCarthy) includes reference to the moving statues phenomenon that rocked Ireland that summer. John Kenny is still heard on sports and music shows on RTÉ.

The tape was recorded from 102 FM on Wednesday 31^st July 1985. Part 1 above runs from 1827 and Part 2 below from 1913.

Part 2 from 1913.

At this time Q102 also broadcast on 828 kHz AM. The recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

23rd January 202319th January 2023

Launch of new Dublin super-pirate Q102

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These recordings are of the launch of the new Dublin super-pirate Q102, that began broadcasting on Wednesday 23^rd January 1985. The station shook up the competitive Dublin radio market, offering another professional music-based station for listeners and introducing innovative features such as Eye in the Sky, traffic news reported from a helicopter flying over the city. The first recording above starts at 1613 and is of the countdown to the launch, featuring continuous music and promos. The second part below is from 1701.

Part 2 from 1701.

The next recordings begin at 1850 and include the official launch at 1900 with a Cold War-style promo voiced by Lawrence John, one of the original station founders. He is followed by Jason Maine until 2000 and then John Kenny with the night-time show. There are some comedy-style commercials but no actual advertisements.

Part 3 from 1850 including launch.

Part 4 from 1935.

The next recording begins at 2018 and includes more of John Kenny’s programme. The cassette was damaged and only the first 40 minutes has been digitised.

Part 5 from 2018.

The final recording begins at 2302 and features John Kenny with a more relaxed late night sound.

Part 6 from 2302.

These recordings were all made from 102 FM and are from the Anoraks Ireland Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson. The first 90 minutes of Q102, including the launch, were recorded originally by Kieran Murray. Q102 closed down on 30^th December 1988 at 1800.

11th March 202210th March 2022

Night-time on South Coast Radio

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This is a recording of two night-time DJs on South Coast Radio in its early days in 1982. Recorded from 104 FM on 13th April, it runs from 2130-2305 and features John Kenny for the first hour, followed by the late Alan Reid (Henry Condon). John began broadcasting with Dublin pirates including Radio City and Big D at the end of the 1970s before moving to Cork in 1982. He worked with Q102 in Dublin in the mid-1980s and has been a journalist and broadcaster with RTÉ Sport since 1987.

After South Coast, Henry moved on to Dublin super-pirates Radio Nova and Q102 later in the 1980s where he was known as Henry Owens. After the pirate era he worked for longwave giant Atlantic 252 and UK stations over the next decade before returning to Ireland in 2001 to set up Cork station Red FM. He later worked for Cool FM and Downtown Radio in Belfast and died in 2013 at the age of 52.

Thanks to Ian Biggar for this donation.