Ken Harley Archives - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

25th December 202214th November 2023

Christmas Night on Q102

This recording of Dublin super-pirate Q102 is from Christmas Night 1986. It begins with Eamonn Kelly who is finishing up a marathon 6-hour shift. Talk is limited reflecting the station’s format and the day that’s in it, and there are just a few requests for listeners and a weather bulletin. An advert for the 1987 Q102 diary is heard and the top-of-the-hour promo is sponsored by Sony. Eamonn is followed at midnight by Ken Harley, who is facing into another 6-hour show.

Part 1 of the recording above runs from 2231-2319 and Part 2 below from 2349-0037.

Part 2 from 2349.

Eamonn was heard previously on Cork stations WBEN and ERI and KISS FM in Foley Street in Dublin. Ken also worked on Big D, ARD, Radio Leinster and Radio Nova, and had previously made adverts for Nova in Bay City Studios. Listen to an interview with him here.

The recording was made from 103.5 FM on December 25^th and 26^th 1986 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

12th July 201912th July 2019

Interview: Declan Meehan (part 2: 1982-1989)

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In the second part of our extended interview, long-time broadcaster Declan Meehan discusses his move from Sunshine to Radio Nova in 1982 which was by then the biggest station in Dublin. He tells us how Chris Cary copied the sound of KIIS FM in Los Angeles to bring a new broadcasting style to Ireland. Despite his love for Radio Nova, Declan left the station because of the bitter NUJ strike in 1984. Although he moved into licensed radio in the UK and Ireland after that, Declan’s involvement with the pirates didn’t quite end there. The interview concludes with Declan’s thoughts on the pirate legacy and his views on the state of radio today.

You can hear the first part of this interview here.

31st December 20182nd December 2022

Interview: Ken Harley (Nova, Big D, ARD, Radio Leinster)

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In this interview, Daragh O’Sullivan talks to Ken Harley who worked on Big D, ARD, Radio Nova, Q102 and Radio Leinster. He also worked in Bay City Studios making adverts for Nova.

The interview was conducted on 20^th October 2018 at the Ballsbridge Hotel in Dublin at a meet-up of people involved in Irish pirate radio over the years.