This recording of border pirate KLAS Radio was made in summer 1992 after the station was well established and apparently doing well from advertising across a wide area. On air is Michael Barry with mostly continuous country and Irish. A Northern number is given out for requests. There are plenty of adverts from Counties Derry, Monaghan, Louth, Antrim and Tyrone and a promo seeking additional sales reps. A céilí house programme, rock and roll show and American country show are also promoted.
The tape was made from 828 kHz between 1200-1333 on Wednesday 22nd July 1992 and is courtesy of Ian Biggar.
KLAS Radio began test transmissions in April 1991 on 828 kHz, although initially it announced 819 kHz. The test announcements were made by Lynsey Shelbourne (Dolan), who later went on to present programmes. The station broadcast from Carrickroe, Co. Monaghan, a site that had been used by other local pirate Radio Star Country in the past. The transmitter was said to be that formerly used by Cavan Community Radio running at around 800 watts, and was located in a van next to the aerial mast. The station ran a format of pop, oldies and country music, announcing a correspondence address in Aughnacloy, Co. Tyrone.
Postcard of Aughnacloy as sent by KLAS to Ian Biggar.
Reverse of postcard from KLAS.
In a letter in March 1992, presenter Michael Barry stated that the Department of Communications had not bothered the station at that point and that the owner was very careful not to take advertising from County Monaghan which was licensed station Northern Sound’s ‘patch’. As far as we are aware KLAS Radio did not receive any attention from the authorities. The station seemed to be reasonably successful despite the close competition from Radio Star Country.
ICB logo (courtesy Ian Biggar).
The Anorak Show on Kiss FM Dundalk on 26th December 1993 stated that KLAS Radio finally called it a day on Tuesday 22nd June of that year. It was stated however that there were rumours that the site would reactivate ‘in the next couple of weeks’. The site did reactivate, but not until January 1994 when 828 kHz carried a relay of United Christian Broadcasters (UCB) from satellite. This service seemed to be known as Vision 828. It continued for many years, moving to 864 kHz at some point before finally becoming a high power installation on 549 kHz by the mid 90s. It became clear that 549 was operated by an organisation known as Irish Christian Broadcasters, based in Dundalk and headed by among others the late David Robinson, a former owner of Radio Star Country. The service continued until 2006 when ICB received an instruction from Comreg to cease transmissions on 549 kHz. By that time the power used was reputed to be in the region of 25 kW.
This recording of KLAS Radio was made from 828 kHz between 1419-1552 on Monday 13th May 1991 and features Lynsey Shelbourne on air. Thanks to Ian Biggar for the station history and recording.
The former Spirit Radio site at Carrickroe in 2025, formerly used by KLAS (photo John Walsh).
KLAS Radio (1991-1993) was an example of the many new pirates to defy the new broadcasting laws of 1989 and come on air in the 1990s. It was based on the Monaghan/Tyrone border and broadcast from a site at Carrickroe that would later be used by another local pirate Radio Star Country and for a pirate relay of United Christian Broadcasters (UCB). In more recent years, Carrickroe housed the AM facility of licensed religious station Spirit Radio until 2023 (pictured above).
This recording from spring 1991 is of early test transmissions by KLAS. It begins with a promo for the station using the iconic pirate signature tune Man of Action by the Les Reed Orchestra. KLAS promised Irish, pop and country music, reflecting the mixture that was popular in border areas following the success of the 1980s pirates. Following continuous music at the start, DJ Tony then presents an afternoon show and gives out a contact number for requests and reception reports.
The recording was made from 828 kHz (announcing 819) on Thursday 18th April from 1420-1435 and Friday 19th April 1991 from 1400-1500. Audio quality is fair to poor with some cassette wobble at the start. There is also splatter from BBC Radio Scotland on the adjacent frequency of 810 kHz, reflecting the fact that the recording was made in Scotland. Thanks to Ian Biggar for the donation.
KLAS Radio was one of the second wave of 1990s pirates to defy the new broadcasting legislation that came into force in the Republic of Ireland at the beginning of 1989. It broadcast from 1991 until 1993 from just south of the border in Co. Monaghan, a short distance from Aughnacloy in Co. Tyrone. This recording was made shortly after KLAS began broadcasting. There are adverts for businesses mostly in Aughnacloy, linked to a local festival that was in full swing at the time. An advertising promo says that KLAS is broadcasting from the deliberately vague ‘North of Ireland’ and gives phone numbers for both sides of the border. KLAS had a good signal locally on AM but reception was hampered further afield by the presence of local radio stations in the north of England on the same or adjacent frequencies. There was no link between KLAS and the easy-listening station of the same name in Dublin (1986-1988), established by the late Hugh Hardy of Radio Carousel.
The recording was made from 828 kHz AM on 19th July 1991 between 1105-1150 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection. The DJ is Michael Barry and he plays a mixture of pop and oldies. Audio quality is good but there is some background signal noise in places and a technical issue with the recording towards the end.
