LLCR/Liberty 104 Archives - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

30th September 202424th September 2024

Peter Madison plays oldies on LLCR

Peter Madison (RIP) was an English DJ who broadcast on many Irish pirate stations in the 1980s. In this recording from 1986, he is heard on Liberties Local Community Radio (LLCR), a newly-established station serving the Liberties area of Dublin’s southwest city centre. Using the name ‘Skip Cameron’, Peter presents the lunchtime golden oldies programme and regularly refers to the station as ‘Big L’. He then hands over to John Keogh for Afternoon Delight. No adverts are heard during the hour-long broadcast, a concern for a new station with bills to pay.

LLCR was set up on 4^th April 1986 from Weaver’s Square in Dublin 8. Focused initially on the local community, it was later re-named Liberty 104 and expanded its coverage, carving out a commercial niche in the Dublin radio market. Liberty 104 closed suddenly before Christmas 1988. This recording was made from 1035 kHz AM between 1303-1410 on Wednesday 23^rd April 1986 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.

6th September 202431st August 2024

Lunchtime on Liberties Local Community Radio

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Liberties Local Community Radio (LLCR) began broadcasting on 4^th April 1986 from the Liberties area of south-central Dublin. Initially community-focused, LLCR later became a popular commercial station that carved out a loyal listenership in the crowded Dublin radio market. Standards varied with some presenters very young and inexperienced but several big names passed through the doors also, including Tony Allen (RIP), Peter Madison (RIP), Kieran Murray and Teena Gates. LLCR went through a number of name changes including Liberties Radio, Liberty Radio and Liberty 104 during its nearly three years on air. Initially on 1035 kHz AM and 96.7 FM locally, the station later moved to 104.5 and 107 FM and extended its coverage across the city. It closed suddenly on December 20^th 1988, more than a week before the deadline imposed by the new broadcasting legislation.

This recording of LLCR was made on Wednesday 9^th July 1986 from 1143-1231 and 1258-1346. Tommy Matthews is the DJ until 1200 and he is followed by John Keogh with the lunchtime show (the label above is inaccurate). There is the usual mix of mostly chart music and chat interspersed by adverts for local businesses, mostly in the Liberties. The first part was recorded from 107.1 FM and the second from 104.5 FM and the tape is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.

12th February 202412th February 2024

Dennis Murray on Liberty 104

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By 1988, Liberty 104 had attracted some high-profile Dublin broadcasters to its studios in the heart of the Liberties district and the station was gaining listeners. One experienced DJ who had previously been heard on Radio Nova and its offshoot KISS FM was Dennis Murray, who in this recording presents a drivetime show. Music is a mixture of chart hits and classics and there is a listener competition based on identifying three songs. A promo for factory requests underlines how stations like Liberty 104 catered for this cohort of the population. Confusingly, Dennis refers to 103 FM on a few occasions despite the 104 branding, although there was a lot of variation in the station name during its almost 3 years on air. News at the top of the hour is read by Michael Mahon.

The recording was from 1723-1809 on Monday 4^th April 1988 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson. Audio quality is good to fair with some hiss. It is not clear from which FM frequency the tape was recorded but Liberty 104 broadcast on 103.5 and 103.9 FM at this time as well as 1035 kHz AM.

5th February 202426th February 2024

Lunchtime on Liberty Radio

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Liberty Radio, also known as Liberty 104, was established as a serious player in the tight Dublin market by the beginning of 1988. Launched as Liberties Local Community Radio in spring 1986, the station moved away from its community focus and began a more commercial operation. This recording from the end of 1987 includes plenty of adverts in the pre-Christmas rush, including one for Prendergast Aerials, a company owned by station boss Sammy Prendergast. Of interest is a promo for a Christmas toy appeal in association with Fr Michael Cleary, a Catholic priest who broadcast on various pirate stations.

The cassette inlay lists the DJ as Ian Scott, formerly of Boyneside Radio in Drogheda but the presenter is in fact Mark Grace. News is read by Kieran Murray, who also worked previously with Boyneside and Radio Carousel. The recording was made on Thursday 3^rd December 1987 from 104.35 FM from 1123-1300 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.

2nd February 20242nd February 2024

Official opening of Liberties Local Community Radio

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Liberties Local Community Radio (LLCR) was launched on 4^th April 1986 from Weaver’s Square in the heart of Dublin’s Liberties area. Initially focused on its immediate community, the station grew into a significant player in the Dublin radio market by the end of the pirate era in 1988 and attracted many big names in local broadcasting. This recording is of the official opening of LLCR when a concert was held in Weaver Square featuring musicians from the Liberties and further afield. There are interviews with performers and with high-profile priest Fr Michael Cleary who previously hosted his own show on Radio Dublin. DJs in the first half of the recording are Curt Jackson and Des Hogan and Pat Marron and Paul Gibney feature in the second half. There are some technical glitches and some of the DJs are clearly inexperienced.

The recording was made from 96.6 FM from 1305-1353 and from 1936-2024 on Saturday 10^th May 1986. LLCR also broadcast on 1035 kHz AM. Later rebranded as Liberties Radio, Liberty Radio and Liberty 104, the station closed down before Christmas 1988. The tape is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.