Northeast series Archives - Page 2 of 18 - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

Northeast series: Drogheda radio split reaches a head in 1982 — Drogheda postcard from 1982 with the Boyneside logo (courtesy Ian Biggar).

Due to a split in the Drogheda station Boyneside Radio in July 1981, the Co. Louth town gained a second station calling itself Community Radio Drogheda (CRD). A detailed history of the split is available here but in summary, the two rival stations attempted to undercut each other for the best part of 10 months in a small town with limited advertising revenue. To complicate matters, Boyneside Radio experimented with television during this period and attempted to open another station in Navan, Co. Meath. By April 1982, the situation had reached breaking point, with CRD running out of money and DJs leaving for other stations in Dublin. After negotiations, the two camps made peace and Boyneside Radio regained its position as the sole Drogheda station in early May.

This recording from April 1982 of both Boyneside Radio and CRD was made before the merger and gives a sense of the situation at the time. First up is Owen Barry (Owen Larkin) with his lunchtime show on Boyneside, including the Angelus bell at midday. Also of interest is an advert by Fianna Fáil, as politicians would later be censured by their parties for doing interviews on pirate radio. Next up is CRD with the voices of Richard Kenny (Richard Crowley), Eddie Caffrey, Dermot Finglas and Gavin Duffy presenting a lunchtime chat show. Gavin refers to plans for a new schedule and even a public meeting to discuss the development of the service with listeners, but the writing was on the wall for CRD at that stage.

The recording of Boyneside was made on 5^th April 1982 from 98.1 FM and that of CRD on 6^th April from 1305 kHz AM, announcing 225 metres. Boyneside also announced 225 but broadcast on 1323 kHz during this time as well as FM. We have done our best during the digitisation process but audio quality is fair to poor due to cassette degradation. The tape was made by Kieran Murray and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.

9th August 20242nd August 2024

Northeast series: Morning shows on Telstar Community Radio

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Telstar Community Radio (1980-1988) was a long-running pirate station based in and around Dundalk in Co. Louth. Despite stiff competition from Radio Carousel in the same town, Telstar built up and maintained its own listeners and advertisers throughout its time on air. This recording of Telstar was made in 1986, just after it had moved back into Dundalk from the village of Blackrock to the south, where it had spent the previous four years.

The recording begins with the breakfast show presented by Alex Evans, with news headlines on the half-hour and a mixture of chart, pop and easy-listening music. There are adverts for local businesses and branded station jingles. The second part of the tape begins with Alex handing over to Ray Stone for his mid-morning show until lunchtime. Ray promises an eclectic music mix including charts, ballads, céilí and rock and roll. He also shares community notices and trivia news items, apologising to listeners for the temporary absence of a phoneline following the move back into Dundalk.

The recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection and was made on Wednesday 30^th April 1986 between 0652-0740 and 0956-1044 from 88.5 FM. Audible levels are variable and there is some distortion in places, due either to an on-air issue at the time or the cassette itself. Telstar also broadcast on 1197 kHz, announcing 250 metres.

24th July 202415th June 2024

Northeast series: FRC show #35 on Radio Rainbow International

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This is another episode of the Free Radio Campaign (FRC) on Louth shortwave station Radio Rainbow International (1985-1988). It is presented by Kieran Murray, who describes Radio Rainbow as the biggest free shortwave station in Europe at the time. The Louth station operated on much higher power than other Irish shortwave pirates, and received reception reports from across Europe during its three years on air.

Episode #35 of the FRC show contains Boola Boola by Drifter Sound, the theme tune to Radio Dublin, which was then celebrating its 20^th birthday. There’s the customary 5-minute sweep of jingles and a feature on early 1980s stations ARD and Southside Radio. The free radio newsdesk includes information about the raid on KISS FM in Dublin earlier that month.

The recording was made on Sunday 12^th October 1986 from 1100-1200 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection. This is a studio copy but Radio Rainbow International at this time broadcast on 6240 kHz shortwave and the FRC show was relayed on various stations in Ireland and elsewhere.

19th June 20243rd June 2024

Northeast series: FRC show #28 on Radio Rainbow International

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Letterhead of Radio Rainbow International (courtesy Eddie Caffrey).

Radio Rainbow International was a high-powered shortwave station broadcasting from Co. Louth between 1985-1988. It was set up by the engineer of Boyneside Radio, Eddie Caffrey and other Boyneside presenters were also involved, including Kieran Murray with the weekly Free Radio Campaign (FRC) show featuring radio news from home and abroad. Initially, Radio Rainbow broadcast every Sunday morning across Europe on 6240 kHz in the 48-metre band. Local transmitters were later added on AM and FM.

In edition #28 of the FRC, Kieran Murray welcomes listeners hearing relays on Radio Veronica in Liverpool and Radio Crystal in Surrey and reminds other free radio stations in Europe that they are welcome to carry the programme. Promos for Anoraks UK are voiced by the late Bob Gallico. Listeners’ letters come from Ireland and the UK and there is the usual 5-minute sweep of jingles. The feature covers a recording of London pirate Thameside Radio from 1980 and is followed by the weekly FRC newsdesk.

Northeast series: FRC show #28 on Radio Rainbow International — Original cassette inlay from Anoraks Ireland Collection.

The recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection and was made on Sunday 3^rd August 1986 from 1100-1200. This is a studio copy in stereo but there is some wobble of the cassette due to degradation over time.

12th June 202412th May 2024

Northeast series: FRC show #34 on Radio Rainbow International

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Radio Rainbow International letterhead (courtesy Kieran Murray).

This is an episode of the weekly Free Radio Campaign (FRC) show on Louth station Radio Rainbow International from autumn 1986. Presented by Kieran Murray, it includes the usual 5-minute sweep of jingles this week featuring British ILR and BBC stations. The featured station is BBC Radio Stoke-on-Trent, which includes an interview with Dave Cash formerly of Radio Caroline and Radio London in the 1960s. The free radio newsdesk includes references to various proposed new stations that did not materialise: a new music station operated by Boyneside Radio covering an area from Dublin to Belfast called Laser FM and three new stations from the stable of Sunshine Radio in Dublin.

The recording of episode #34 of the FRC was made from 1100-1200 on Sunday 5^th October 1986. Radio Rainbow International broadcast on 6240 kHz shortwave at this stage, later adding AM and FM. This is a studio copy and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.