Northeast series Archives - Page 4 of 17 - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

17th December 202217th December 2022

Northeast series: Early afternoon on Boyneside Radio

This recording of popular northeast station Boyneside Radio was recorded from its Dublin FM relay in autumn 1986. From the main studio in Drogheda, the late Dave C. (Cunningham) presents his lunchtime programme, including the buy-and-sell slot Tradio and listener’s requests in the People’s Choice. He is followed by the Golden Hour with Kieran Murray, who is standing in for one of Boyneside’s founders, Heady Eddie (Eddie Caffrey).

Adverts for businesses in Counties Louth, Meath and Down are voiced by various Boyneside DJs and presenters including Kieran Murray, Eddie Caffrey, Dave C., Dermot Finglas and Mike Ahern (Richard McCullen). Main lunchtime news at 1.15pm, including local news and sport, is read by newsroom stalwarts Mike Ahern and Áine Ní Ghuidhir.

Part 1 above runs from 1304-1352 and Part 2 below from 1352-1440.

Part 2 froom 1352.

The tape was recorded from 105.5 FM on 15^th September 1986 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

24th June 202231st May 2024

Northeast series: First test broadcasts on Royal County Radio

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Royal County Radio broadcast from 1982 to 1984 from Navan in Co. Meath and was managed by the late Don Allen, a stalwart of the offshore and Irish pirate scene. The station launched on 8^th October from the Trimgate Arcade in the centre of Navan, announcing 245 metres although the cassette label records the actual wavelength as 254 metres (1179 kHz although it is unlikely that the station was so close to Radio Dublin on 1188). Royal County Radio moved around the medium wave band before settling on 355 metres (846 kHz).

This recording is of the first test broadcasts of Royal County Radio and is undated but seems to be from more than one day, so we estimate 8^th and possibly 9^th October 1982. The voice of station manager Don Allen is heard on promos and a single advert and other DJs include Lynsey Shelbourne (Dolan), John Stevens and Fab Ollie. Audio levels are uneven and a heterodyne is heard at night, suggesting that the transmitter was slightly off channel. To the strains of 2001: A Space Odyssey, Don Allen closes down the station at midnight. RCR was in direct competition with Radio Carousel Navan and left the airwaves by the middle of 1984.

This recording was made by Kieran Murray and is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

19th May 202231st May 2024

Northeast series: Royal County Radio during 1983 raids

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This recording of Co. Meath station Royal County Radio was made during the infamous raids by the Department of Posts and Telegraph on the super-pirates in May 1983. It was recorded on the morning of Thursday 19th May, a few hours after Sunshine Radio in Portmarnock was raided, and a day after Radio Nova was shut down.

Royal County Radio broadcast from Navan from October 1982 until the middle of 1984. In this recording, Al O’Rourke refers to a quiz coming up the following Monday but adds ‘fingers crossed’, a reflection of the nervousness among pirates at the time. Many stations closed down temporarily as a precaution in the days after the raids.

This extract begins at 1117 and is partially airchecked. It was recorded from 846 kHz, announcing 355 metres. Audio quality is fair to poor as the signal is groundwave reception recorded outside the Navan area. This recording is from the Skywave Tapes Collection. Radio Skywave International was a shortwave station broadcasting from northeast Dublin in the 1980s.

28th February 20222nd April 2024

Northeast series: More Telstar Community Radio from 1986

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This is another recording of Co. Louth station Telstar Community Radio from 1986. Broadcasting from the village of Blackrock south of Dundalk, Telstar was heard across the county and beyond and held its own for eight years despite stiff competition from other local pirates.

Part 1 of this recording above was made from 88.5 FM from 1222-1310 on 30^th April 1986 and features the end of the show presented by station manager Ray Stone, who also reads the news. Ray is still broadcasting today on local licensed station LMFM. Part 2 below was made on the same date from 1310-1400 and features Dominic Keenan. Telstar also broadcast on 1197 kHz, announcing 250 metres.

Part 2 of the recording from 1310

This recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson. More material from this collection can be heard on Radiowaves and the Irish Pirate Radio Archive.

25th February 20222nd April 2024

Northeast series: Telstar Community Radio from 1986

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This is a recording of Louth station Telstar Community Radio from 1986, featuring Ray Stone on air. Telstar broadcast from in and around Dundalk from 1980-1988 and built up its own listenership and advertising base, despite the stiff competition from big stations such as Radio Carousel in Dundalk and Boyneside Radio in Drogheda.

Ray Stone had originally been with Carousel but moved to Telstar and took on the manager role. He went on to local licensed station LMFM in 1989. In this recording from 88.5 FM on 30^th April 1986, he multitasks as DJ and newsreader and is heard on many of the adverts. News bulletins contain references to the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in Ukraine in the Soviet Union, which occurred a few days before. Part 1 above runs from 1046-1134 and part 2 below from 1134-1222.

Part 2 from 1134

This recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson. More material from this collection can be heard on Radiowaves and the Irish Pirate Radio Archive.