Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive
Open Free Radio Archive
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
This recording of Cork pirate Radio City features Mike Cagney presenting the drivetime show during the Christmas holidays 1980. The city is teeming with shoppers due to the New Year sales. Mike has a listeners’ competition, quiz of the week and a review of the news and best albums of the year.
The recording was made from 95.7 FM on 29th December 1980 between 1737-1908 and is partially airchecked. Thanks to Lilian O’Donoghue for the donation.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
The Cork pirate Radio City celebrated its first Christmas on air in 1980, 4 months after going on the air. This recording from that day features a lively show with Carl Johnson (Dan Noonan) who is joined in studio by John Mariner and Eric Hansen (John Creedon, now of RTÉ). There are plenty of Christmas greetings from listeners, including live callers, some of whom are related to the DJs. Karl and the others are followed by Hospital Radio Special with Pete Andrews (O’Neill) and Susan James (O’Neill), who are joined later by Mike Cagney. The programme includes Christmas music, more requests and pre-recorded interviews.
The airchecked recording was made from 95.7 FM between approximately 1200-1500 on 25th December 1980. Radio City also broadcast on 1512 kHz AM, announcing 199 metres. Thanks to Lilian O’Donoghue for the donation.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
This additional recording from Christmas Day 1980 on Cork pirate Radio City features popular DJ Pat ‘the Smurf’ O’Rourke, complete with canned Smurf laughter. Pat shares requests from listeners and reads out a letter from number one fan Lilian McCarthy (O’Donoghue). He is followed by Steve Douglas and Luke Ward, who promise an interview with Bono of U2. Audio quality is fair with some variation in levels and there are issues with the microphone at times.
The partially airchecked recording runs from around 1600-1825 on 25th December 1980 and was recorded from 95.7 FM. Thanks to Lilian O’Donoghue for the donation.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Pete Andrews (O’Neill) was a familiar voice on Cork pirate radio, and was heard on the early stations of the late 1970s before setting up Radio City in 1980 with Dan Noonan. Here he is on the Lunchtime Special from spring 1981 with a mixture of chart, classics and a bit of country. Features include the Golden Year, for sale slot, featured album, record of the week, weather forecast and the Top 10 from the Radio City Top 50. Many of the adverts are voiced by Pete, who also reads news headlines on the hour. Such was the multi-tasking of pirate radio!
The recording was made from 95.7 FM between 1202-1403 on 23rd March 1981 and is courtesy of Lilian O’Donoghue.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
This recording features a selection of Sunday programmes on Cork pirate Radio City from the spring of 1981. Up first is John Rice signing off at the end of his show, followed by Pete Andrews (O’Neill) with the Radio City Top 50 and then Susan James (O’Connor) with the Groove Galaxy. The last segment is from a Sunday morning show presented by John Mariner, possibly from another date.
This airchecked recording was made from 95.7 FM from around 1400 on 22nd March 1981. Audio quality is generally good but there is some distortion and wobble due to cassette degradation. Thanks to Lilian O’Donoghue for the donation.