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Early Cork series: Saturday evening on Radio City

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Early Cork series: Saturday evening on Radio City
Alan Edwards (right) and Luke Ward at Radio City in 1981 (courtesy Lilian O’Donoghue).

This is another edition of the Saturday early evening show on Cork pirate Radio City in spring 1981. On air is Alan Edwards with a mixture of contemporary hits and oldies. Alan shares requests and an announcement from a listener who wants to sell a flight from Cork to London, a sign of the times when air travel was less restricted than now. There are more adverts than in other recordings from around this time, one of which is voiced by Eric Hansen (the well-known RTÉ presenter John Creedon).

The tape was made from 95.5 FM from 1700-1900 on Saturday 11th April 1981 and is courtesy of Lilian O’Donoghue.  

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Early Cork series: More of the lunchtime show on Radio City

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Early Cork series: More of the lunchtime show on Radio City
Pete O’Neill at Radio City in 1980 (courtesy Lilian O’Donoghue).

This is another recording of the lunchtime show on Cork pirate Radio City, presented by one of the station founders, Pete Andrews (O’Neill). There are plenty of community notices in this edition, as well as requests and dedications and the usual Golden Year feature. Following Pete, fellow Radio City founder Carl Johnson (Dan Noonan) is heard with the beginning of his Afternoon Delight show.

The partially airchecked recording was made from 95.5 FM between 1202-1403 on Wednesday 8th April 1981 and is courtesy of Lilian O’Donoghue. Radio City also broadcast on 1512 kHz AM, announcing 199 metres.

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Early Cork series: Various Saturday shows on Radio City

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Early Cork series: Various Saturday shows on Radio City
Dave Johnson in the Radio City Studio in 1980 (courtesy Lilian O’Donoghue).

This recording of Cork pirate Radio City was made on a Saturday evening in spring 1981. Up first is the final part of Dave Johnson’s sports results programme. He is followed by Alan Edwards with his popular early evening show, complete with plenty of requests, a notice about a lost dog, adverts and mashed-up station idents. Among the hits played is Ireland’s entry to the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest, which is to be held that evening in Dublin. After Alan we hear the first few minutes of Luke Ward’s Rock City Interviews show.  

Audio quality is poor in the first half, possibly because the receiver was slightly off channel, but it improves in the final hour. The recording was made on 4th April 1981 from 1654-1906 from 95.5 FM. Radio City also broadcast on 199 metres medium wave (1512 kHz). Thanks to Lilian O’Donoghue for the donation.

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Early Cork series: Lunchtime shows on Radio City

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Early Cork series: Lunchtime shows on Radio City
Pete O’Neill at Radio City in 1980 (courtesy Lilian O’Donoghue).

This recording of Cork pirate Radio City was made in spring 1981, about seven months after the station went on the air. Up first is the end of Mark Lawrence’s mid-morning programme. He is followed by one of the station founders, Pete Andrews (O’Neill), with his Lunchtime Special show. Radio City super-fan Lilian McCarthy (O’Donoghue) has brought presents to the station for Pete’s birthday and there is the usual Golden Year feature and ‘for sale’ slot.

The tape was made from 95.5 FM between 1156-1244 on 25th March 1981 and is courtesy of Lilian O’Donoghue. Audio quality is fair with distortion in places, probably due to an issue with transmission, and some wobble on the cassette after the decades.

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Early Cork series: Holiday drivetime on Radio City

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Early Cork series: Holiday drivetime on Radio City
Mike Cagney at Radio City in 1980 (courtesy Lilian O’Donoghue).

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.