Radio Dublin Channel 2 Archives - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

29th April 202626th April 2026

Test of Radio Dublin Channel 2 and station launch

Radio Dublin Channel 2 was the first such offshoot service by an Irish pirate station, operating initially at weekends and then on a more full-time basis in parallel with the main station. Offering specialist output such as a rock show, country show and student programme, it was an alternative to the chart music focus of the original Channel 1, which continued to broadcast on 1188 kHz (253 metres). Channel 2 was initially on FM only but in recognition of the limited reach of that band at the time, soon added its own AM channel. One of the highlights of the Channel 2 service was the weekly FRC show presented by Gerard Roe, which updated anoraks about the pirate radio scene at home and abroad.

This recording begins with the first test broadcast of Radio Dublin Channel 2 on Saturday 26^th April 1980, with John Everest on 90.2 MHz FM, while Kevin Barrett continues on medium wave. The airchecked recording switches back and forth between AM and FM in the course of the evening, and John Everest announces that the official launch will take place the following weekend. Kevin Barrett says Radio Dublin is making history in local radio in Ireland, being the only station with two separate channels. However there are plenty of teething problems during the Channel 2 test, and a link-up between the two channels is barely audible.

The test transmission is followed by the launch of Channel 2 a week later which begins with a few words from station owner Eamonn Cooke, followed by Martin Cullinane, who would later use the name Bob Conway on RTÉ 2FM. Teething problems continue with variable audio and bleed-through from Channel 1, which was a perennial problem on the parallel services. The airchecked recording begins shortly after 1600 and continues until the inaugural broadcast finishes at 1800. There is some uncertainty over the date of the launch due to inaccurate information on the cassette label, but it appears to have been on Saturday 3^rd May 1980. The recording ends with the familiar Radio Dublin signature tune and jingles. Thanks to Ian Biggar for the donation.

Radio Dublin closed down permanently in 2002 following Eamonn Cooke’s conviction for sexually abusing children. He was jailed in 2003 and again in 2007 and died in 2016 while on temporary release. If you require support with this issue, you can contact the organisation One in Four.

15th September 20239th September 2023

Gerard Roe on Radio Dublin Channel 2 (14 December 1983)

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The recording of Gerard Roe’s popular FRC programme on Radio Dublin Channel 2 was made at Christmas 1983, at the end of a dramatic year for Irish pirate radio due to a clampdown by the authorities. The programme includes a report about the recent raid on and closure of Community Radio 257 and the confiscation of equipment from Nova Television, Chris Cary’s shortlived experiment that rocked the media world. Ger says there was no need for Nova to enter the television market and reads a letter from Sunshine Radio boss Robbie Robinson who condemned the move as irresponsible. The show also contains archive recordings of Southside Radio from 1979 and KELO from 1981. There is an advert for Anoraks Ireland voiced by Kieran Murray.

The recording was made on 14^th December 1983 from 98.7 FM between 2003-2100 and contains some edits. Radio Dublin Channel 2 also broadcast on 1152 kHz AM, announcing 260 metres. The tape is from the Skywaves Collection. Radio Skywave International was a 1980s shortwave station broadcasting from Baldoyle in northeast Dublin.

4th September 202312th August 2023

Daytime programmes on Radio Dublin FM

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Radio Dublin, one of Ireland’s longest running pirate stations, split its services for a number of years to air specialist programmes such as niche music or current affairs. Radio Dublin Channel 2 was set up in April 1980 with this purpose but suffered from ongoing technical problems and lack of investment. One such issue was bleedthrough from the main AM transmitter and such interference can be heard clearly in this recording, to the extent that the programme becomes inaudible towards the end. The DJ is Gerry Marsden who also spent periods as Radio Dublin manager. The usual chart music is interspersed with adverts for local shops and a horoscopes section. Interestingly, ‘Radio Dublin FM’ and not ‘Channel 2’ is announced on air so it is not clear if this is a new service service or a rebranding of Channel 2. Another item of note is that no phone requests can be taken until the evening, a serious obstacle to building listener engagement.

The recording was made from 98.7 FM from 1109-1157on 7^th March 1984. It is from the Skywave Tapes Collection. Radio Skywave International was a 1980s shortwave station broadcasting from Baldoyle in northeast Dublin.

14th September 202218th September 2022

Gerard Roe on Radio Dublin Channel 2 (21 September 1983)

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This recording of Gerard Roe’s Free Radio Campaign (FRC) show was made from Radio Dublin Channel 2 in the autumn of 1983. As usual, the FRC starts with news from the same week the previous year and there are archive recordings of KELO, Capitol Radio and Radio Dublin itself. A promo for Anoraks Ireland is voiced by Kieran Murray. Interestingly, Gerard refers to the newly launched Radio Annabel on 1035 kHz, which began regular programmes the previous weekend. He would soon move to Radio Annabel and bring his FRC to a bigger audience because of the superior signal to Channel 2.

The tape was made from 98.7 FM on 21^st September 1983 from 2000-2108. There is some bleedthrough from the main Radio Dublin transmitter and audio levels are variable. The recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson. Listen here to Pirate.ie Podcast #10 featuring our interview with Gerard Roe about his memories of pirate radio.

12th September 20222nd May 2024

Gerard Roe on Radio Dublin Channel 2 (18 May 1983)

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This recording of Gerard Roe’s Free Radio Campaign (FRC) show on Radio Dublin Channel 2 was made on one of the most dramatic days in Irish pirate radio history, 18^th May 1983. That morning, Radio Nova and KISS FM were raided and put off the air, and Sunshine Radio would be closed the following day. The rumour mill was in overdrive and as panic spread among pirate stations, many closed temporarily in case of further raids.

After starting the FRC with his customary look back at news from the same week the previous year, Gerard then notes that Channel 2 is off FM as a precaution. He plays recordings of coverage of the raid on Radio Nova as heard on RTÉ and Sunshine Radio and predicts that it was unlikely that Nova would be back for a few weeks. In, fact Nova returned the following morning on low power. The FRC also includes tapes of Big D on 14^th November 1980 about interference on the AM band in Dublin and of Declan Meehan on Sunshine Radio on 5^th July 1981.

The recording was made from 1152 kHz, announcing 269 metres, from 1958-2104. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson. Listen here to Pirate.ie Podcast #10 featuring our interview with Gerard Roe about his memories of pirate radio.