Radio Leinster Archives - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

21st July 202520th July 2025

Daphne Mitchell on Radio Leinster

Radio Leinster was a talk and specialist pirate station broadcasting to Dublin from 1981-1983. This recording from a snowy day in winter 1981 shows how, with a fraction of the resources, Radio Leinster mounted a credible challenge to RTÉ Radio 1 during its time on air. The recording begins with the final few minutes of a lunchtime show presented by show band and cabaret singer, Sonny Knowles (RIP). He is followed at 1500 by the much-loved Daphne Mitchell, whose afternoon programme is sponsored by Apollo 1 Discount Store in Dublin’s Moore Street. Daphne’s popular show includes a featured artist, country interlude, poet’s corner, single of the week, horoscopes, a song from the musical and a classical corner. There are references also to other specialist shows on Radio Leinster and a charitable appeal by the presenter of a religious programme, Fr Michael Culloty. News headlines at half past the hour are read by Gordon Sommerville and Daphne is followed at 1630 by Mick McKenzie.

The recording was made from 738 kHz AM, announcing 406 metres, between 1448-1651 on Tuesday 8^th December 1981, and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection. There is increasing co-channel interference as night falls.

27th June 202522nd June 2025

Laid-back Sunday night on Radio Leinster

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Radio Leinster was a specialist and speech station broadcasting from Dublin between 1981 and 1983. This short airchecked recording features the end of a Sunday night love songs show presented by Lawrence John, who was involved in pirates in Dublin and elsewhere throughout the 1980s. Lawrence is followed by Dave Couling with his laid-back Midnight Magic show until 0200.

The tape was made from 93 FM from around 2200 on Sunday 12^th December 1982 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection. Radio Leinster also broadcast on 738 kHz AM (406 metres).

25th April 202521st April 2025

Sunday on Radio Leinster up to closedown

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Radio Leinster was a specialist and talk station broadcasting to Dublin from 1981-1983. The diversity of its programming made it stand out from the dominance of chart music on many pirate stations. This short airchecked recording was made on a Sunday in summer 1982, at which point Radio Leinster had found its feet and was gaining advertisers and listeners. First up is a hoarse Justin James, who was also managing director, with an Elvis Presley show. This is followed by a snippet from the Sunday Scene programme with Paul Kavanagh later that evening. Paul would later to go on to present on Sunshine Radio, where he would become programme director. The recording ends with the closedown of the station for the night, in Irish and English, to the rousing strains of Mise Éire by Seán Ó Riada.

The tape was made from 93.2 FM on 27^th June 1982 by Kieran Murray, and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.

26th February 202525th February 2025

Late night Radio Leinster shortly before station’s closedown

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Radio Leinster was a specialist and middle-of-the-road station offering an alternative to Dublin listeners accustomed to the diet of chart music on many pirates. Launching on 29^th April 1981 on 738 kHz, announcing 406 metres, it liked to claim that it wooed listeners from RTÉ Radio 1 rather than Radio 2. Despite making inroads in the Dublin radio market over its two years on air, Radio Leinster became collateral damage in the raids on large pirate stations, closing down suddenly on May 19^th 1983.

This tape was made a few days before the closedown and features the Late on Leinster show presented by Gerry Wilson. There are plenty of requests, reflecting the desire for live late-night radio, now sadly a thing of the past. Adverts include the Sunday World newspaper, a staple on all commercial pirate stations during the 1980s. The airchecked recording was made on Saturday night/Sunday morning 14^th and 15^th May between 2230 and 0130 from 93 FM. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.

9th September 20241st September 2024

Evening drivetime with DJ Lee on Radio Leinster

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Radio Leinster was a multi-format station broadcasting to Dublin and surrounding areas from 1981-1983. The music style was MOR/easy-listening and there were also specialist programmes covering a wide range of genres.

This recording features a familiar voice on the Dublin pirates, DJ Lee, presenting the evening Bumper to Bumper show. The programme includes traffic reports, a listeners’ competition, featured albums, the Ramble Around Dublin slot, TV movies and a city events guide. Adverts are heard for businesses throughout Dublin and news on the hour is read by Gary Miley, who would later work for Sunshine Radio and eventually RTÉ. News at 1900 is edited out but Lee is followed by Conor Brooks with a Top 40 show, presumably one of Radio Leinster’s specialist programmes. Conor would later be heard on alternative/indie station Capitol/Nitesky 96.

Radio Leinster broadcast on 738 kHz AM (announcing 406 metres), using a professionally-built 1kW transmitter, and on 93 FM. It closed suddenly on 19^th May 1983, following the raids on Sunshine and Radio Nova. This recording was made from FM on Tuesday 18^th January 1983 between 1730 and 1908 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.