Interview: Ken Harley (Nova, Big D, ARD, Radio Leinster)

Interview: Ken Harley (Nova, Big D, ARD, Radio Leinster)

In this interview, Daragh O’Sullivan talks to Ken Harley who worked on Big D, ARD, Radio Nova, Q102 and Radio Leinster. He also worked in Bay City Studios making adverts for Nova.

The interview was conducted on 20th October 2018 at the Ballsbridge Hotel in Dublin at a meet-up of people involved in Irish pirate radio over the years.

Interview: David Baker

Interview: David Baker
David Baker on Radio Sandymount in 1984 (photo courtesy of Dave Reddy).

David Baker was a well-known voice on Irish pirate radio in the 1980s and worked in or managed a large number of stations including ARD, Radio City, Radio Leinster, the Community Broadcasting Co-operative, KISS FM, Heartbeat and KLAS.

In this interview, John Walsh caught up with David Baker and talked about his pirate days, with a particular focus on the easy listening station KLAS. John worked with David in KLAS from 1986-1988.

Interview: David Baker
The garage at the back of 312 Sutton Park, Dublin 13, the location KLAS first broadcast from (photo John Walsh).

Interview: Maureen Maguire (Radio Pirate Woman, Radio Sinn Féin)

On July 29th 2017, East Wall History Group held the Sarah Lundberg Summer School, an event set up to commemorate the life of Sarah Lundberg, an activist, historian and scholar who was involved in the group. One of Sarah Lundberg’s interests was pirate radio and that was the focus of the 2017 Summer School.

Interview: Maureen Maguire (Radio Pirate Woman, Radio Sinn Féin)
Undated flyer (possibly 1990) about Radio Pirate Woman (courtesy of Eddie Bohan).

In this edited interview Alan MacSimoin (RIP) talks to Maureen Maguire about her memories of political pirate radio in Ireland, including the unique Galway station Radio Pirate Woman, run by left-wing activist Margaretta D’Arcy from the 1980s.

Interview: Maureen Maguire (Radio Pirate Woman, Radio Sinn Féin)
The Woodquay area of Galway from where Radio Pirate Woman broadcast (photo by John Walsh).

Maureen Maguire was also involved with Radio Sinn Féin which broadcast on 298 metres (1008 kHz) in 1983. The station was one of several set up by the party as a protest against Section 31 of the Broadcasting Act which banned interviews with members of certain organisations including Sinn Féin.

Interview: Maureen Maguire (Radio Pirate Woman, Radio Sinn Féin)
Article about Radio Sinn Féin from An Phoblacht/Republican News, November 1983 (Alan MacSiomoin collection).

There were several such stations during the 1980s including many supporting Republic prisoners on hunger strike who stood in the general election of June 1981 under the Anti H-Block banner. A short recording of Radio H-Block based in Dublin can be heard here (courtesy Skywave Collection) It also broadcast on 298 metres.