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Early Cork series: More Christmas Day on Radio City

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Early Cork series: More Christmas Day on Radio City
Pat O’Rourke in festive mood at Christmas 1980 (courtesy Lilian O’Donoghue).

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.

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Into the early hours on South Coast Radio

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Into the early hours on South Coast Radio
Steve Douglas in the South Coast studio in 1982 (courtesy Lillian O’Donoghue).

Aged only 20 when he joined, Steve Douglas was South Coast’s youngest DJ, having started in Capital Radio Cork in May 1979 when still a teenager. He later presented on another Cork pirate, Radio City, and began working weekend shifts on South Coast in October 1982 before getting a regular daily slot.

This recording features Steve Douglas finishing off his evening show with a relaxed music mix. News at midnight is read by Andrew Hewkin and includes stories from Cork. Next up is popular South Coast DJ Nick Richards with Nightline into the early hours.

Into the early hours on South Coast Radio
Nick Richards in the South Coast newsroom in 1982 (courtesy Lillian O’Donoghue).

The tape was recorded from 103.7 FM, announced as 104, from 2320-0054 on 11th and 12th May 1983. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson. A week later the Irish radio world would be rocked by raids on high-profile Dublin stations Radio Nova and Sunshine Radio.

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Various shows on South Coast Radio from 1982

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Various shows on South Coast Radio from 1982
L-R: Engineer Terri Vacani, Lillian McCarthy, Alan Reid and Nick Richards (undated, courtesy Lillian O’Donoghue).

These snippets of South Coast Radio in Cork were recorded in November 1982. The recording begins with Stevie Dunne who is filling in for Nick Richards on his Nightline show just after 11pm. He is followed by Steve Douglas, at the time South Coast’s youngest DJ who came from earlier Cork pirates Radio City and Capital Radio. Then another excerpt from the Nightline programme is heard followed by the late Alan Reid (aka Henry Condon, known as Henry Owens on later stations) with the breakfast show. South Coast’s number one fan Lillian McCarthy (O’Donoghue) is mentioned throughout the recording.

Various shows on South Coast Radio from 1982
Steve Douglas at Christmas 1982 (courtesy Lillian O’Donoghue).

The tape is dated 14th November 1982 but appears to cover more than one day. It was recorded from 104 FM and donated to us by Lillian O’Donoghue. Audio quality is fair with some distortion.