Tipperary Archives - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

24th February 202521st February 2025

American music show on Thurles Local Community Radio

Thurles Local Community Radio (TLCR) broadcast from 1981-1983 from the Tipperary town, one of several small pirate stations in the county during the late 1970s and early 1980s. It began testing as Community Radio Thurles for a week in November 1981 and promised to start broadcasting on a full-time basis every evening before Christmas. The launch was delayed until the new year and the renamed Thurles Local Community Radio was reported by the Tipperary Star to have begun permanent broadcasting on 22^nd January 1982 with an evening schedule from 1800-2100 and plans for expansion. It was on 100 FM only and according to the newspaper report, the station emphasised the superior quality of the FM band over AM. However logs by DX Archive from the period June 1982 to October 1983 include TLCR on AM only (first 1260 kHz, then 1098 kHz and finally 954 kHz), perhaps a reflection of the dominance of medium wave at the time. There is no reference to TLCR after October 1983 and it seems to have petered out by late that year. Additional research is by Eddie Bohan.

This short airchecked recording of Thurles Local Community Radio was made on Sunday 24^th April 1983 between 1600 and 1700 and features the Paul Ryan American Music Show. It was made by Kieran Murray from 954 kHz, announcing 319 metres and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.

21st February 202516th February 2025

Summer Saturday on Clonmel Broadcasting Corporation

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The origins of pirate radio in Co. Tipperary were in the experimental summer station Radio Clonmel in 1978 and bigger stations Radio Carrick and Clonmel Local Radio in 1980. In September 1981, Galway man Gerry Gannon, who was based in Carrick-on-Suir, began planning a radio station for all of south Tipperary . The result of his campaigh was the Clonmel Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), which began broadcasting on 14^th November 1981. CBC became one of the leading pirates to espouse a community radio ethos, in contrast with larger commercial operators in cities such as Dublin and Cork. It had deep roots in its local community and continued broadcasting until the end of 1988.

This short airchecked recording was made on a Saturday afternoon in summer 1983 in Cashel outside the core listening area, so quality is fair at best. Up first is DJ Pat with chart music and he is followed by Kevin Ambrose. Adverts are heard for small businsesses in Clonmel and surounding towns. The recording was made from 828 kHz AM by Kieran Murray on Saturday 16^th July 1983 from around 1800 and is part of the Anoraks Ireland Collection.

5th April 20242nd April 2024

Afternoon on Centre Radio (Clonmel)

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Centre Radio from Clonmel in Co. Tipperary was an offshoot of an existing local station, the Clonmel Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Centre was set up in April 1986 as a more youth-oriented service than the existing CBC, which had been on air since 1981. In 1987, Centre was rebranded as Premier County Radio, which continued until the deadline for the pirates to close at midnight on New Year’s Eve 1988.

This recording features part of an afternoon show presented by an unidentified DJ. Eoin Ryan reads racing results and there is also a news bulletin at five minutes to the hour. Centre’s news service is promoted regularly and the station claims to have the most comprehensive output in the region. Adverts cover Clonmel and surrounding towns.

The tape is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection and was made from 88 FM between 1527-1612 on Thursday 5^th June 1986. Centre Radio also broadcast on 101 FM and on 1251 kHz AM (240 metres).

3rd April 20234th April 2023

Evening shows on Premier County Radio

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Premier County Radio was the new name given to Tipperary station Centre Radio in 1987. Based in Clonmel in the south of the county, Centre Radio had been set up in April 1986 as a youth-oriented offshoot of the long-running Clonmel Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). In this recording from 1988, we hear a flavour of two specialist evening shows on Premier County Radio.

First up is Brendan Kenny with oldies and he is followed by John Savage until midnight with a mix of country, folk and rock and roll. Requests from listeners are heard on both shows but there are no adverts. Part 1 above runs from 2116 and Part 2 below from 2202. The date of recording is 1^st November 1988.

Part 2 from 2202.

The cassette label logs a link frequency of 87.3 MHz but this is incorrect as the broadcast FM band begins at 87.5. Premier County Radio was announcing 87.9 and 104.3 FM at this time, and also broadcast on 1251 kHz AM. The tape is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

16th March 202313th March 2023

Fergal Owens on the CBC Night Shift

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This recording is of part of the Night Shift programme on CBC (Clonmel Broadcasting Corporation), toward the end of the popular Tipperary station’s seven years on air. DJ Fergal Owens is in flying form despite the late hour and has plenty of chat and music. The day’s broadcasting ends with the national anthem at midnight, which is played at the wrong speed for the first few bars.

The tape was made on 1^st and 2^nd November 1988 from 102.7 FM in mono. CBC also broadcast on 828 kHz AM. It closed down at midnight on New Year’s Eve 1988. This recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.