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Late-night Sunday on ABC Radio

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Late-night Sunday on ABC Radio
1986 advert for ABC Radio (Anoraks Ireland Collection).

Waterford station ABC Radio broadcast from 3rd March 1982 until 29th December 1988 and became one of the country’s most popular and successful pirates. From humble origins in a caravan in the coastal resort of Tramore, it moved into Waterford City in 1985. ABC covered the southeast on 1026 kHz AM and a series of local FM transmitters. In this recording from 1986, Jimmy Ryan is on air with a relaxed late-night Sunday music show, featuring long sets with limited talk and no adverts. A station promo mentions towns in Tipperary and Wexford, emphasising ABC’s coverage beyond Co. Waterford.

Late-night Sunday on ABC Radio
Cassette inlay from Anoraks Ireland Collection.

The recording was made between 2201-2246 on 15th June 1986 from 103.2 FM, a 2 kW transmitter from Tory Hill north of Waterford City that covered a large part of the southeast. The tape is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

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Sunday morning on Waterford Local Radio

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Sunday morning on Waterford Local Radio
Poster at WLR studios in 1986 (courtesy DX Archive).

By the mid-1980s, Waterford Local Radio (WLR) was well established as one of the most popular and successful local stations in Ireland. This recording gives a flavour of Sunday programming on the station from the summer of 1986. Of note is the large number of adverts, including one for Ryanair flights from Waterford Airport to London. The first part features the Sunday breakfast show with Paul Power between 0800-0848. He is followed by Tony Weldon from 1012-1100. Community notices are read by Tommy O’Keeffe.

Sunday morning on Waterford Local Radio

The tape was made from 88.9 FM on 13th July 1986 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson. WLR also broadcast on 1197 kHz (252 metres) and stayed on air until the end of 1988.

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Sunday night oldies on Waterford Local Radio

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Sunday night oldies on Waterford Local Radio
Early WLR logo (courtesy Colin Kennedy).

This recording is of John O’Shea with a Sunday night oldies show on the popular southeast station Waterford Local Radio (WLR), which broadcast from 1978-1988. The programme includes requests from listeners, lost and found notices, a competition and a featured artist. Plenty of adverts are aired for businesses in Waterford and surrounding towns. Sound quality is generally good but there is some variation in audio levels, especially during commercial breaks. John O’Shea continues to broadcast on the licensed WLR FM today. In this recording, he is followed by Conor Halpin with the Guilty but Insane show.

Sunday night oldies on Waterford Local Radio
Original cassette label from Anoraks Ireland Collection.

The tape was recorded from 99.9 FM between 2044 and 2216 on 8th August 1982. WLR also broadcast on 88.8 FM and 1197 kHz (252 metres). The recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

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Waterford Local Radio prepares for closedown

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Waterford Local Radio prepares for closedown
WLR compliments slip (courtesy Andy Carter).

Waterford Local Radio (WLR) was one of Ireland’s most successful and long-running pirates, broadcasting from 1978 to 1988, and it was one of the few pirates to be licensed in 1989. This recording was made 48 hours before the pirate station closed down in line with new broadcasting legislation. On air is Seán Organ, formerly of Suirside Radio, who continues to broadcast on the licensed WLR FM today. News is read by Clodagh Walsh, who went on to work as a journalist in the new independent radio sector and RTÉ. Station idents cover Counties Waterford, Wexford and Kilkenny, reflecting WLR’s coverage area. There are references to the impending station closedown at 6pm on 30th December 1988 and a reminder to listeners to support WLR’s licence application, which had already been endorsed by over 100 community groups.

Waterford Local Radio prepares for closedown
Original cassette inlay from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.

The tape was made from 88.9 FM on Wednesday, 28th December 1988 from 1348-1433. There is some wobble in the recording due to cassette degradation in places. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson.

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Rick Whelan on Waterford Local Radio

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Rick Whelan on Waterford Local Radio
Undated photo of Rick Whelan during WLR’s pirate days (Anoraks Ireland Collection).

Waterford Local Radio (WLR) was one of the longest running pirate stations of its era, broadcasting from 23rd June 1978 to 31st December 1988. It was founded by Rick Whelan in his garage in Butlerstown west of Waterford City and was managed for 10 years by Rick’s brother Des until the pirate closedowns. The station was one of a handful pirates to be licensed and returned to the air as WLR FM on 8th September 1989. Des Whelan was managing director until his retirement in 2024 and Rick continues to present on the station.

This recording features Rick Whelan on his morning show in the weeks before Christmas 1986. News on the half-hour is read by Denise Wall and there are also sports results and a community noticeboard. Adverts cover Counties Waterford, Wexford and Tipperary and the station tagline is WLR – South East Radio. The name of the company behind WLR was and continues to be the South East Broadcasting Company. This is separate from South East Radio, the licensed station for Wexford.

Rick Whelan on Waterford Local Radio
Original cassette inlay from Anoraks Ireland Collection.

The tape was made on 3rd December 1986 from 100 FM and runs from 0906-1042. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Tapes Collection, donated to us by Paul Davidson. WLR also broadcast on 88.8 FM and 1197 kHz (252 metres) medium wave.