Waterford Local Radio Archives - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

16th March 202520th February 2025

Sunday afternoon on Waterford Local Radio

Waterford Local Radio was one of the longest-running and most successful Irish pirate stations, broadcasting continuously from 1978-1988 and subsequently earning the licence for Co. Waterford. This recording is of the Frankie King Show on a Sunday afternoon in 1983. There are plenty of requests from listeners and adverts are heard for local businesses from Waterford City and beyond, including one for a WLR roadshow at a local hotel. Voices on adverts include station founder Rick Whelan and Clodagh Walsh, who went on to work as a journalist in licensed radio. News on the hour is read by Denise Wall.

This airchecked recording was made from by Kieran Murray on Sunday 24^th April 1983 between 1400 and 1600 and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection. 88.6 FM is noted on the cassette label but 88.8 and 100 FM were the frequencies announced by WLR at the time. The station also broadcast on 1197 kHz AM, announcing 252 metres as reflected in some of the liners in this recording.

22nd January 202412th January 2024

Sunday morning on Waterford Local Radio

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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.

The tape was made from 88.9 FM on 13^th 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.

15th January 202412th January 2024

Sunday night oldies on Waterford Local Radio

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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 8^th 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.

28th December 202312th January 2024

Waterford Local Radio prepares for closedown

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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 30^th December 1988 and a reminder to listeners to support WLR’s licence application, which had already been endorsed by over 100 community groups.

The tape was made from 88.9 FM on Wednesday, 28^th 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.

3rd December 202318th February 2025

Rick Whelan on Waterford Local Radio

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Waterford Local Radio (WLR) was one of the longest running pirate stations of its era, broadcasting from 23^rd June 1978 to 31^st 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.

The tape was made on 3^rd 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.