Westmeath Archives - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

29th July 202629th July 2026

Highlights of Radio West Anoraks Show (1986 & 1987)

The weekly Radio West Anoraks’ Show from Mullingar was essential listening for radio enthusiasts far and near. Fronted by station boss Shaun Coyne, it was unscripted and unpredictable and relied heavily on juicy gossip and rumours about the pirate radio scene. Shaun was joined by another presenter each week – including the late Don Allen – but the second person often struggled to get a word in.

This recording contains highlights of the Anoraks’ Show from 1986 and 1987, with a focus on stations outside Dublin, in particular the west and southwest. It captures the rivalry and volatility in the pirate radio world as well as the continued dominance of AM outside Dublin well into the 1980s. The list of snippets is as follows:

2^nd November 1986: Limerick information from a contributor.

16^th November 1986: Limerick information from William Leahy, who went on to a career in RTÉ radio.

30^th November 1986: Galway information from Noel Dooley.

27^th November 1986: Raidió Luimní as heard on 1125 kHz when Radio Carousel was temporarily off the air.

7^th December 1986: Paul Davidson of Anoraks Ireland with information from Limerick, Tipperary and Cork.

7^th December 1986: Sligo information from James Headd.

1^st February 1987: Further Limerick information from William Leahy.

1^st February 1987: Further Galway information from Noel Dooley.

12^th April 1987: Paul Davidson of Anoraks Ireland with information from around the country.

10^th May 1987: Information about Tipperary (Nenagh) from a contributor.

10^th May 1987: Joe Cashin from Kilkenny with local information.

10^th May 1987: Galway and Mayo information from a contributor.

17^th May 1987: Promo for interview with Owen Barry (Larkin) from Zee 103, who went on to work in Century Radio and Downtown Radio in Belfast.

24^th May 1987: Owen Barry (Larkin) from Zee 103.

24^th May 1987: Don Allen jokes about a statute being put up in honour of Heady Eddie (Eddie Caffrey), pioneer of pirate radio in Co. Louth.

24^th May 1987: Nigel Gordon with Kildare information (Naas).

Undated 1987: Interview with Scottish anorak Jock Wilson of Radio Stella International who wishes to broadcast on shortwave from the Republic of Ireland.

26^th July 1987: Keith York from Galway about Coast 103.

26^th July 1987: David Baker from KLAS in Dublin about his recent short stint on offshore station Radio Caroline.

The recordings were made from 702 kHz AM in Scotland by Ian Biggar. DX groundwave reception by day meant variable audio quality due to the distance from Mullingar.

26th January 202618th January 2026

Another Radio West Anoraks’ Show as pirate closedowns approach

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This is another recording of one of the last episodes of the weekly Anoraks’ Show on midlands station Radio West in the final weeks of 1988. As usual station boss Shaun Coyne is at the helm, this week in the company of Kevin Palmer. The station, which was rebranded as West National Radio 3 in 1987, is winding down operations and has a few final public events planned. These include an outside broadcast from Tullamore, the last Country Jamboree from Galway and the Radio West ball. Shaun reports that pressure is coming on TDs about the impending closedown of the pirates, especially from promoters of Country and Western bands. The question of pirate relays of British television channels is also discussed.

The tape is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection and was made from Radio West’s Dublin relay on 97.3 FM from 1113-1129 on Sunday 4^th December 1988. The final Anoraks’ Show was aired on 18^th December and Radio West closed down for good on 30^th December 1988.

16th January 202618th January 2026

Radio West Anoraks’ Show as pirate closedowns approach

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The Anoraks Show every Sunday morning on Radio West was a must for radio fans in the final years of the heyday of the Irish pirates in the 1980s. This excerpt from one such show was recorded with little over a month left before the deadline of 31^st December 1988 for the pirates to close down in line with new broadcasting legislation.

Station boss Shaun Coyne is in studio with Willie Harte and discusses a campaign meeting in Dublin to save the pirates, supported by the Irish music industry. A number of schools in Co. Monaghan are said to have joined forces to oppose the closure of local station Big M and the influence of the pirates on the North is mentioned. There’s also a letter from Anoraks Ireland seeking assistance with recording the final 90 minutes of pirate stations on New Year’s Eve or sooner if necessary.

Since 1987, Radio West was known as West National Radio 3 and was claiming nationwide coverage. The recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection and was made on Sunday 27^th November 1988 from around 1115-1130 from the station’s Dublin relay on 97.3 FM. West National Radio 3 also broadcast on 702 kHz AM.

12th December 202529th November 2025

Anoraks Show on Radio West from spring 1988

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The Anoraks’ Show on Radio West, later West National Radio 3, was a weekly review of the Irish pirate radio scene. It was presented by station boss Shaun Coyne and was renowned for being unpredictable and heavy on gossip and rumour. This edition of the Anoraks’ Show from spring 1988 includes news about the closure of Radio Carousel in Dundalk and Drogheda, the new KISS FM in Monaghan, Longford Community Radio, Breffni Radio and Northern Star. Shaun also recounts how West National Radio 3 was considering buying Hits 954 in Limerick, but that station was recently acquired by Coast 103 in Galway. There is also reference to revisions of the impending legislation to silence the pirates and introduce licensed local radio. Shaun is joined in studio by Willie Harte, who can barely get a word in!

The tape was made from 702 kHz AM between 1057-1131 on Sunday, 24^th April 1988 and is partially airchecked. It is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection.

3rd April 20252nd April 2025

Afternoon shows on Radio West in the early days

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Mullingar-based pirate Radio West grew from humble origins in early 1982 into a large regional station by 1987, even rebranding itself as West National Radio 3 and claiming coverage of 22 of the 26 counties. Our short recording was made not long after its launch and features snippets of afternoon programmes. First up is John Flood (if we heard the name correctly), who is followed by Mike Young with the Solid Gold show. News is read by Orla Francis. The strapline of ‘the mighty 290’ is used but Radio West in fact broadcast on 1071 kHz at the time, which was closer to 280 metres. Such flexibility in announced frequencies was common in the days before digital displays on radios. The recording is of note because it shows how Radio West developed from a relatively amateur local service into a much larger regional operation during its 6 years on air. Its footprint was transformed after it acquired a 10 kW transmitter that gave it widespread coverage, leading it to claim national coverage.

This airchecked recording of Radio West was made from shortly before 1500 on 12th April 1982 from 1071 kHz AM. The tape was recorded by Kieran Murray and is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection. Audio is of DX quality as Radio West was on low power at the time and the tape was made outside the core listening area in Westmeath.