This is a recording of Radio Nova made off long wave in January 1986. Nova had been relaying their programming on 254kHz for around a month at this point. George Talbot is on the air for this Thursday afternoon. Sybil Fennell reads the news.
Radio Retro: archiving Irish radio broadcasts since 2002
This recording is with kind courtesy of our friends at DX Archive, who have some more background to the Nova long wave broadcasts here
From January 12th 1986 this is a recording of Q102, the Dublin superpirate, with Derek Jones on air in the afternoon.
Radio Retro – archiving Irish Radio broadcasts since 2002
This is a recording of Blanchardstown FM Band Service (BFBS) from January 17th 1986 from 3.10pm.
This interesting hobbyist pirate station was available on short wave and a number of FM frequencies.
The recording starts with the end of a French language programme for their listeners on SW and continues with Gerry Carroll at the mic.
This BFBS recording is with thanks to Joe Rossa
Q102 celebrates one year on air. This recording from January 23rd 1986 starts at 6.52pm with Gerry Stevens on air leading to the 7pm news with Anne Cassin (pictured).
After 7pm John Kenny takes to the airwaves.
This January 26th 1986 recording starts at 11.57am, just in time for this week’s DX News with Prince Terry.
Three recordings of Dublin superpirate Radio Nova from March 16th 1986.
First up we join Dave Johnson as he concludes the first hour of this week’s European Top 40 at 12.55pm.
Next, we join him as he counts down from number 4 to finish the show from 2.45pm.
Finally, after a break in transmission as announced on the 3pm News, we join John O’Hara with Nova Gold from 3.26pm
With thanks to Gary Hogg – DX Archive
This is the first edition of Radio West’s Anorak Show from Sunday, March 30th 1986.
Seán Coyne and Philip Hilton present the week’s anorak news and gossip.
This Radio West recording is with thanks to Joe Rossa
From the afternoon of April 1st 1986 this is
Philip Hilton, followed by Willie Hart, on the Mullingar-based Radio West. Recorded off 765kHz, we join the broadcast at 1.45pm
Phillip Hilton as broadcast
Willie Hart as broadcast
With the music stripped out
Radio Retro: archiving Irish radio broadcasts in collaboration with Gary Hogg
This is a recording of Waterford Local Radio from April 1986. Seán Orghan is on air from 10.14pm.
Radio Retro – archiving Irish radio broadcasts in collaboration with Gary Hogg
This is a recording of the Cork 80s pirate station Radio ERI dated April 2nd 1986.
Steve Kelly is on the air from 11.30pm.
Radio Retro – archiving Irish Radio broadcasts in collaboration with Gary Hogg
This recording of Dublin station LLCR is from April 4th 1986, when the station was newly-launched.
It features Paul Barrett’s programme in two parts, the first starts at 4.30pm and the second and starts at 5.13pm.
At this time the station broadcast on 96.7MHz FM and 1035kHz AM.
This Radio Retro recording is with thanks to Joe Rossa
This is the second edition of Radio West’s Anorak Show from Sunday, April 6th 1986.
Philip Hilton presents the week’s anorak news and gossip.
This Radio West recording is with thanks to Joe Rossa
This is a recording of a special broadcast marking the 20th birthday of Radio Dublin. ‘The History of Radio Dublin’ was hosted by Pat Jennings and included various studio and telephone guests looking back at the station’s history.
The first day of broadcasts from Energy 103.
On Sunday April 27th 1986, 103.1MHz and 738kHz in Dublin had lit up with continuous music tests, presumed to be the return of Zoom 103 – the station owned by former Nova employees – which had broadcast for just a few days following the closure of Radio Nova on March 19th.
The unidentified tests returned on Monday April 28th, this time on 103.0MHz and 738kHz. Following a couple of hours of continuous music, the station went live at around 2pm and identified as Energy 103.
Richard Jackson was the first jock on the air and this recording has the very first presenter ID and then has Richard’s show in full.
At 4pm Tony McKenzie takes over the reins.
This is a recording of the 1980s Galway pirate station WLS Music Radio featuring first, Seán O’Boill, and then Casey Kasem.
From 1.43pm on May 3rd 1986, we catch the last few minutes of Seán’s show before joining Casey Kasem’s American Top 40 at 2pm.
There’s also the possibility of listening to an edited version with the music stripped out.
Seán O’Boill
Casey Kasem
Edited
This is a recording of Tony McKenzie on Dublin’s Energy 103 from May 6th 1986 at 6.40pm.
Radio Retro – archiving Irish Radio broadcasts since 2002
Photo credit Mike Mahon
From May 1986 this is David Baker on air for Radio Sandymount – one of the series of ‘Festival’ stations that popped up in towns whenever they had their Community Week during the summer months. This recording starts at 2.31pm.
This is a recording of the Dublin station Energy 103 from June 4th 1986. It starts at 7.13am and features John O’Hara and Gary Hamill on air with Early Energy.
Unfortunately, this recording has two large segments missing from the programme but that does not affect the enjoyment of a great sample from the early stage of the station.
This is a late night recording of the Dublin station Energy 103 from June 7th 1986.
It starts at 11.45pm and feature Gary Hamill on air with Pure Energy.
This Energy 103 recording is a Radio Retro original
John O’Hara on Energy 103 from 7.09pm on June 19th 1986.
This is an edition of Radio West’s Anorak Show from Sunday, June 22nd 1986 which features a long phone-call from Heady Eddie and the rest of the week’s anorak news and gossip.
This Radio West recording is with thanks to Joe Rossa
From June 29th 1986 this is an afternoon recording of RTÉ Mount Merrion Community Radio, a week-long service which was facilitated by the state broadcaster.
Joe Carney on Tallaght’s Wonderland Radio from 9.58pm on June 20th 1986.
This is Dublin pirate Q102 from July 21st 1986. Al Dunne is on air from 2.31pm.
Radio Retro – archiving Irish Radio broadcasts since 2002
This is a recording of Gareth O’Callaghan with The Energy Cruise on Energy 103 from July 21st 1986.
Radio Retro – archiving Irish Radio broadcasts since 2002
This is an edition of Radio West’s Anorak Show from Sunday, July 27th 1986.
Seán Coyne is joined by guest presenter Bob Gallico for this edition in which they dissect all the radio industry stories of note.
Radio Retro: archiving Irish radio broadcasts in collaboration with DX Archive
This is a recording of a test transmission from WABC, a station from the Paul Barrett stable which was based in the Dublin 1 area.
From July 27th 1986, this is Paul on air on 97.2MHz.
From August 18th 1986 this is a recording of Roddie Cleere on ABC Radio in Waterford.
Roddie Cleere
This is edition 31 of Kieran Murray’s Free Radio Show on the SW station Radio Rainbow International from August 24th 1986 based in Louth.
This week’s featured station is Athlone Local Radio and the jingle package is from Downtown Radio in Northern Ireland
This recording is courtesy of Kieran Murray
This is a recording of Mike Kingston playing love songs in the twilight hours on Dublin’s Energy 103. We join him at 3am on August 31st 1986.
You can listen to the recording as it was broadcast here
Or if you’d prefer an airchecked version, choose below
Radio Retro – archiving Irish Radio broadcasts since 2002
From the afternoon of September 14th 1986, this is a recording of John Lander’s Hit Music USA as aired on Dublin station Q102.
This is a recording of Dublin’s Kiss FM from September 30th 1986 featuring Maurice Nevin sitting in for David Baker on Kiss Drive.
Radio Retro – archiving Irish Radio broadcasts since 2002
This recording is courtesy of Ian Biggar
From October 1986, this is ‘The Voice’, the one and only Tony Allan on Dublin’s Energy 103.
We join him halfway through the Park Leisure Complex Hour from 7.30pm on 103.0MHz.
You can listen to the recording as it was broadcast here
Or if you’d prefer an airchecked version, choose below
Radio Retro – archiving Irish Radio broadcasts since 2002
From the October bank holiday in 1986, this is a recording of John Gold on Diamond Radio, the small, hobbyist pirate station based in Ballyfermot.
This Diamond Radio recording is with thanks to John O’Flaherty
From October 1986, this is a recording of the first outing for an all-new Breakfast Show on the Dublin pirate station Energy 103, recorded off 738kHz.
Gareth O’Callaghan and Cathy Quinn were charged with entertaining early risers in the capital from 7.30am.
You can listen to the recording as it was broadcast here
Or if you’d prefer an airchecked version, choose below
Radio Retro – archiving Irish Radio broadcasts since 2002
From November 1986 this is a recording of North Dublin Community Radio off 100FM.
Starting at 9am, it’s the debut outing for Early Call with Dave & Tony.
This Radio Retro recording is by kind courtesy of Dave O’Connor
This is a short recording of the launch of Heartbeat FM, Dublin’s love-songs station.
The service started broadcasting at midday on November 15th 1986 with David Baker hosting a party on air!
As broadcast
Airchecked
From November 1986 this is a recording of the south Limerick based pirate station West Country Radio. On the air is Paul Fahy from 8.10pm.
Radio Retro – archiving Irish Radio broadcasts since 2002
This contribution is from the collection of Ian Biggar
This is a recording of Dublin’s easy-listening station KLAS from December 5th 1986 featuring David Baker from 8.30pm.
Radio Retro – archiving Irish Radio broadcasts since 2002
This recording is courtesy of Ian Biggar
From November 3rd 2003 this is a recording of Hot FM, the Dublin dance music pirate station, taken off 99.4MHz FM.
First on is Paul Duffy, and he’s followed by DJ Spiral.
Paul Duffy from 2.55pm – as broadcast
Paul Duffy from 2.55pm – music stripped out
DJ Spiral from 4pm – as broadcast
DJ Spiral from 4pm – music stripped out