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Bob Gallico

RADIO NOVA (June 29th 1982)

Radio Nova celebrates one year on air with a birthday surprise from RTÉ.

From July 29th 1982, this is a recording of the Dublin station as they were forced to use an alternative to their main microwave link from Herbert St. The main link was under attack from signals emanating from an RTÉ-owned building in Rathmines. The jamming had started the day before but lasted just 30 minutes.

First, from 6.18pm, John Clarke is on air for the final 40 minutes of his afternoon show.

Next, the magazine programme Dublin Today features an interview with Éamonn Cooke of Radio Dublin

Then from 7.30pm, Jason Maine

Radio Retro: Archiving Irish radio broadcasts with the help of Ken Baird

Radio Nova

May 14th 1983 was the date set for Operation Novacare 1983, an annual charity fundraiser ran by Radio Nova.

Sybil Fennell for Operation Novacare

In the first recording Declan Meehan is on air from the studios from 9.56am, whilst Nova personalities are on location in Dún Laoghaire Shopping Centre.

Tony Gareth takes over from Declan at 2pm

This recording can now be downloaded direct from DX Archive.
We host it with thanks to Gary Hogg.

Radio Nova

A famous day in Irish radio history as Declan Meehan and Bob Gallico compose themselves on air whilst Department of P&T officials, accompanied by Gardaí, demand that they switch off Radio Nova.

The full story of the 1983 Raids is told chronologically in this Radiowaves Special Feature [tap here]

Radio Nova

Declan Meehan and Bob Gallico return to the airwaves the morning after a major raid on the station.

They were followed by Tom Hardy. This is the first hour of his show…

More from Tom Hardy. This recording from his show is from 11.50am and culminates with a historical announcement…

The full story of the 1983 Raids is told chronologically in this Radiowaves Special Feature [tap here]

Radio Nova

Radio Nova off 819kHz on January 25th 1984. Starting at 7.11am and running through to 1.15pm, this is a straight 6 hours recording featuring the iconic pairing of Declan Meehan & Bob Gallico, then Colm Hayes from 9am, followed by John Clarke from midday.

It is interesting to note that this recording was made in Leeds by Gary Hogg of DX Archive.

Radio Nova

From May 7th 1984 this is programming from Dublin station Radio Nova recorded off 88.2MHz. The four recordings span much of the day from early morning through late evening.

First, from 7am, Bob Gallico is reading the news leading into his shared programme with Declan Meehan.

Following them Colm Hayes is on air from 9am.

Later in the day we catch the last hour and 10 minutes of Greg Gaughran’s afternoon programme.

Then from 7pm the ever-popular Jason Maine takes over for the evening broadcast.

These Radio Nova recordings are courtesy of DX Archive

These recordings were made at a time when RTÉ were engaged in a jamming campaign against the Dublin superpirates Radio Nova and Sunshine Radio. Nova’s studios had been relocated to the transmitter site at Nova Park in Rathfarnham because the microwave links from the previous studio location at Herbert Street were being targetted. To make things more difficult for RTÉ, Radio Nova were also broadcasting on 102.7MHz (in addition to 88.2MHz) and had two MW transmitters in action as well on 729kHz and 819kHz. Nova sister station Kiss FM had been broadcasting on 102.7MHz but it had been closed in January as a result of the jamming.

RADIO NOVA (July 13th 1984)

From July 13th 1984, this is Declan Meehan’s last show for Dublin superpirate Radio Nova before departing for Capital Radio.

Recorded off 738kHz, we join the show at 8.10am. Bob Gallico reads the news and does his usual inserts. And there’s a short snippet of Colm Hayes, who follows at 9am.

RADIO NOVA (June 6th 1985)

Radio Nova's Funny Bubble Competition
Sunday World – Click to read

This is a recording of Radio Nova the Dublin superpirate, which starts at just before midnight on June 6th 1985.

It features the final of the Funny Bubble Competition (seen here in the Sunday World) live from Nova Park.

A whole host of Nova personalities – Tony Allan, John Clarke, Bob Gallico, Chris Cary & Colm Hayes – are involved as the winners are chosen.

Henry Owens plays the tunes back in the studio and Bernie Jameson reads the news.

This recording was made in the NW of England and conditions are variable for the duration.

This Radio Nova recording / image is with kind courtesy of Gary Hogg / DX Archive

MAGIC 103 July 22nd 1985

Featuring a pair of mid-morning presenters conjuring up some very enjoyable radio, this is a recording of the Radio Nova spin-off station Magic 103 with the indisputable and much-missed talents of Peter Madison and Bob Gallico. The date is July 22nd 1985 and the tape started rolling at 10am.

Magic 103

Radio Retro – archiving Irish Radio broadcasts since 2002

Radio Nova

Christmas Eve morning with Radio Nova’s Zoo Crew from 1985. Colm Hayes, Bob Gallico and assorted guests keep the party flowing from 7.40am.

From one end of the day to the other as John O’Hara plays his last tune before handing over to Jessie Brandon just as the clocks strike midnight for Christmas Day – and All Night Nova.

Q102

The closedown of Dublin pirate Q102 in December 1988, necessitated by the introduction of new laws outlawing pirate radio.

This recording is off 102.3MHz FM and features pretty much everyone who was ever involved with the station in a broadcast full of reminiscing which starts at 2.20pm.

Dublin’s Country

From 8.45am on May 5th 2005 this is Ian McKeever’s penultimate show for the licensed station.

Following Ian at 10am, Declan Meehan presents ‘Saying Goodbye to Gallico’, a tribute show from the time of the great man’s return to the States.

If you have any old cassettes or digitised recordings that we can add here, please get in touch – radiowavesfm@radioanoraks.com or use wetransfer to the same address.

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