Radio Nova celebrates one year on air with a birthday surprise from RTÉ.
From June 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
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
We rejoin the proceedings at just after 4pm with many of the Nova staff involved.
All for charity – Sybil Fennell and Declan Mehan – Operation Novacare 1983 (Thanks to Joseph King)
This recording can now be downloaded direct from DX Archive. We host it with thanks to Gary Hogg.
May 18th 1983. 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]
This is Declan Meehan and Bob Gallico on Radio Nova on May 25th 1983, one week after the raid on the station. Recorded in Leeds off 819kHz, the recording starts at 7.45am and although it suffers from poor quality it is very listenable.
The full story of the 1983 Raids is told chronologically in this Radiowaves Special Feature [tap here]
Radio Retro: archiving Irish radio broadcasts in collaboration with Gary Hogg
From Tuesday morning, September 20th 1983, this is the iconic pairing of Declan Meehan (pictured, right) and Bob Gallico on Radio Nova, recorded off 88.2MHz FM just as the 8pm News starts.
Listen
Radio Retro: archiving Irish radio broadcasts since 2002
This is Tom Hardy on mid-morning duty for Radio Nova from October 27th 1983. Bob Gallico reads the News.
Listen
This recording was kindly donated by Keith Lewis
If you have any cassette or mp3 recordings of radio broadcasts that you’d like to see hosted at Radiowaves.fm please contact us at recordings@radiowaves.fm
Radio Retro: Archiving Irish radio broadcasts since 2002
This is a recording of Tom Hardy on Radio Nova, the Dublin pirate station, for the last hour of his show from 1pm on November 1st 1983. Bob Gallico and Sybil Fennell are on News.
Listen as broadcast
Listen airchecked
Radio Retro: Archiving Irish radio broadcasts since 2002
This is Radio Nova in the hours following the closedown of sister station Kiss FM, which closed at midnight on January 15th 1984. Following the end of the News with Dave Malone, Mike Moran (picture) pays tribute to the departed station at the start of his overnight programme at just after midnight as we enter January 16th. We also catch up with the Breakfast programme with Declan Meehan and Bob Gallico before Colm Hayes, who rejoined Nova from Kiss FM, takes over at 9am.
This recording was made in Leeds and, as such, suffers from fading and interference. This ‘anorak’ quality recording has been archived for historical completeness.
Mike Moran
Declan & Bob
Colm Hayes
Radio Retro: archiving Irish radio broadcasts in collaboration with Gary Hogg / DX Archive Photo is by very kind courtesy of Richie Wild
This is Radio Nova from January 23rd 1984. We join Declan Meehan’s Brekkie Trekkie with Bob Gallico from 7.30am. The iconic duo are followed by Colm Hayes at 9am. And then it’s John Clarke from midday.
7.30am Declan & Bob
9am Colm Hayes
Midday John Clarke
This recording was made in Leeds by Gary Hogg, some 250 miles from the transmission site. The local ILR station Radio Aire was on the next channel of 828kHz, hence the splattering across 819kHz. As this was January there was also foreign interference, hence the hum, especially during the breakfast show. Even so, the signal was listenable. There had been rumours of another raid this week, as the station had brought its 50kW transmitter on line. RTÉ had also started a sustained jamming campaign against the station a few days earlier. As an aside they had also been jamming South Coast Radio and ERI broadcasts in Cork.
This recording is by very kind courtesy of Gary Hogg Radio Retro: archiving Irish radio broadcasts since 2002
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.
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 Gary Hogg
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.
This is a recording of the Dekkie Wekkie Brekkie Trekkie from June 8th 1984. Radio Nova’s breakfast programme featured Declan Meehan and Bob Gallico (pictured) taken off 738kHz from 7am. The two are in top form and the station is on a new lease of life following a few turbulent months.
Listen
Photograph courtesy of Richie Wild Radio Retro: archiving Irish radio broadcasts since 2002
From July 9th 1984, this is Declan Meehan and Bob Gallico on the Dekkie Wekkie Brekkie Trekkie for Radio Nova. The recording is off 738kHz and starts at 6.15am. Following them, there’s about 20 minutes of Colm Hayes’ show from 9am.
Radio Retro: archiving Irish radio broadcasts in collaboration with Gary Hogg
From July 13th 1984, this is the final hour of All Night Nova with Chris Barry on Radio Nova, which precedes Declan Meehan’s last show for the Dublin superpirate before departing for Capital Radio.
From 5am this is Chris Barry on All Night Nova
Recorded off 738kHz, we rejoin Declan’s show at 8.10am. Bob Gallico reads the news and does his usual inserts. There’s also a short snippet of Colm Hayes, who follows at 9am.
Radio Retro: archiving Irish radio broadcasts in collaboration with Gary Hogg
The morning show from Dublin station Radio Nova with Colm Hayes and Bob Gallico on a day that Ireland shook – literally!
Bernadette Jameson:- I was amused to hear my voice in an ad break in that recording, advertising Paul Penders natural hair and skin care. Googled them, found they are still going, so I ordered stuff. Must be the longest reaction to a radio ad ever!
Radio Retro: archiving Irish radio broadcasts in collaboration with DX Archive
Friday September 28th 1984. The question posed to listeners of Radio Nova was: “What would you do with £5,000?” To win, you had to be the 50th caller once the station had played three particular songs in a row. The promos had been running for weeks but this day was the last day it could possibly happen, and it had to happen before 7pm.
First in these recordings, from 11.30am, John Clarke gives some clues to when it would happen. There are large gaps in the recordings so his show is split into three parts. Following John, there’s Greg Gaughran’s show from 2pm – split into two parts due to a large gap in the recording. There’s a choice of listening with the music stripped out or to hear the output exactly as broadcast (it becomes very important to realise it is presented here exactly as it was broadcast).
First from 11.25am…this is John Clarke either as broadcast or airchecked
Staying with John Clarke from 12.45pm, again either as broadcast or airchecked
Finally John Clarke with the last 15 minutes of his show – as broadcast or airchecked
From 2pm this is Greg Gaughran as broadcast or airchecked
We rejoin Greg Gaughran from 4pm, again as broadcast or airchecked
Radio Retro: archiving Irish radio broadcasts in collaboration with Gary Hogg
Christmas Day 1984 on Radio Nova. First, we have Denis Murray from 10.45am and he’s followed by Tony Allan (right), along with an assortment of guests, from 2pm.
10:45 Denis Murray
14:00 Tony Allan
Photograph of Tony Allan is by very kind courtesy of Joseph King Radio Retro: archiving Irish radio broadcasts since 2002
This is a cassette release of a selection of sketches as performed by Bob Gallico for the Radio Nova Breakfast Show in 1983 & 1984. The cassette of ‘Gems from the Brekkie Trekkie’ was called ‘Bob’s Brekkie Bits’ and was released in February 1985.
Radio Retro: archiving Irish radio broadcasts since 2002
From the afternoon of March 25th 1985 this is a recording of Radio Nova, the Dublin station broadcasting from Rathfarnham. First, we catch the last ten minutes or so of Greg Gaughran’s show leading to the 1pm News with Bob Gallico and Mark Weller. Next up is Tony McKenzie.
Greg Gaughran
Tony McKenzie
Radio Retro: archiving Irish radio broadcasts in collaboration with Gary Hogg / DX Archive
Bob Gallico on Magic 103 Photo by kind courtesy of Paul Buckle
This is the very first programme that aired on Magic 103, the ‘News & Information Station’ for Dublin which was a Radio Nova sister station based in Upper Leeson Street. Following a few days of looped announcements on 103.5MHz, the station went live on April 28th 1985 with Bob Gallico’s Classical Collection, following the networked news with Nova at 6pm read by Dave Johnson.
Note: This recording was made in Blackpool from 103.5MHz and suffers from a degree of fading and interference.
Bob Gallico
Do you have recordings on cassette, mp3 or on a Mixcloud/Soundcloud account that you’d like to donate? If so please contact us at recordings@radiowaves.fm.
Radio Retro – archiving Irish Radio broadcasts in collaboration with Gary Hogg / DX Archive
This is the start of programming on the first full day on air of the information and chat station for Dublin, Magic 103. Operating from 144 Upper Leeson Street, the station was another Chris Cary spin-off from Radio Nova, broadcasting on 103.5MHz FM. First on was Bob Gallico on the networked news at 9am on April 29th 1985. Dave Harvey’s was the first show of the day and Bob Gallico then started his own mid-morning show after reading the News at 10am.
Dave Harvey
Bob Gallico
Radio Retro – archiving Irish Radio broadcasts since 2002
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 (an entry form is 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 winner is chosen from 12 finalists.
Henry Owens plays the tunes back in the studio and Bernie Jameson reads the news.
The first recording was made in the NW of England and conditions are variable for the duration.
The second recording was made on FM from just after midnight and is airchecked.
The first recording (and image) is with kind courtesy of Gary Hogg / DX Archive The second recording is with thanks to Paul Buckle
This is the Radio Nova Breakfast Programme from the morning after the Funny Bubble Competition Final the night before, which went on until the early hours. John Clarke and Bob Gallico nurse their sore heads as they entertain Dubliners in this recording off 102.7MHz which starts at 7.17am.
Thanks to Joe Cashin
Radio Retro: archiving Irish radio broadcasts since 2002
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.
Radio Retro – archiving Irish Radio broadcasts since 2002
This is the very first ever outing for Radio Nova’s Zoo Crew. Colm Hayes, Bob Gallico and Dave Harvey were all in the Dublin studio on the morning of October 7th 1985. The quality of this recording is not great but its historical value makes it worth listening to and archiving.
Listen as broadcast…
Listen with the music stripped out…
Radio Retro: archiving Irish radio broadcasts since 2002
From the morning of October 25th 1985 this is a recording of The Zoo Crew from The Nut Hut on Radio Nova. The quality at the start of this recording is not great but its historical value makes it worth listening to and archiving.
Radio Retro: archiving Irish radio broadcasts since 2002
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.
This is Tony McKenzie on the mid-morning shift for Radio Nova. The recording starts at 9.45am. Bob Gallico reads the News. Then from later in the day, there’s some explosive evening News bulletins with Sybil Fennell and Gary Hamill.
Tony McKenzie
News at 7pm
News at 8pm
News at 9pm
News at 10pm
News at 11pm
Radio Retro: archiving Irish radio in collaboration with Gary Hogg / DX Archive
These are a few recordings from Radio Nova across Friday, March 14th 1986. We start with the midnight news from Gary Hamill with some explosive news about the station itself. Then it’s John O’Hara from 7am with Bob Gallico on News. Next, we have Colm Hayes in two separate recordings. First for a half hour from 1pm and then later on from 3.55pm.
Midnight News Gary Hamill
7am John O’Hara
1pm Colm Hayes
3.55pm Colm Hayes
Radio Retro: archiving Irish radio with thanks to Gary Hogg and Ken Baird of DX Archive
This morning on Radio Nova was the same as any other. John O’Hara and Bob Gallico were on Breakfast and they were followed at 9am by Tony McKenzie…
8.15am
The first on-air hint that something was not right was the News bulletin at 1pm. It wasn’t the usual extended one.
Then, as the 3pm News with Gary Hamill was approaching, Colm Hayes was heard asking for Chris or Tony to contact the station.
Following the 3pm News the signal on FM went silent for a few seconds and returned with a different song to the one which had been playing. Even stranger, it was a different song to the one on 738kHz. 103.1FM continued with continuous music. There were no idents or anything else to give the listener any idea what was happening.
On medium wave Colm Hayes continued and we rejoin his show at 4.40pm to hear that Radio Nova was closing down. The 5pm News makes things a little clearer.
George Talbot in the temporary Radio Nova studio for the final day of broadcasting. Courtesy of George
With thanks to Gary Hogg and Ken Baird – DX Archive
This is a selection of recordings from March 21st 1986, the second full day of the very short-lived station Zoom 103, which immediately replaced Radio Nova when it closed down…
This first recording features John O’Hara’s show, which we join just as Bob Gallico finishes reading the 9am News. Kathy Quinn is also in studio.
09:00 John O’Hara
Next, we have some of Tony McKenzie’s show, which we join at 10.16am.
10:16 Tony McKenzie
Then we have Colm Hayes from 3.30pm with Gary Hamill on News
This recording is from the morning that Bob Gallico (pictured) made his debut on Energy 103. Bob defected from Q102 to join Pat Courtenay and Lisa Moore for Energy’s Breakfast programme, which we join at 6.40am. The first part of the programme was taken from medium wave…
6.40am
Just before the headlines at 7.30am we switch to FM in stereo…
7.28am
Here’s the full show with the music stripped out..
Airchecked
Here’s the full show on medium wave
This recording is by very kind courtesy of Gary Hogg; photo of Bob is thanks to Mike Mahon
Radio Retro: archiving Irish radio broadcasts since 2002
From June 19th 1987 this recording is from the day that Alan Burns (pictured) presented his final show on Energy 103. The recording starts with Pat Courtenay, Bob Gallico and Lisa Moore on the Breakfast programme from 8.20am. Then it’s over to Alan at 9.30am.
Breakfast
Alan Burns
This recording is by very kind courtesy of Gary Hogg; photo of Alan is with huge thanks to Mike Mahon
Radio Retro: archiving Irish radio broadcasts since 2002
From September 9th 1987 this is a selection of clips from Energy 103’s Breakfast Club with Pat Courtenay, Bob Gallico and Lisa Moore. There’s also a collection of Gareth O’Callaghan’s phone call sketches from his afternoon show.
Breakfast Club
Gareth O’Callaghan
Radio Retro: archiving Irish radio broadcasts since 2002
From October 23rd 1987 this is a recording of Dublin pirate station Energy 103. First we hear the end of The Breakfast Club with Pat Courtenay and the team. This is followed by Tony McKenzie from 10am. Then from later in the day we join Cassidy Jones at 4.30pm.
Breakfast Club
Tony McKenzie
Cassidy Jones
Radio Retro: archiving Irish radio broadcasts in collaboration with Gary Hogg / DX Archive
Click on the name to hear lots more from Energy 103
From the morning of November 5th 1987 this is a recording of The Breakfast Club from Energy 103 with Pat Courtenay, Bob Gallico and Lisa Moore, plus the usual array of comic characters. We join the show on 103.0MHz from 7.50am.
Listen
Radio Retro: archiving Irish radio broadcasts in collaboration with Gary Hogg
This is Energy 103’s Breakfast Club with Pat Courtenay, Bob Gallico and Lisa Moore. The recording was made from 8.30am on November 11th 1987 off 103FM.
Listen
This recording is by very kind courtesy of Jess Codd
Radio Retro: archiving Irish radio broadcasts since 2002
November 25th 1987 was a historic day in Irish radio as it seen the merger of Energy 103 with the recently relaunched Radio Nova. Nova had reappeared on the Dublin FM band a couple of weeks earlier – 20 months after the hugely successful station had ceased broadcasting.
Here we have a selection of recordings from the day, starting with a short snippet from the morning’s Breakfast Club.
08:34-Breakfast Club
Then, on the mid-morning show, Niall McGowan is sitting in for Tony McKenzie.
11:20-Niall McGowan
12:15-Niall McGowan & Cassidy Jones
Following the news Tony McKenzie took over from Niall and Cassidy was still in the studio.
The bulk of this recording was made near Blackpool and as the day progresses interference increases. Where possible we’ve switched to a locally made FM recording, meaning parts of this segment is airchecked.
13:05 Tony McKenzie & Cassidy Jones
15:50 Tony & Cassidy airchecked
At 6pm Dublin Today made its return…
18: 00 Dublin Today – Airchecked
From 7.55pm this is John O’Hara
19: 55 John O’Hara
Wow. Thank you for the memories we were all so happy in those days. “FREE” to play DJ and just have fun. In hindsight, we did not know just how much freedom and fun we had. I have always considered myself to be lucky to be on such great stations with such great people. Thanks.
Niall McGowan
Radio Retro: archiving Irish radio broadcasts in collaboration with Gary Hogg / DX Archive
This is Pat Courtenay around lunchtime on Nova Power 103FM from December 3rd 1987. Teena Gates and Bob Gallico are on News and also help with comic inserts.
Listen
Radio Retro: archiving Irish radio broadcasts since 2002
From December 14th 1987, this is a recording of…emmm…..Power 103?!! It had previously been called Nova Power 103 following a merger between Energy and Radio Nova on November 25th, just a few weeks earlier. An injunction had been granted to the receiver of the original Radio Nova restraining the team behind the newly merged station from using the name.
These snippets are from Pat Courtenay’s show which was on air not long after the court decision became effective.
Listen
The photo is with thanks to Mike Mahon Radio Retro: archiving Irish radio broadcasts since 2002
This is Energy 103 from December 18th 1987 featuring The Breakfast Club from 9am followed by Pat Courtenay from 11am-2pm.
This recording of The Breakfast Club with Cassidy Jones, Bob Gallico and Lisa Moore was made on the morning Energy 103 restored their old moniker following a month of having an identity crisis which confused listeners and presenters alike! Energy Power 103 had merged with the new Radio Nova in the last week of November to become Nova Power 103, but a legal challenge over the use of the Nova name forced them to change again so they had been identifying as Power 103 since the start of this particular week.
Breakfast Club as broadcast
Breakfast Club airchecked
Pat Courtenay
Radio Retro: archiving Irish radio broadcasts in collaboration with Gary Hogg / DX Archive
Pat Courtenay presents ‘The Best of Energy ’87’ on New Year’s Day 1988 on the Dublin station. This is a selection of sketches from when he was the presenter of The Breakfast Club. This tour de force of great comedy from a very talented team of writers and performers is about as good as it gets.
Around half of this recording comes from our own archives and the other half has been supplied by Ian Biggar. Unfortunately, for about ten minutes around halfway through the combined audio, faulty erase heads on our recording device ruined the output but it is still listenable, and as it is anorak gold it is worth preserving even in this state.
The Best of Energy
Enda Caldwell: If you have about an hour… you will do wisely to pass it by giving this a listen 32/33 years ago radio in Dublin Ireland sounded like this in the mornings only on 1 station Energy Power 103FM with Pat Courtenay , Bob Gallico (dearly departed) and Lisa Moore aka Fionnuala Sweeney who later worked as main European News Anchor for CNN. People often seem bewildered with “what is your fascination with radio – sure its dead all it does is x y or z…” well NOT back then when you are 12 and we did not have computer games nor phones nor endless cartoons or violent movies inappropriate for children that they somehow end up seeing anyway… No… we had a £57 Panasonic Clock Radio AM/FM where you just tuned up to The Power on 103… and The Theatre of The Human Mind.
Radio Retro: archiving Irish radio broadcasts since 2002 With thanks to Ian Biggar
Bob Gallico in the Newsroom (with Ann on work experience). Thanks to Mike Mahon
This is Energy 103’s Breakfast programme from March 10th 1988. Tony McKenzie hosts with Bob Gallico reading News and doing his usual inserts. This FM recording starts at 8am. Energy 103 ceased broadcasting the next day, March 11th.
Radio Retro: archiving Irish radio broadcasts in collaboration with Gary Hogg / DX Archive
This is the final day of broadcasting from the Dublin superpirate Q102 in December 1988. We start at 8.45am and have the full day leading up to the station’s closedown at 6pm – necessitated by the introduction of new laws outlawing pirate radio.
These recordings are off both AM and FM and feature pretty much everyone who was ever involved with the station in a broadcast full of reminiscing.
You can listen on an hour to hour basis or in two large blocks…
8.45am – 2.15pm
2.15pm – Closedown
8.45am Tim Kelly
9am Boy Wonder
11am Tony Dixon
12pm Liam Coburn
1pm Aidan Leonard
2pm Al Dunne
3pm Dave Kelly
4pm Henry Owens
5pm Martin Block
After Q102’s official closedown, the station reverted to non-stop continuous music. On some frequencies it went blank for a few minutes, on others the closedown song faded straight into U2.
From April 14th 2000 this is a recording of Bob Gallico guesting on the Declan Meehan mid-morning show on East Coast Radio, the licensed station for Wicklow. The pair reminisce about Bob’s radio career and we join the recording as Bob reveals he was working as a Double Glazing Salesman when he first joined Radio Nova…
This recording is courtesy of Ger Roe Radio Retro: archiving Irish radio broadcasts since 2002
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, digitised recordings, or radio recordings on a Mixcloud/Soundcloud account that we can add here, please get in touch – recordings@radiowaves.fm or use wetransfer to the same address.
