In our Radio Retro section you can listen again to historical Irish radio recordings exactly as they were broadcast.
Using the above menu you can choose by ‘Station’, ‘Presenter’, or ‘County’.
Or listen to the earliest pirates in the ‘Specials’ tab; learn from a ‘Documentary’ or find a particular ‘Anorak Hour’ episode.
A
- A Nostalgic Return to Radio Luimni 2016 (Limerick City Community Radio) This programme takes a look back at one of Limerick radio’s great characters, the legendary John ‘The Man’ Frawley, through clips and anecdotes.
- Athlone Calling 2014 (Athlone Community Radio) Athlone Calling is an Athlone Community Radio documentary which goes back in time to tell the history of the Athlone transmitter
H
- Heartland Pirates 2020 (Athlone Community Radio) Heartland Pirates is a documentary made by Athlone Community Radio which explores the history of pirate radio in the Athlone area
I
- In our lives with Ernie Gallagher (Dublin’s Q102) This programme tells the story of the vinyl single, with a particular emphasis on international Irish successes.
O
- Offshore Radio Special 1982 (Capitol Radio) Broadcast on August 14th at 11pm, the programme’s date and time coincided with the introduction of the Marine Offences Act outlawing offshore pirates in the UK in 1967. Peter Madison talks us through the history of the stations drawing from his own personal experiences.
P
- Pirate in the Westgate – The Story of CBC Radio Clonmel A historical trip through the archives of the long-lasting pirate station.
S
- Saying Goodbye to Gallico 2005 (Dublin’s Country) Declan Meehan presents ‘Saying Goodbye to Gallico’, a tribute show from the time of the great man’s return to the States.
T
- The Great 208 – the Story of Radio Luxembourg 2000 (BBC Radio 2) Noel Edmonds looks back at the history of Radio Luxembourg, from its formation in 1933 to its closure in 1992.
- The Radio Revolutionaries Part 1 2003 (BBC Radio 2) Former pirate DJ Pete Drummond presents part 1 of a two-part tribute to pirate radio, which broadcast its first threat to mainstream radio from the continent in the 30s.
- The Radio Revolutionaries Part 2 2003 (BBC Radio 2) Pirate DJ Pete Drummond presents the second in a two-part tribute to pirate radio. Finally outlawed in 1967, the golden age seemed to be over. But the pirates’ legacy was the establishment of Radio 1 and the birth of independent local radio.
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.