Why they’re not afraid of government threats in Radio Nova was a newspaper headline from the Evening Herald dated December 8th 1981

Evening Herald – December 8th 1981

News team in a spin! was a newspaper headline from The Evening Herald dated January 18th 1982

Evening Herald – January 18th 1982

Irish radio pirates now look to Europe was a newspaper headline from the Sunday Independent dated January 30th 1983

Sunday Independent – January 30th 1983

I’m amazed says pirate Bob was a newspaper headline from the Sunday Independent dated January 23rd 1983

Sunday Independent – January 23rd 1983

Radio Nova is shutting down was a newspaper headline from The Evening Herald dated February 2nd 1984

Evening Herald – February 2nd 1984

Radio Nova lays off 15 of staff was a newspaper headline from The Evening Press dated February 2nd 1984

Evening Press – February 2nd 1984

RTÉ denies jamming pirate was a newspaper headline from The Irish Times dated February 4th 1984

Irish Times – February 4th 1984

Nova – RTÉ tests official was a newspaper headline from The Sunday Independent dated February 5th 1984

Sunday Independent – February 5th 1984

Pickets to go on Radio Nova was a newspaper headline from The Evening Herald dated February 6th 1984

Evening Herald – February 6th 1984

Ambulance row as RTÉ jams pirate was a newspaper headline from The Evening Herald dated February 7th 1984

Evening Herald – February 7th 1984

Radio Nova staff ‘non-union’ vote was a newspaper headline from The Evening Herald dated February 11th 1984

Evening Herald – February 11th 1984

Facing the ‘sack’ was a newspaper headline from The Sunday World dated February 19th 1984

Irish Independent – February 16th 1984

Nova News girl quits was an article from The Sunday World dated January 29th 1985.

Sunday World – January 29th 1985

Master pirate cost Sky TV millions by cracking codes was a headline from The Irish News dated February 16th 1998

Irish News – February 16th 1998

Ex-radio chief ‘masterminded’ TV cards scam was a headline from The Irish Independent dated February 17th 1998

Irish Independent – February 17th 1998

The Radio Caroline website reports that broadcasting legend Tony Allan is seriously ill in the Royal Free Hospital in London. Best remembered here in Ireland for his time at Radio Nova, Tony has also worked with Radio Caroline and R.N.I. The report on the website says that he wants no visitors at this time but he is feeling lonely and they ask that anyone who remembers him might send a card, letter or gift to their London offices.

Report: Alex Jenkins
Photo: Joseph King

In June 1981 the face of radio in Ireland was changed forever with the launch of Radio Nova. The Dublin mega-super-pirate is forever held up as a shining example of how to properly engage the listener and is still reverentially talked about to this day.

However, one of the original station’s favourite sons has done more than just talk – he’s acted. With a proposed launch date of June 29th 2021, 40 years to the day since the official start date of the original, Lawrence John plans to introduce the Radio Nova sound to a whole new generation.

In a statement just released, Lawrence says:

“With the time afforded to me during the first [Covid 19] lockdown in March last year, I had an opportunity to listen to the new FM stations licensed a few years after Radio Nova’s closure. I left Dublin before those stations were licensed, so I’d never heard any of them and presumed all was going well. So when I finally heard them for the first time…shock, horror, it was as if nobody had learned anything from Chris Cary and Radio Nova.

“The success of the pirates, and Nova in particular, was entirely due to the excitement, passion and creativity they offered compared to the safe and conservative output of RTÉ. Thirty years later and the whole thing has gone full circle, the newly licensed stations, have become mini-versions of RTÉ.

“Where did it all go wrong?!!

“Anyway, I started chatting to former colleagues who, to a man, were of a similar opinion and eventually I concluded something had to be done to remedy the situation. I started to produce some syndicated radio shows which I thought stations might use to give a bit more variety, or add a little spice to their output. However, after producing a few shows, I decided what Dublin really needed was another Radio Nova. So, I thought, why not re-launch Radio Nova. With my experience of founding and creating a number of stations, including Dublin’s original Q102 and the Northern Ireland super pirate Energy 106, it seemed like a good idea.

“My plans were met with a thumbs-up from my old Radio Nova colleagues and so I set about planning a relaunch and here we are three months later. Just like the original Nova the new version will also take time to put plans into place, but we’ll get there. The backbone of the musical output will be all the old Nova favourites, with similar-sounding new titles that Chris Cary himself might’ve added in the intervening years.

“You’ll also hear the original jingles, (remastered) some with a new twist and we’ve got some great new Radio Nova sweepers.”

The new Radio Nova have already lodged an application for a DAB licence in Belfast and Lawrence aims to push for both a DAB  and FM licence in Dublin.

He continues: “Of course, you can’t put the genie back in the bottle but, if the newly-relaunched Radio Nova is even half as good as the original, it should be twice as good as any FM station in Dublin. I should add that, unlike Dublin’s FM stations which are mostly run by big radio groups, the new Nova will be run on a not-for-profit basis.

“Radio Nova (or Radio Nova – Smooth Hits to avoid confusion with other Novas around the world) is all about the music. Check out the memories and previews daily initially 7-9pm in the coming weeks with looped, syndicated shows from Casey Kasem, Rick Dees and Gary Owens – all big favourites on the original Radio Nova.”

Until a DAB or FM licence comes along the station will be available online.

Listen 24/7 directly on their website radionovainternational.co or on your smart speaker. Say “Alexa, play Radio Nova – Smooth Hits.

Or visit their Facebook page here.”