An early recording of Radio Nova, Dublin’s best-known station. Mike Edgar is on air on July 30th 1981 from 3.30pm with Peter Madison reading the news.
Radio Nova
Dublin
RADIO NOVA August 13th 1981
Radio Nova from August 1981 with Jason Maine on air and Peter Madison reading the news. This recording, off 88.2MHz, starts at 5.38pm.
RADIO NOVA August 13th 1981
Mike Edgar (and The Midnight Cowboy) on air for Dublin’s Radio Nova in August 13th 1981 from 11.40pm. This recording is off 88.2MHz.
Radio Nova
John Clarke and Terry Riley on air for Dublin’s Radio Nova on August 15th 1981 from 8.44am. This recording is off 88.2MHz.
Radio Nova
John Clarke, Hugh O’Brien and Terry Riley on air for Dublin’s Radio Nova on August 15th 1981. This recording is off 88.2MHz and starts at 12.30pm.
Radio Nova
An (airchecked) recording of Dublin superpirate Radio Nova from April 24th 1982. Taken from 88.2MHz it features the voices of Tony Allan, Siobhán Purcell on news and Don Allen.
RADIO NOVA
A (part-airchecked) recording of Dublin superpirate Radio Nova off 88.2MHz from the morning of April 25th 1982. Andy Archer is on air from 7.23.
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.
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 May 18th 1983
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]
RADIO NOVA May 19th 1983
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 May 25th 1983
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
RADIO NOVA May 26th 1983
From May 26th 1983, this is a recording of Declan Meehan and Bob Gallico on Radio Nova starting at 7.20am.
Radio Retro: archiving Irish radio broadcasts in collaboration with Gary Hogg
Radio Nova
Nova Gold with John Clarke from 4pm
This recording, which was made in Blackpool, England off 819kHz (even though the station were announcing 828kHz), starts at 4pm with John Clarke on air with Nova Gold, along with Martin Block on news duties.
At this time Radio Nova were using a temporary 1kW transmitter and were also broadcasting on 88.2MHz.
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 3am on February 6th 1984, this is Lawrence John on air for Radio Nova.
Radio Nova
Hugh O’Brien covering the afternoon shift for Radio Nova on March 10th 1984. This recording starts at 4.26pm.
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 July 14th 1984
Lawrence John on the early Saturday morning shift for Radio Nova. The date for this 6am recording is July 14th 1984.
RADIO NOVA July 19th 1984
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
RADIO NOVA September 2nd 1984
From a Sunday morning in September 1984 this is a recording of Chris Barry from 9.30am, followed by Greg Gaughran at 10am, on Radio Nova. Bernie Jameson reads the news.
First from 9.30am…Chris Barry followed by Bernie Jameson on the News at 10
Then Greg Gaughran frm 10.03am…
Alternatively you can listen to the whole recording in airchecked format
RADIO NOVA May 31st 1985
This is a recording of a Radio Nova outside broadcast from the Nutgrove Shopping Centre from May 31st 1985.
It features Greg Gaughran and Colm Hayes and it starts at 3.10pm.
This recording also features Mark Weller reading the news.
This Radio Nova recording is a Radio Retro original
RADIO NOVA (June 6th 1985)
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
RADIO NOVA July 5th 1985
This is a recording of Ric Harris on Radio Nova from July 5th 1985. It starts at 5.35pm.
RADIO NOVA (July 6th 1985)
From 6am on Saturday, July 6th 1985 this is a recording of the unique talents of Peter Madison (below) on air for Dublin station Radio Nova. David Johnson is on news.
RADIO NOVA (July 14th 1985)
A recording of The Boss on Radio Nova. Presenting the Euro Top 40 on July 14th 1985, this is Chris Cary with the best five from 3.40pm.
There’s also a brief snippet of the 4pm news with Bernie Jameson.
RADIO NOVA September 19th 1985
This is a recording of Dave Harvey on Breakfast with Bob Gallico from 6am on September 19th 1985 on Radio Nova.
As broadcast
Alternatively you can listen in airchecked format
RADIO NOVA September 21st 1985
This is a recording of a Radio Nova outside broadcast from September 1985. The Dublin station were set up in the Arnotts store in the city centre.
On air, as we join the broadcast, is Tony McKenzie (right) from 2pm.
George Long reads the 3pm News.
Then, from 4pm Dave Harvey (left) and Bob Gallico (below) entertain the listeners at home and in Arnotts.
Bernie Jameson reads the news and Barry Francis gives the latest sport updates.
Tony McKenzie from 2pm
Dave Harvey and Bob Gallico from 4pm
Listen with the music stripped out…
All images are from the Arnotts outside broadcast and are by very kind courtesy of Barry Flynn
Radio Retro: archiving Irish radio broadcasts since 2002
SUIRSIDE RADIO September 27th 1985
This is a recording of the final half-hour of Suirside Radio in Waterford. The station closed at midnight on September 27th 1985 with a plan to return as Crystal City Sound.
Radio Retro: archiving Irish radio broadcasts in collaboration with Ian Biggar / DX Archive
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.
Radio Nova
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
Radio Nova
This recording from August 1st 1988 of the satellite-delivered incarnation starts at 3.15pm with Cassidy Jones on air leading to the 4pm news which featured Teena Gates on an insert for the Dublin relay.