Radio Memories

Spiritoftheseventies

For me it was getting a 2fm annual in the seventies. Was a big thrill at the time even if the thing came apart after two weeks.Pages started falling out all over the place.
Also listening to harbour hotel ever lunchtime on way home from school. Anyone remember that show?

sudzs

Also listening to harbour hotel ever lunchtime on way home from school. Anyone remember that show?

God yes!!! Mrs Doyle... Gabriel... can't think of any others.

Our dog was always fed when Harbour Hotel started and when she was being looked after while we were on holiday, her minder couldn't figure out why every lunchtime at 12.45 the dog would go berserk when the Harbour Hotel music started!!!

I'm humming away here!!

Spiritoftheseventies

And the jingles were brilliant. Radio Nova Jingle was my favourite.

sudzs

What about "Dear Frankie", the agony aunt, sponsored by Jacobs I think! Remember that?

who the fug

The Irish dancing on the wireless

Spiritoftheseventies

Remember it well

IrishHomer

I remeber listening to kids radio show in the 1970s on BBC and "teddy bears picnic"

There was only rte 1 back then from Ireland i think in approx 1973 :eek:

RadioRetro

Memories?

Jocking late at night on a rural pirate in the 80s whilst members of a rival station tried to bash in the studio door after we jammed their signal because they had the brass neck to put a TX in the field next door.

deelite

Does anybody remember a show on Radio Dublin I think it was called Gerry's Trail (I don't think it was called Dusty's Trail). The listeners had names like Michael Jackson's Thriller, or Simon's Reflex....

Liam Byrne

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WF-uZuce5R0

cml387

For me it's got to be David Hamilton on BBC Radio 2/Radio 1 in the mid seventies.
It was the only pop music we had in Ireland in those days,until FAB 208 got started in the evenings.

The annoying thing was it broke off sometimes to carry racing from Doncaster or wherever.

I still can't hear The Doobie Brothers Listen To The Music without associating it with that show.

Of course we had an hour of Larry Gogan on Mondays, and Ken Stewart on Thursdays.

Didn't RTE have a series in the afternoon called "Music for young people"
introducing our younger listners to classical music? Never was a program so mis-named.

Bard

Moloney After Midnight on 2FM... wouldn't go to bed/sleep without him - and of course the delightful Emilia Golightly - back in the mid-late 90's. If 2FM are trying to capture a slightly older audience (and they are), they could do far worse than bring back that show... exactly as it was then... (my fears that Mike himself may not exactly up for it aside)

Spiritoftheseventies

Bard wrote: »

Moloney After Midnight on 2FM... wouldn't go to bed/sleep without him - and of course the delightful Emilia Golightly - back in the mid-late 90's. If 2FM are trying to capture a slightly older audience (and they are), they could do far worse than bring back that show... exactly as it was then... (my fears that Mike himself may not exactly up for it aside)

Yeah enjoyed the Mike Moloney show. Used to bring on celebs who would pick out their favourite top five songs. Good slot that.

DT100

I remember Liam Nolan with the Serendipity show at lunchtime on radio 1.Someone earlier mentioned harbour hotel,cant remember the theme music.There was a sponsered prog on Saturdays,think it was Waltons...At the end the presenter would say " And if you do sing a song,sing an Irish song " or something along those lines.I used to listen to Mike Murphy on the breakfast show on radio1.I remember well the first time I heard Sunshine in Dublin...it was on an old Bush radio that I opened,took the areial from the back of the tellyand kept touching the circuit board here and there to see if I could pick up anything....imagine my delight at hearing Robbie Dale on sunshine from a hundred miles away...The memory that will always stay with me is when I first heard the first local pirate.I entered a world of a cigarette smoke filled studio...ashtrays overflowing with butts........I can smell them now...:)

deelite

What ever happened to the couple (only a few years ago) who got married without meeting each other - either FM104 or 98 FM?

I miss the "Love Letters" show (can't remember the station but I think it was on Sunday nights) where the listeners would write in with a story like - my wife caught me in bed with the next door neighbour and I'd like to say Sorry - can you please play I Shudda Known Better by Jim Diamond.......and tell her I'm so sorry and can I come back home....

The Muppet

early radio memories for me would be DR Don on ARD or was that 257 from the Crofton Airport Hotel. Big D , Radio D,ublin Radio City and the numerous pirates there after cluminating in Sunshine and Nova Rocking the Bay.

I was involved with a few pirates in my time the crack was mighty especially whenever a raid went down on one of the other stations , the escape and evade contingency plan were always pretty elaborate. I was a teenager at the time , it was a great time to be involved with radio before a lot of the fun was removed by red tape and officialdom.

Spiritoftheseventies

Yeah a doc on Radio Nova on City channel now. Saw this before. Good doc. Bryan Dobson and Anne Cassin both started there.

leggo

It's all FM104 for me. The days when they had the Strawberries in the morning, Rick O'Shea & Steve K in the late afternoon/early evening then Chris Barry/Adrian Kennedy in the night. Gold.

Spiritoftheseventies

Chris Barry was 98fm if memory serves me right. Barry used to be on at same time as Kennedy.

leggo

Bit shady on it as I was a kid. I could be wrong but I seem to remember Chris being on 104, then Adrian came along and the two of them went head-to-head on 104 and 98.

The Muppet

Chris Barry was on 104 before moving to 98fm.

Spiritoftheseventies

The Muppet wrote: »

Chris Barry was on 104 before moving to 98fm.

I see. Where is he now anyway?

sudzs

Spiritoftheseventies wrote: »

I see. Where is he now anyway?

Didn't he become ill or something... or did he have a nervous breakdown??

Or is he flying helicopters now, or is that someone else??!

Spiritoftheseventies

Last I heard he was on country fm. Used to listen a lot when he had the phone in show on 98fm.
Id say if you had to listen to those listeners night in night out it would eventually drive you mad

The Muppet

sudzs wrote: »

Didn't he become ill or something... or did he have a nervous breakdown??

Or is he flying helicopters now, or is that someone else??!

Barry Lang became a pilot after he left 2fm maybe you are mixing them up.

Declan A Walsh

Spiritoftheseventies wrote: »

Yeah a doc on Radio Nova on City channel now. Saw this before. Good doc. Bryan Dobson and Anne Cassin both started there.

As far as I know, Brian Dobson was with Southside Radio before Radio Nova.

Spiritoftheseventies

Yeah but the doc centred on his time there. Was quite interesting the doc and the various personalities that existed at the time.

Declan A Walsh

Random Irish radio memories:
Pat James doing his Rock Show thing in 1978 on Radio Dublin and then in 1979 on ARD/Radio 257. Ditto with Dave Fanning on Big D.

"The GB Show". i.e. Gay Byrne in the mornings on RTE Radio 1.

Mark Cagney presenting "The Night Train" on RTE Radio 2 (as it was called then).

Tom Hardy doing very informative countdowns during the early '80s on "The Sunshine Survey" on Saturdays on Sunshine Radio. Then, Tom Hardy around midday with his bets on Radio Nova.

Bob Gallicoe having funny conversations in the morning on Radio Nova with Declan Meehan, John Clarke, Dave Harvey and Colm Hayes... the same again a few years later on Energy 103 with Scott Williams.

Greg Gaughren on Radio Nova and then on Q102.

Hugh O'Brien "rockin the bay" on Radio Nova.

Martin King on Sunshine Radio and later in the '80s on Heartbeat. Tony Fenton on Sunshine.

Kevin Barrett with smoochy love songs and letters on Radio Dublin - early '80s.

Tony O'Hara on Radio City, Radio Dublin and Heartbeat.

Tony Gahan playing very alternative sounds on Capitol Radio. Capitol's eclectic look back in the mid-80s at the current UK charts. Bob Conway, aka Martin Cullinane, and Stephen Lewis on daytime Capitol playing interesting album tracks. Dave Gahan, aka David Paul, Tony Gahan and Matt Dempsey on Capitol/Nitesky Radio in the evenings and nightime. Ken Regis on a Monday evening on Capitol, sneaking in interesting tunes from mainstream artists, in the middle of the more alternative stuff. Michael Reade on mornings in 1988 playing a right mixture of different rock styles. Michael Reade on Sunday afternoons before the alternative side won the battle, playing the likes of Steely Dan and Chris Rhea along with The Psychedelic Furs. Matt Dempsey sneaking on "Time Passages" by Al Stewart and AOR Rock like Asia along with the alternative stuff on a Sunday afternoon. Tom Hayes with his heavy metal show on Thursday nights on Nitesky Radio. A certain Dave Carney playing the likes of New Order, The Cure, The Waterboys and , eh, Fleetwood Mac in the weekday afternoons - better known these days as Alan Cantwell!

Might come back with '90s memories some other time.

crispsandwiches

really loved the overnighter, think it was on fm 104. Also think the presenter was called greg merriman, what ever happen to him. tony the monkey child, mary choclates, narnaby harmsley. brilliant radio.

d1975

deelite wrote: »

What ever happened to the couple (only a few years ago) who got married without meeting each other - either FM104 or 98 FM?

I miss the "Love Letters" show (can't remember the station but I think it was on Sunday nights) where the listeners would write in with a story like - my wife caught me in bed with the next door neighbour and I'd like to say Sorry - can you please play I Shudda Known Better by Jim Diamond.......and tell her I'm so sorry and can I come back home....

the couple who got married without meeting each other that was on 98FM (correct me if I'm wrong)

That was on FM104 it was called the love line midnight Friday to 2am and during that show they had the love letters. Adrian kennedy was host of that show, he had female presenter (think 2/3) then they moved it to main phoneshow at 10am until 3/4 years ago when GIOYC (Get it off your chest) started at that time

Busi_Girl08

I used to listen to the Blast with Ray Foley every night during the Junior Cert.

I loved all the jingles and "exam tips"

"At first I was afraid, I was petrified, kept thinking I'd never pass without my revision guide...."

RadioRetro

leggo wrote: »

Bit shady on it as I was a kid. I could be wrong but I seem to remember Chris being on 104, then Adrian came along and the two of them went head-to-head on 104 and 98.

I was there at the time. Chris had a falling out with management and buggered (oops!) off to London for a while before returning and joining 98.

Adrian was a journo in the newsroom (as was I) and was offered the show on a temporary basis but soon got it for keeps.

_blank_

I used to love Pulse FM back in the 90s, very professional set up for a Pirate at that time. My favourite memory, though, was when they closed down so they could apply for the licence.

I also remember a pirate station from around the same time that used to broadcast BBCR1 before their own actual DJs came on air at some stage in the afternoon/evening, back in the day when Zoe Ball then Sara Cox were on the breakfast show, and Mark and Lard had the afternoons. That's where I first heard Chris Moyles, when he used to do stand in on the Breakfast Show. The Mark and Lard show was also brilliant.

Anyone else remember that?

Are Mark and Lard still working?

vampire of kilmainham

DT100 wrote: »

I remember Liam Nolan with the Serendipity show at lunchtime on radio 1.Someone earlier mentioned harbour hotel,cant remember the theme music.There was a sponsered prog on Saturdays,think it was Waltons...At the end the presenter would say " And if you do sing a song,sing an Irish song " or something along those lines.I used to listen to Mike Murphy on the breakfast show on radio1.I remember well the first time I heard Sunshine in Dublin...it was on an old Bush radio that I opened,took the areial from the back of the tellyand kept touching the circuit board here and there to see if I could pick up anything....imagine my delight at hearing Robbie Dale on sunshine from a hundred miles away...The memory that will always stay with me is when I first heard the first local pirate.I entered a world of a cigarette smoke filled studio...ashtrays overflowing with butts........I can smell them now...:)

Yea i rember the serendipity show and harbour hotel yes your right it was the Waltons show i cant rember your mans name that used to do that show but he did have a distinctive voice wow you have brought back some memories to me mentioning all those old shows those were the days different days alltogether i wish i was back in those times again theres too much ol political correctness now Dublin in the rare ol times well gone but dont forget if you do sing a song do sing an Irish song:)

vampire of kilmainham

Spiritoftheseventies wrote: »

Chris Barry was 98fm if memory serves me right. Barry used to be on at same time as Kennedy.

Chris Barry used to do the phone show on fm104 and Aidrean kennedy was in the news room he used to do Barrys slot when he was on holiday or off.
Chris had a row with the management of 104 and left so Aidrean took over the chat show and Barry went over to 98fm with the same kind of chat show at the same time iam not sure if he's still doing it but Aidrean is still going strong great chat show:):):)

Spiritoftheseventies

vampire of kilmainham wrote: »

I am not sure if he's still doing it but Adrian is still going strong great chat show:[/S]):):)

FYP;)

The Muppet

Des wrote: »

I also remember a pirate station from around the same time that used to broadcast BBCR1 before their own actual DJs came on air at some stage in the afternoon/evening, back in the day when Zoe Ball then Sara Cox were on the breakfast show, and Mark and Lard had the afternoons. That's where I first heard Chris Moyles, when he used to do stand in on the Breakfast Show. The Mark and Lard show was also brilliant.

Anyone else remember that?

Are Mark and Lard still working?

Was that Freedom ????????

todolist

Casey Kasem playing America's top 40 on Radio Nova."Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars".

Spiritoftheseventies

todolist wrote: »

Casey Kasem playing America's top 40 on Radio Nova."Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars".

Ah remember him. He was great. Btw any remember that Desiderata song. They played it religiously every night at midnight on Sunshine I think

_blank_

The Muppet wrote: »

Was that Freedom ????????

Yes! It was, thanks Muppet, had been wondering what it was called alright

Ha, they even listed Sara Cox on their "homepage" ffs, cheeky

http://homepage.eircom.net/~freedom92/schedule.htm

There's some good stuff on that page actually, for anyone interested in more recent pirates.

http://homepage.eircom.net/~freedom92/stationhistory.htm

bob50

Spiritoftheseventies wrote: »

FYP;)

No imo his phone in show is rubbish

bob50

vampire of kilmainham wrote: »

Chris Barry used to do the phone show on fm104 and Aidrean kennedy was in the news room he used to do Barrys slot when he was on holiday or off.
Chris had a row with the management of 104 and left so Aidrean took over the chat show and Barry went over to 98fm with the same kind of chat show at the same time iam not sure if he's still doing it but Aidrean is still going strong great chat show:):):)

Dont forget it was Chris Barry who pioneered the late nite phone in program in the early 90s on fm104 fkna capital104 then rock104

Always tought chris was a legend greatly missed off the wireless now

bob50

Spiritoftheseventies wrote: »

Ah remember him. He was great. Btw any remember that Desiderata song. They played it religiously every night at midnight on Sunshine I think

Casey had another fav group Kid Creole "annie im not your daddy" song 1982

bob50

vampire of kilmainham wrote: »

Yea i rember the serendipity show and harbour hotel yes your right it was the Waltons show i cant rember your mans name that used to do that show but he did have a distinctive voice wow you have brought back some memories to me mentioning all those old shows those were the days different days alltogether i wish i was back in those times again theres too much ol political correctness now Dublin in the rare ol times well gone but dont forget if you do sing a song do sing an Irish song:)

Before that Liam Nolan had a prog called "the Liam Nolan Hour* but it ran from 11 am to 12 .45

great memories better radio then imo

Spiritoftheseventies

bob50 wrote: »

Casey had another fav group Kid Creole "annie im not your daddy" song 1982

Line from that song the greatest put down of all time. "Say If I was in your blood then you wouldnt be so ugly"

leggo

Chris Barry was back on the air, temporarily, on Real Radio in the afternoons when they had their run. Was good to hear him back.

todolist

leggo wrote: »

Chris Barry was back on the air, temporarily, on Real Radio in the afternoons when they had their run. Was good to hear him back.

Chris is weak,people pleaser----hence his Radio demise.

Spiritoftheseventies

.. anyway seeing I dont listen to it as much anymore, amongst Morning Ireland (or Mourning Ireland, or Moaning Island) was regular listening for about six months. Just to hear those beeps, the ticks and then Aine Lawlor announce another slump in the polls for some party offered me hope for awhile . Did annoy how they constantly interrupted the sports bulletins though.

Declan A Walsh

RTE's John Kenny in the late '70s and 1980 on Big D and then on ARD/Radio 257 playing punk and new wave . It was great radio. I remember one of the programs was called "The Other Side of the..." eh.. "Fence" or "Wire"! The theme tune to one of John's punk/new wave programs was "Give Me Candy" by the B52s. Great buzz at the time.

The summer of 1988 - Pat James turned up again on Southside FM...doing his rock thing. This was quite an entertaining station.

Century Radio - 1989 - 1991 , R.I.P.:
I must have been the only person in Dublin to listen to this station regularly! I enjoyed its mix of programming. I even could tolerate Marty Whelan doing breakfast. It just felt fresh and new. My favourite programs included the rock show presented on Friday nights by Kara Hanahoe - only lasted about six months-, the album show on Saturday evenings, presented by Richard Crowley and then by Eamonn Carr, and the show on Sundays mid-mornings presented by Flo McSweeney.

The 90s:
Firstly, before I forget, I used to enjoy "Street Talk" presented by Dave McGrath on a Thursday night on Capital Rado/Rock 104 between 1990 and 1991. It showcased Irish rock music. At the time, there were very few, if any, programs like that on legal Irish radio. He used to be on the pirate Capitol Radio as David Paul, so he had no problem giving the station ID!

I also liked listening to the rock show on Saturday nights in the early '90s on LMFM, presented by Tony Clayton Lea.

My favourite pirate of the '90s, and maybe my favourite '90s station overall, was Coast FM from Dublin - the station run by Simon Maher, aka Pete Reid. I loved the way they mimiced the music policy of '80s Capitol Radio/Nitesky Radio - in other words a slightly alternative edge to the music. I enjoyed Simon doing the stations scan around Ireland on Sunday afternoons, i.e. pirates' frequencies. There was quite a few in those days. Then Ger Rowe came on board, via the merger with Melody FM. He brought his recordings of radio stations with him and presented The Annorak Hour, incorporating as well Simon's scans and his musings! Ah yes, great memories.

I remember listening, when I could pick it up, to Alcatraz (Glasnevin stations did not travel well!) - the pure alternative rock off-shoot of Coast FM. This really became the blueprint for Phantom.

I also got a bit of a buzz from listening in small amounts to the new dance pirates of the '90s - the likes of Sunset, Rhythm FM, Hot 107, Power FM and Club FM. It was exciting at the time because it was a new kind of sound to radio and some really talented deejays came through such stations, and some of the tunes were pretty infectious. I gave Pulse FM slightly less of a listen as by that stage I had grown a bit tired of dance, especially the commercial pop-friendly variety.

I should also mention Mark Kavanagh on Friday evenings on DLR, with his dance show. That was pretty good too.

That's me signing out for now.

Spiritoftheseventies

Declan A Walsh wrote: »

RTE's John Kenny in the late '70s and 1980 on Big D and then on ARD/Radio 257 playing punk and new wave

I though JK played heavy metal. His catchphrase was "JK on the radio"

_blank_

Declan A Walsh wrote: »

He brought his recordings of radio stations with him and presented The Annorak Hour, incorporating as well Simon's scans and his musings! Ah yes, great memories.

I'm nearly sure The Anorak Hour was on Phantom too, back before it was legitimised, on a Sunday Morning too. I don't remember Coast FM, but I do remember an Anorak Hour show.

Declan A Walsh wrote: »

I should also mention Mark Kavanagh on Friday evenings on DLR, with his dance show. That was pretty good too.

Oh, and the Chaos Rap Show on DLR on a Friday afternoon, I had many tapes recorded from there, must see if I can dig them out of my mam's attic, there's probably jingles on there. I lived in Coolock, and if I positioned the radio just right DLR was pretty clear even over there. I didn't realise it was a Pirate, I thought is was a legit local radio station.