Sonic from Shankill

Declan A Walsh

In a thread about Ernie Gallagher, I asked about a Dublin southside pirate station he was with that he called "Sonic". He stated that it broadcast from Shankill.

I got a good reply from another poster:

SATNAV wrote: »

Sonic 228MW 1314AM they were a breakaway from Southside , they also were on 99 FM for a while and Nova Southside !

Some of the DJ that I can remember :

Joe Jackson Owner
Dave Jackson
Brian Peters
Tony Bass
Ernie
Not to sure if Andrew Jingles Hanlon's was on air.

At the time I replied to Ernie, I stated that I had not heard of this station before, but then I remembered hearing on another forum about a station , also southside-based, called Sonic Independent Radio. Satnav's post mentions Joe Jackson, who I had learnt before was with Sonic Independent Radio. So I guess it is the same station and my memory failed me!

Firstly, I assume it is the same station. Secondly, what else can anyone tell me about Sonic. When did it operate and who else was involved?

Also - was Dave Jackson the same guy that was involved with Premier Radio / Premier FM / Premier International? Perhaps not - as it was northside-based. Of course, it is also possible that he was a relation of station owner Joe Jackson!

Fuzzy Clam

Take a peep here
http://www.dxarchive.com/ireland_a_to_z_irish_pirates_sonic_independent_radio.html

Declan A Walsh

Fuzzy Clam wrote: »

Take a peep here
http://www.dxarchive.com/ireland_a_to_z_irish_pirates_sonic_independent_radio.html

I had a look: fascinating stuff! I would love to know what happened to all those guys mentioned on that archive (and most of the others above too). It is acknowledged that they may have got same of the names a bit mixed up - I gather the anoraks were visiting from Scotland! See the following:
Other names that were heard on the air were Bob Nailor, Steve Johnston, Chris Anderson, Rick J Davenport, Jenny Lowe, Mark Bradey, John Martin, Mark Jackson, Vincent O'Connel, Trevor Haig, Dave King, Barry Fenton, Dave Redmond / Reddy (some names possibly wrong, due to mw signal fading, see recordings).

(Is that the Vincent O'Connell of Sunshine Radio and Capital Radio (FM104 now) fame, who was charged with a serious offence years later? Apologies to all concerned if I have that wrong.)

I love the pictures of Shankill as it was in the '80s. By the way, note the spelling - Shankill - not Shankhill! I should know - I lived there for a number of years over a decade later, when of course it had undergone major face changes!

Was Sonic's "studio" in the New Vale area of Shankill, or where exactly was it located?

pixbyjohn

"Was Sonic's "studio" in the New Vale area of Shankill, or where exactly was it located? "

Sonic's antenna was situated in the back garden of a house in New Vale. If you turned off the main street at the Credit Union and went to T junction, the garden was on your left. I can only assume the transmitter was situated close by. Maybe even in the house there.

Declan A Walsh

I just remembered another name that was mentioned in the thread I saw on another forum - John Public. He was with Sonic Independent Radio. These days he can be heard on Dublin City FM playing reggae.

Fuzzy Clam

Declan A Walsh wrote: »

I just remembered another name that was mentioned in the thread I saw on another forum - John Public. He was with Sonic Independent Radio. These days he can be heard on Dublin City FM playing reggae.

I didn't know John Public had been on SIR. He was with South City Radio from Dun Laoire for a time which is where I first heard him c.1982?. South City were an FM station that used SIR's MW outlet for a period.
John, or whatever name he used at he time, must have one of, if not the first, to play songs on Irish radio where DJs rapped over the music.

Greenman

Declan A Walsh wrote: »

(Is that the Vincent O'Connell of Sunshine Radio and Capital Radio (FM104 now) fame, who was charged with a serious offence years later? Apologies to all concerned if I have that wrong.)

Always wondered about that. http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/hunt-chief-claims-freed-connell-killed-patricia-26188855.html

I wonder does anyone remember The Radio Late Show on Big D?

kazzdee

I did my DCU radio thesis in the form of an audio documentary on Sonic. Interviewed the Jackson family who ran the station out of their house and shed in Shankill and also interviewed fans of the station and lot of ex Sonic crew, some current radio folk like Ernie and Colm Hayes and Tommy Greene. If anyone would be interested in having a listen I can PM a link.

John Public

Hi, very rarely post on forums but I don't remember being on Sonic. I Was on ABC, Kove fm & South City which were all incarnations of the same station from the same site. I then joined South Dublin Community Radio (later to become DLR & even later Hits 106. I was on all 3), Music Radio (Blackrock), BLB (then to become Horizon), Jazz Fm, 2FM and Dublin City FM for the last 9 years or so. 31st birthday of the show coming up in December. Cheers !!

Declan A Walsh

John Public wrote: »

Hi, very rarely post on forums but I don't remember being on Sonic. I Was on ABC, Kove fm & South City which were all incarnations of the same station from the same site. I then joined South Dublin Community Radio (later to become DLR & even later Hits 106. I was on all 3), Music Radio (Blackrock), BLB (then to become Horizon), Jazz Fm, 2FM and Dublin City FM for the last 9 years or so. 31st birthday of the show coming up in December. Cheers !!

Sorry John. You are of course right! I had not read your post properly on Radiowaves Forum contained within a thread about Sonic Independent Radio. But it is still interesting to hear about the stations you were with!

miniireland

I’m Joe Jackson’s nephew and stumbled across this thread whilst looking for something else

If there’s a copy of the thesis and interview available I’d greatly appreciate it as sadly both Joe and David have passed away