Retro FM / Retro Radio 91.0, Dublin

Declan A Walsh

I was doing a bit of scanning on my car radio and I happened to tune into Retro Radio on 91.0. I could just about hear it around Dundrum. There was a presenter on and he mentioned that it was also available on 1395 kh on AM, i.e. Medium Wave - he also mentioned it in the old-style meters equivalent (235 metres?).

I switched to 1395 AM, where the reception was much better. I was curious about this as this is the frequency of Energy (Power) AM, which was definitely on yesterday. The presenter came back and thanked Energy for allowing the use of their frequency. He called the station Retro Radio, rather than Retro FM. This reminds me of the post-Christmas period when Retro FM, Connect FM and Energy AM briefly combined together to form Fun Radio.

However, the biggest surprise was the presenter. I knew the voice was familiar, particularly when I heard him more clearly on 1395. Then he announced himself as Derek Jones. This is the same Derek Jones who was on all three temporary licences for Premier FM in the mid '00s and the first couple of runs of Christmas FM.

Some of you may recall me alluding to him on other threads. He had been involved in various Dublin pirates from the early '70s (Radio Valerie was probably the first) until the early '00s - the last being Radio Caroline from north Dublin. He then went to Beaumont Hospital Radio. His return to the pirate scene at best last December - AFAIK the first in 16 or 17 years - is quite a surprise to put it mildly. This means that he first got involved in the pirate scene over 45 years ago! If you do a few calculations, he has to be well into his sixties.

Declan A Walsh

Sorry for bumping this thread up again, but I have a good reason!

I heard another veteran presenter on Retro FM this afternoon on 91.0. This time it was Mike Doyle signing off just before 4pm.

Mike Doyle goes back to at least the early '80s with Radio Dublin Channel Two. I became familiar with him as a presenter on at least two of the temporary licence runs for Premier FM and the two temporary licences runs for Choice FM, all in the '00s.

Again, here is another veteran of radio who had left the pirate scene that has now returned to a pirate station.

So far, that's two ex-Premier FM presenters who have resurfaced on Retro FM. Premier FM was an oldies station too, initially as a pirate.

I'm dying to know who else is involved with Retro? Is it a reunion of veteran broadcasters who are playing their old record collections??

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Retro FM streaming full power 92fm across Dublin area. Amazing music!

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