KILKENNY COMMUNITY RADIO (1979-1988)
1386kHz - 1395kHz - 100MHz - 96.8MHz
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IRISH PIRATES A / Z

1981 VISIT TO KCR

KILKENNY COMMUNITY RADIO was one of the longest running Irish 'pirate' community radio stations, having started in 1979 and broadcast continuously until it was forced to close by the December 1988 legislation deadline. It was often heard outside Ireland on their busy 1386kHz frequency. In latter days, they had a new transmitter, and changed to 1395kHz.

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Issue 1 of the Kilkenny Community Radio Magazine (Autumn 1981) with programme schedules and presenter profiles. (Click on image for a pdf of the full 16 page magazine)

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The following set of photographs was taken during a visit to the station in August 1981

Walking towards KILKENNY COMMUNITY RADIO building and it's heavy steel door during a visit on 19th August 1981. The KCR truck is seen parked in the yard.

KILKENNY COMMUNITY RADIO studio and transmitter during the visit on 19th August 1981. This was the MW transmitter from 1386kHz, which often made it to Scotland and further afield. The transmitter later on in 1986 was in a kind of porch type place by this time, and not in the loft. The FM transmitter was operating on 100MHz.

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The impressive KILKENNY COMMUNITY RADIO mobile roadshow!!! Remember, this is 1981 and KCR is a 'pirate' station!

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The Summer 1982 Kilkenny Community Radio Magazine (We hope to have a pdf of the full magazine soon)

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The photos below were taken on another visit in April 1983. (Unfortunately some camera setting incompetence caused a set of blurred images.)

The KCR studio complex and aerials.

By 1983 the MW transmitter was located near the entrance on the ground floor.

Several views of the studio in April 1983. (Click on any photo for full size - and even more blurry)

Two more photos of the studio.

A very blurred FM transmitter.

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KILKENNY COMMUNITY RADIO was one of the few stations to have a professional looking QSL Card. Above is one from 1979, and below from 1980.

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The two slides below are courtesy of Steve West from a visit in 1986.

The KCR aerials in 1986.

In 1986 the MW transmitter was again located near the entrance on the ground floor but looked a slightly different build.

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By the summer of 1987, KCR had moved up the band slightly to 1395kHz, possibly in order to avoid interference from other Irish stations on 1386kHz. Below is a 1395kHz QSL courtesy of Ian. (Note the manual change of frequency on the original cards)

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These are the letter and a business card received by Ian in 1988 along with the 1395kHz QSL card. The letter was on some nice station headed notepaper.

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Kilkenny Community Radio (KCR) Audio Library

1979_08_04_sat_kilkenny_cr_1384am_1953-2055_michaelobrian_peterward-ds.mp3 New Jul 2024	An early recording of Kilkenny Community Radio on Saturday 4th August 1979. Michael O'Brian hosts until 8pm when after some brief technical issues, Peter Ward starts his show. This recording is by kind courtesy of Dave Small. The exact frequency is not known. The tape says 1384kHz, but the deejay mentions 217m / 1383kHz and the QSL received a few months later has 1386kHz.	160MB 176mins
1981_08_19_wed_kilkenny_cr_1386am-100fm_1155-1455_michaelquinn_roddycleer_caroldooley-gh375.mp3 New Jul 2024	Starting at 11:55am here are almost three hours of Kilkenny Community Radio made in the car on a visit to the station on Wednesday 19th August 1981. Michael Quinn hosts until 12:30 with 'Morning Maniac Music' and is followed by a 30min talk from a local priest. Roddy Cleere hosts after news between 1pm and 2pm, and he was a guest deejay from Suirside Radio in Waterford. Carol Dooley continues the afternoon programming after 2pm. Recorded firstly from 1386kHz, but then 100MHz FM, and as it was partially in the moving car, there are one or two fades and crackles at the beginning and end.	160MB 176mins
1982_04_14_wed_kilkenny_cr_100fm_1647-1733_mikebreen-ds.mp3 New Jul 2024	Mike Breen at drivetime on Wednesday 14th April 1982. This recording is by kind courtesy of Dave Small.	63MB 45mins
1983_04_11_mon_kilkenny_100fm_1558-1647_mikebreen-gh1023.mp3 New Aug 2021	An afternoon show with Mike Breen recorded from 100MHz FM in mono whilst on a visit to Kilkenny.	63MB
1985_05_31_fri_kilkenny_cr_100fms-ds.mp3 New Jul 2024	Mainly continuous music with one or two jingles. This recording is by kind courtesy of Dave Small.	63MB 45mins
1988_07_31_sun_kilkenny_cr_968fm_0855-1025_gergriffin-gh685.mp3 New Jul 2024	Sunday morning 31st July 1988 with Ger Griffin.  As received in Ballycotton on 96.8MHz.	122MB 88mins
1988_07_31_sun_kilkenny_cr_968fm_1027-1115_gergriffin_joequigley-gh685.mp3 New Jul 2024	The end of the above Ger Griffin show and at 10:30am followed by Joe Quigley with country. As received in Ballycotton on 96.8MHz.	64MB 46mins
1988_07_31_sun_kilkenny_cr_968fm_1200-1235_joequigley_church_service-gh685.mp3 New Jul 2024	The last 30 minutes of Joe Quigley until and into the first few minutes of a church service. As received in Ballycotton on 96.8MHz	48MB 35mins
1988_08_02_tue_kilkenny_cr_968fm_1439-1703_tomdowling_patmarr-gh705.mp3 New Jul 2024	Slightly airchecked programming from Tuesday afternoon 8th August 1988 with Tom Dowling from about 2:40pm. Pat Marr follows at 4pm. Tom Dowling reads news at 4pm and 5pm.  As recorded from 96.8MHz in Ballycotton, with one or two crackles.	120MB 131mins
1988_08_03_wed_kilkenny_968fm_0817-0852_johnkinsler-gh665.mp3 New Nov 2020	A few minutes of John Kinsler (we think) on Wednesday breakfast 3rd August 1988, as received in Ballycotton on 96.8MHz.	48MB 35mins
1988_08_03_wed_kilkenny_968fm_1235-1315_tomdowling-gh665.mp3 New Nov 2020	Lunchtime with Tom Dowling on Wednesday 3rd August 1988 as received in Ballycotton on 96.8MHz.	53MB 39mins
1988_12_31_sat_kilkenny_cr_100fm_1823-2000_final_closedown-ai.mp3 New Jul 2024	The final broadcast from Kilkenny Community Radio on Saturday 31st December 1988. This recording is courtesy of radiowaves.fm and forms part of the 'Anoraks Ireland' collection donated to DCU by Paul Davidson.	120MB 87mins

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IRISH PIRATES A / Z