Radio Leinster broadcast from a lovely high site in the Sandyford area overlooking Dublin. The signal from the MW freq of 738kHz was very good in the UK by day in summer.

The name Radio Leinster originates from the district of Ireland they were broadcasting to. There are 4 regions in the whole of Ireland: Leinster, Munster, Connaught, and The North. Radio Leinster, despite their strong signals, had a short life.

Their frequency of 738, although excellent by day, suffered severe night time interference, even with their relatively high power of 1 KW. They began broadcasting a few months before our visit, on May 1st 1981. An interesting item appeared in Sounds Alternative as far back as August / September 1978 about plans for Radio Leinster.

DJs included Ugene Elliot, Danny Hughs, Gordon Sommerville and Steve Gordon, an ILR presenter from Northern England. (Not the Steve from Caroline. The latter luckily called himself Stevie Dunn when he moved to Sunshine).

Other DJs to join included former Community Radio Drogheda man, Gavin Duffy. The target audience seemed to be older than most of the other stations around town.

In 1983, during the raids of Nova and Sunshine most of the stations countrywide closed down temporary, to protect their equipment. All Dublin stations except ABC 981, and Radio Dublin closed down.

Radio Leinster sadly never returned.

It would have not been until 1987, that their transmitter returned to the air, as Independent Radio Mayo, on the same frequency, 738. Where the transmitter is now, is anybody's guess. (Or indeed where it lay from 1983 to 1987)

Left: The studio, which overlooked Dublin bay, from high in the Dublin mountains. Right: The mast by the house, and you can just about see the height you are up, at the right of the mast.