Episode 2. The Sound Way To Spend Your Day

In this second episode we learn how a determined group of young people managed to get their radio station on the air. Before launching, they carefully considered a unique approach to broadcasting. They were determined not to follow in the footsteps of other pirate stations operating at the time. Bray Local Broadcasting was set to stand out, and it very much did when it launched at 11 am on Wednesday August 22nd 1979.

Credits: 

Sound recording by Mike Quinn 

Sound mixing by Luke Conlon 

High Wire Post Production, Dublin, Ireland 

www.highwire.ie  

Artwork by Jody Hogg Design 

www.jodyhogg.com  

Produced and presented by Mark Quinn 

The copyright for this podcast series is owned by Mark Quinn and is hereby reserved.

Bray Talking Heads – Stories from a Seaside Town. A podcast celebrating the stories, history, and people of Bray, past and present. Whether you're a lifelong Brayite or just discovering this special town, join us for conversations that connect, inspire, and bring our community to life - wherever you are in the world. Hosted by Mark Quinn, Leah Kinsella, and Pat Hannon. Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky @braytalkingheads, or email us at braytalkingheads@gmail.com

https://blb.buzzsprout.com

Transcript

A radiogenic production.



BLB. Sounds from the past. Memories of pirate radio and stories of Bray Local Broadcasting.(...) Episode 2.





Ah yes, it was June 1979 and Southside Radio had closed down. In Bray anyway. This was because, in a nutshell, the owner of the transmitter and therefore the radio station, one Andrew Coffey, perhaps felt under pressure to dispense with some music programs in favour of speech-based programs, which is what John Murphy, Doug McGuire and myself along with a host of other presenters had suggested. Andrew had taken his transmitter off to South Dublin and we were all left looking at each other saying, "Well, there's only one thing for us. Let's set up our own radio station in Bray."



 I'm Mark Quinn and over these episodes we're delving into a long gone era, the late 1970s and through the 1980s and the heady days of a pirate radio station called Bray Local Broadcasting or BLB that had a profound effect on those who were in its orbit.



 We're on the air now.



 There were the authentic voices of the people of Bray. Yesterday afternoon on the seafront.

 I would like to wish BLB a very happy and successful future.

 I don't think any community is truly that without having its own radio station.

 The request is starting to flow in at the moment and if you would like...

 Bray needs this communication and I think communication will open things up for everyone.

 Welcome to another alcohol community council program.

 There was the Meath Road listeners, there was the Wolftone Square

 listeners, there was the Bogal Road. Hey what? Glenn Curtin. A sad little ditty. A bad salad. Sorry, a sad ballad. Sitting on the dark coming home and saying, "I liked your program this morning." "What on earth was that rubbish you put?" It was wonderful.

 BLB, the magnificent service that it provided at the time. There really was the voice, the glue that made us what we are today. I think the town rediscovered its vibrant identity.



 Before we move on, let's meet another colourful member of BLB. Daphne Mitchell, who for some reason was always in hot water. Daphne recalls here three bad memories and situations that only she could find herself in.

 I used to do a late night program on a Friday night as well as afternoon mummy programs and there was a knock at the door and this man came in and he put a gun to my head.



 And one thing we were told, obviously, did not talk about religion or the IRA because that was the time when everything was going on. And this man put a gun to my head and he said, "I want you to read this out." The IRA, a meeting at the town hall on such and such a time tomorrow morning. So I read it out. Obviously you would, either that or being dead on the floor. So I read that out. That was a bad memory.



 I was asked to compare fashion shows and also judge bonnie baby competitions. And one bonnie baby competition I had to judge was somewhere in Bray.



 And I still can't pronounce my R, Bray, Bray, Bray, look, a boy's cut. Anyway, I had to compare this baby competition and there were lots and lots of babies and all mums love their babies. And so I chose the correct baby and this is all clapped. And some mother came at me with an umbrella and she's trying to hit me on the head because I didn't choose her baby. That was another bad memory. Another other memory, bad memory, I've got brilliant good memories. Another bad memory was now and again, I read the one o'clock news with Adrian Kennedy. But this particular day, Adrian couldn't turn up. So I was reading on my own and in front of us was a glass screen, which was the second studio, interview studio behind us. And I was just reading, good afternoon. This is the one o'clock news on Bray local broadcast, BLB.



 And then I looked up and I was carrying on reading the news and there were three bums, three men had moons in front of me in the studio behind, they were mooning. So they expected to throw me, but I'd seen bumps before. So I just carried on reading the news. So that didn't faze me.

 Not being made an ass of and carrying on regardless the ever professional Daphne Mitchell. And we'll hear more stories from Daphne and others later in this series. But now let's get back to how BLB actually started.



 A core group of about 10 of us were a bit wounded with no longer having a radio station to broadcast on and with the dogged and perhaps somewhat naive determination of youth. We were going to go ahead and set up our own radio station. Doug McGuire sums up the mood of the group at the time.

 Like so many Irish organizations had been a coup overnight, a split, and we were annoyed. We were hurt, but we decided, look, that's what they want to do. Let's do our own thing.



 I think we were really serious about this. Unlike many, we decided to do this properly. John Murphy. So having a public meeting and getting views was the starting point.

 I suppose nowadays if you want to find out if anyone is interested in getting involved in a new initiative, you'd post it on Facebook or some other social media outlet. But back in the late 1970s, with no such thing as the Internet, this was not an option. So the first thing we organized was a public meeting. We got posters printed by Aidan Flynn at Central Press, inviting anyone who was interested in getting involved in a new type of radio station for Bray to come along to the Royal Hotel on Monday, the 2nd of July, 1979, at 8 o'clock.



 I wanted to get into radio. I wanted to be behind the microphone. So when this opportunity came up to do this, I said, I'm going to do that. I'm going to be in there.

 Local musician Joe Ballard clearly had a keen interest in radio. So he went along to that rather informal public meeting.



 It was one of the strangest meetings I've ever been at, because when you go into a meeting, it's usually all very hushed and quiet and very quiet. And there's somebody in the chair, and, ladies and gentlemen, this wasn't like that. This was like going into a party. I didn't know 70 or 80 percent of the people there. It was explained how the station was going to work, that no one was being paid. It was all voluntary. And you were all to you because we hadn't got a library of material. You use your own material. But we had to have a very programming. Couldn't be the same pop music 10 hours a day.



 So I just put up my hand and said, Mr. Chairman, I want to be the first person on Tiki Joe Ballard, as usual. And the name of my program will be Morning Mixture, because it will be a mixture of every type style genre of music.

 Ah, the wonderful Joe Ballard. He had never presented a live radio program before, and straight from the off, he proved to be a big hit with BLB's audience, with his warm, witty style. Because of his blindness and his unfamiliarity with the radio studio, I helped Joe with his program in the very early days. And with the combination of youth, I was 21, and showbiz experience, Joe was in his 40s, and a seasoned musical performer, we got on like a house on fire. But more of that on on. Back to the public meeting in the Royal Hotel and Doug McGuire again.

 We decided that we were going to do music, but we were going to do a bigger range of music. And we were going to do community orientated things.



 We also set out to be all inclusive, and we agreed we'd invite community groups within Bray to participate in making their own programs. Alwyn Dixon was very much involved in those early days.

 I don't know that the policies or ideologies for community radio were actually formed at that stage. I mean, I think it was something that we were very instrumental in forming. And everybody was asked their opinion, and we said what we thought it should be a mixture of music and speech, that it should be democratic. We probably didn't use that word. Everybody was welcome. Everybody could get involved. It wasn't just for those in the know or whatever people thought media and broadcasting was about before that. And it was about our town, about ourselves, and about talking to each other. I always remember the phrase, you know, talking over the garden fence. That's what the radio was going to be. That you could listen to the radio and probably maybe hear people you know chatting, maybe even about your own neighborhood, what was going on. And it was very much about the town and the people. I think that was a new idea.

 And I, for one, remember the excitement and anticipation involved in the setting up of that new idea. A radio station that was for the town and people of Bray. But like almost every endeavor, we needed funding. So we put the call out at the meeting, and subsequently we approached potential funders.

 A lot of help from Vincent Kerwin and fundraising and various people in the town, a gang of people got behind us.

 And that gang of five funders, to whom we are eternally grateful, as they were never repaid, were Ken Duff, Vincent Kerwin, Michael McDonald, Peter Melden and John Tuff. They each contributed 100 old pounds each. And this seed capital helped to buy the transmitter and studio equipment. We also ran a number of discos in the town to help raise funds. Interestingly, we recognized that we needed to up our skills to deal with a wider range of programming, including more speech-based radio, so that we could help others to be as good as they could be on air and in production. So I signed up for a radio production techniques course in the Ryark Communication Center on Bewterstown Avenue Dublin, along with John Murphy, Doug McGuire and John Roach. The center was the very place, ironically, where RTE staff received their broadcast training.

 We learned how to present. We learned how to produce documentaries, how to edit tapes, how to record and edit. And we were going to utilize these new skills to teach other people, but also to develop them ourselves.

 That really gave us a foundation of a philosophy of doing it properly, of trying to be clear and communicate properly, learn the tools, which was completely different from any other station in the whole country. There was a lot of stations in Ireland by that time.

 We were indeed learning new skills and really getting ready to make a proper go of this. You've got to remember that we were all in our early 20s and looking back, we all had a sort of determined passion to get this on the air. I'll win again.

 Yeah, I think it was a really exciting time. And I think we were probably so young and so naive and knew so little about what was ahead of us that we just jumped into it. Feed First thought this is going to be brilliant. And it was brilliant. But, you know, as they say, if you knew then what you know now, you might not have jumped in Feed First, but we did.

 So with a transmitter sourced from one Paul Cotter in Stilorgan and a small amount of rudimentary studio equipment acquired, we now needed a premises and to the rescue came a Bray business legend. I did the deal with Joe Duggan to rent a not so luxurious basement flat in Galtram House off Galtram Park, Bray for 15 pounds a week. And that flat became BLB's first home.



 Once we had the equipment installed and the aerial erected, we started test transmissions on 360 meters or eight to eight kilohertz on the medium wave band or AM. Who remembers AM? Listening to all that background noise and whistling, which got worse at night.



 Once we were happy that the technology was all working, we put together a schedule and chose a launch date of Wednesday, the 22nd of August, 1979 at 11 a.m.



 In keeping with trying to get the station off to a professional sounding start, we bought a jingles package from Bay City Studios in Dublin for I think around 300 pounds. The jingles were voiced by broadcasting legend Tony Allen, the former Radio Caroline DJ.



 BLB serving Bray 11 to 11 every day.

 In a few minutes, we'll hear the actual recording from all those years ago. But first, here's Doug McGuire remembering preparing for that first day.



 I had the privilege and the honor, to be honest, of being the first voice heard when the station opened. I had been asked by Mark Quinn and John Murphy, would I put a few words together announcing the radio station and what we stood for. And don't ask me now what I said, but I know at the time I spent some time writing out a couple of paragraphs outlining the goals and the objectives of what BLB radio was about. And I was chuffed to be asked to do that. And it meant a lot to me.

 We are tuned to 36 meters medium wave, eight to eight kilohertz a.m. Good morning and welcome to BLB, very lovely broadcasting.

 You know, it's fascinating for me, listening to Doug's voice on that recording from 1979 and particularly what he's saying. It's really impressive that we were so clear about our philosophy for BLB from the very beginning.

 And the aim of everyone here on BLB is to bring the radio to you, the people, and to bring you, the people, to the radio.

 John Murphy explains how we were thinking at the time.

 The fundamental principle in our community radio philosophy was about giving people a voice, getting away from elitism. But broadcasting was only a one way thing. In our case, it was a two way thing. People could talk, hear what was going on, and it dealt with issues of the day immediately.

 So that briefly is what BLB is all about. You

 know, all this giving people a voice and broadcasting not being too elitist sounds like the beginnings of what has become the ultimate communication tool, the Internet, if that's not too grandiose. But those were our genuine ambitions as a bunch of 20 somethings.

 I would like to wish BLB a very happy and successful future.



 I have been impressed by the ideas and philosophy of this station as outlined to me by Pedi-Fidi and Douglas McGuire.



 Two, as it were, officially launched the station on air. We somehow managed to record and edit together some eminent voices from Bray. People like Councillor Michael Ledwidge, who was chairman of Bray Urban District Council at the time.

 Anything which combined the people of the town into a community is to be welcomed. Good luck to BLB.

 And what independent Councillor Bridget Hannon said in her recording proved that she was way ahead of her time.



 Bray needs this communication to keep it going and to make everyone aware of everybody else. It's a big town, it's spreading out and I think communication will open things up for everyone.

 There were several other speakers that day and after the introductions from most of the Bray Urban District Council of 1979, I jumped in behind the microphone for my first broadcast on BLB.

 And before we start today's broadcasting, a big thank you to Councillor Michael Ledwidge, the chairman of the Bray Urban District Council, Councillor Neil McHugh, Councillor Aidan Murphy, Councillor John Byrne, Councillor Bridget Hannon and finally Mrs. O'Connor. That sure is a lot of councillors.

 Right, shall we hear from the very first presenter of the very first programme on BLB?



 On

 that particular morning, Mark Quinn rang on my bell and we headed off. Mark and I chatted on the way down about me, first of all. I pointed out to Mark about the fact that I couldn't see wasn't to make any difference. I wanted to be treated like a normal human being or as normal as possible and not to be embarrassed about giving out to me or telling me off if I do the wrong thing. So immediately it clicked. We got on well. I can remember this day, we walked into studio, Mark brought me over to the chair and just as I sat down, he shook my hand and he says, "Good luck, Joe. I'm sure you'll make it."

 (Singing)

 Joe Bullard here. Good morning, folks. This is the morning mixture show. Sounds like a dose of medicine, doesn't it? Well, if the morning mixture is a dose of medicine and the dose of medicine makes you feel better, all the better for that.



 Mark had a good knack of telling me where I was going wrong. I wasn't a stupid eejit or a clown or Joe, I wouldn't do it that way if I was you. I suggest you do it this way. And that's what really was a big help to me. And I think that's why we got on so well.



 On that opening night in a feat of engineering, we ran an audio cable all the way from the Royal Starlight Hotel disco back to the studio in Galtram House and we transmitted the disco live on air. Peter Carroll, who was there at the time, remembers.



 Mark Quinn was the DJ that night. Also present, I remember, were John Murphy and John Tuff.



 I remember them both wearing these color white t-shirts with BLB radio roadshouting. It was in black, red and blue writing.



 And they linked with hand command John Matthews in the studio who would take regular links to see how things were going.

 A very young Jer Hayes was also in the audience that night.

 It was great. I mean, for people of that era age group that were 40 and 50, this was something special, something new. We sort of felt something good was happening. And there was a telly boy dancing competition which I'd won and I won a fiver.



 Afterwards I was interviewed by Mark Quinn for the radio. And Mark jokingly said, "You must come down sometime and there's been a few discs." So that was it. I was back knocking on the door the following week with an armful of records.

 And that visit to the studio was the start of a regular spot on the station for Jer Hayes and what turned out to be one of BLB's longest running programs, the Rock and Roll Revival Show. From that very first day on the 22nd of August 1979, BLB never looked back. Joe Bullard took to broadcasting like a duck to water and quickly morning mixture became one of the station's most listens to programs.

 More even mind you.



 How are you this morning? Welcome to morning mixture. As I say, how are you?

 Good form, I hope. Joe had the advantage of knowing the music, knowing the people and knowing himself. He was not there to pretend to be anything other than Joe Bullard. And actually Joe Bullard was what people liked.

 All sorts of things that would keep you informed as to what's happening in the area and surrounding areas as well.

 In 1979 on RTÉ Radio, the great Gay Byrne had a massive audience from 9 to 11. So we decided to pitch Joe Bullard's show from 11 to 1 and it proved successful. In fairness to Joe, he put the preparation in and was constantly trying new ideas, like his seaweed for example.

 In the morning time, I'd listen to the weather forecast on RTÉ and I'd say, right, it's going to be a nice day in break today. I'd say, good morning. Well, just in case you don't know, I have at home a piece of seaweed that I hang out the window and if it comes in dry, it's going to be a fine day. It's just an imaginary piece of seaweed. But people believed I had this piece of seaweed, so much so that they'd either meet me in the street on the way down or a ring in and say, what does Joe's seaweed say? We will have lots more rain. It was damp, exceedingly so wet actually, when I drew it in from the window this morning. Now it wasn't wet from the rain the night before, or from last night. The end of it was wet, which means that it was, could happen this evening. So there you are. You have been warned Ed. You have been warned. Here we are getting us off to a lively finger tapping start. So one particular day, it was a bit naughty, but I did what I probably wasn't thinking a bit hyper and I said, well, the seaweed says it's going to be a nice, it was a lovely summer's day. It's going to be a nice warm day today. So, okay, Mrs. You've got plenty of time to hang your knickers out on the line.



 And I, you shouldn't have said that. But anyway, I wrapped on and went on. There was no, nobody complained until I went home.



 Whoops. Well, I suppose the moral of the story is to think before you speak. Joe Ballard went on to continue with his program on BLB right through its nine years of broadcasting life. He worked on all manner of shows, including outside broadcasts and worked with various producers, including one John Bach McCann.

 To work with Joe was a wonderful experience, especially when he was doing an outside broadcast.

 I only knew him as Bach.

 We have a button you press on the desk. He can talk to you in between songs, whatever.

 Modern day guy.

 And he would say, this is what the playlist is, but it could be subject to change.

 He was the first guy that asked me had I got any ZZ Top albums. I'd never heard of ZZ. I've got a clue.

 You know, you're a live on air.



 And he says straight after this break, he says we're going to have a particular song.

 This one came in from Betty as well. This one I'm doing off the top of my head. It's the Pavarotti track and his version of Parnus Angelicus. If we've got it down there in the studio at the moment,

 it wasn't in the pile. So I had literally 40 seconds to get out into the library, find the song, bring it in by.

 Okay, right. 829359. Here's Pavarotti just to sing for you.

 And when he heard that, he got it. That was the magic. But I was being queued in with the Goya Wugelman

 right through the eighties at that time of the morning.

 Adrian Kennedy also worked alongside Joe.

 Where he'd fierce competition from the big pirate stations, but also from Gabe Earn on Radio One. Joe was a celebrity in Bray on our small radio station. And everything else was kind of built around what Joe was doing. And he was he was just a genius.

 Ah, yes, as we used to say, or team may have gable, but we have Joe Bo. He was an inspiration to others on the station, including Daphne Mitchell.

 Joe Bullitt, watching him on the mixer, inspired me to make sure that I knew how to do things. He was a magic person in himself. He really was, you know, good old Joe.

 I wouldn't tell my listener a lie. Hi, sweetie. It's on the wrong turntable to start with. A cringe when I think of it. Now I'm off now. That's the last on the program. I'm off for me Rasher sandwich. I used to eat red meat then. I don't even know. And I'm off for me Rasher sandwich. Now Joe Bullitt is saying, till tomorrow, slán. And I'd be gone.



 Next time on the story, the fun of making radio.

 Radio is hard. First of all, you have to think about what you're going to say and how you got to plan it. How you got to organize it because you don't have any time to think once it's going. And then there is the fact that you're actually talking into a vacuum.



 There was a yellow button and there's lots of black buttons.



 And for the life of me, I couldn't remember what the yellow button was.



 My sincere thanks to all of the participants in this series.



 Sound recording was by Mike Quinn and sound mixing was by Luke Conlon, both of Highwire post-production Dublin.



 The LB, Sounds from the Past, Memories of Pirate Radio and Stories of Bray Local Broadcasting was produced and presented by me, Mark Quinn and is a radiogenic production.