Waterford had its pirate radio scene brilliantly documented a few years back courtesy of Radio Blaa Blaa & The Sounds Of The Suir, now it’s The People’s Republic’s turn with TV3 man Trevor Welch and his broadcaster brother Noel penning The Jolly Roger: Pirate Radio Days In Cork.
A must for all self-respecting anoraks, it includes interviews with such familiar names as John Creedon, Neil Prendeville and Mark Cagney who cut their teeth on the illicit likes of CBC, Radio City, CCLR, ERI and the mighty South Coast before going legit. Its 198-pages are packed with incredible yarns and some very embarrassing photos of the key players.
Among those fallen comrades remembered is Keith Yorke, the MacGyver-like engineer and DJ who helped turn the aforementioned South Coast into one Ireland’s slickest operations and Tony Allen, the Radio Caroline legend who went worldwide as the voice of Guinness.
“My musical education began not with the mighty BBC or RTÉ but with the pirates of Cork city, chasing the likes of Tubeway Army, Blondie or The Specials around the dial,” notes Ashley Keating from The Frank & Walters. “This book captures what Cork is all about - the creativity, the attitude and the madness!”
The Jolly Roger is published by Currach Press priced €14.99.