'I'd only meant to stay a few months aboard Radio Caroline. Ronan O'Rahilly's magnetism kept me there for years'

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I'd only meant so stay a few months aboard Radio Caroline. Ronan O'Rahilly's magnetism kept me there for years. Steve Conway pays tribute to the original radio pirate

Steve Conway THE MANY NEWS stories and tributes following the passing of Ronan O’Rahilly underline the fact that as the founder of the pirate station Radio Caroline, he played a massive role in changing the face of radio in the UK, praise which he richly deserves.

Disc jockey Simon Dee smokes his way through a pile of records in his small glass fronted studio on board Radio Caroline, a floating transmitting station operating in international waters off Felixstowe, Suffolk. 1964 Source: PA Notoriously cagey after battling officialdom for two decades, he would often pass instructions in code, chopped and changed meeting venues regularly, and on one occasion interrogated me for what felt like hours to see if I was really who I said I was or an Irish Secret Service agent.“That’s what they want you to think” he replied.

You were told not to look at it, not to draw attention. People might be watching. The amount was highly variable and bore no relation to the length of time you had just spent on the ship. It was whatever Ronan could afford, at that particular moment. But you left the café walking on air. Somehow he had made you feel a million feet tall.

“Caroline is not metal or steel,” he told me often. “Caroline is not a fixed point. Caroline can be anywhere.” “That was amazing, man, you could feel the love and good vibes pouring out of you and across the airwaves,” he said.

 

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'The station revolutionised radio for a generation': Ronan O'Rahilly, founder of Radio Caroline, dies aged 79'The station revolutionised radio for a generation': Ronan O'Rahilly, founder of the iconic Radio Caroline, has died aged 79 As someone who grew up in rural Ireland in the 70's/80's, I only knew of Radio Caroline by reputation, sadly. I do, now, understand and appreciate it's impact. The DJ's that went on from it to other stations opened up broadcasting for rural refugees, like myself. I spent my teenage summers on Jameson’s Beach in Howth listening to Radio Caroline, happy carefree days. He changed the face of radio for ever.
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Irishman who founded Radio Caroline and ‘changed radio forever’ diesRonan O’Rahilly (79) set up the pirate radio station on a ship in 1964 I remember fondly listening to radio Caroline late at night. Hard for the younger generation perhaps to imagine how radical it was then ❤️ RIP PatrickJMB Remember listening to ‘Caroline at boarding school on others elicit crystal radio sets.
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