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Irish Pirate Radio Recordings

Thursday 9 July 2020

Revealed - The World's Largest Pirate Radio Operator, The Irish Catholic Church




The 1988 Wireless Telegraphy Act states:
(1)   A broadcast shall not be made from any premises or vehicle in the State unless it
is made pursuant to and in accordance with a licence issued by the Minister.
 Where a broadcast is made in contravention of subsection (1) of this section,
each of the following shall be guilty of an offence:
(a)    any person who is the owner of, or is in control or is concerned in the
management of, any premises or vehicle from which the broadcast is
made and who knowingly permits or suffers the broadcast to take place,
and
      (2) Where a broadcast is made in contravention of subsection (1) of this section, each of the following shall be guilty of an offence:
 
    (a) any person who is the owner of, or is in control or is concerned in the management of, any premises or vehicle from which the broadcast is made and who knowingly permits or suffers the broadcast to take place, and
      (3) Where in proceedings for an offence under this section it is proved that a broadcast took place from a particular premises or vehicle and that the defendant was, at the time of the alleged offence, the owner of, or in control or concerned in the management of, the premises or vehicle, then, unless there is sufficient other evidence to raise an issue as to whether the defendant knowingly permitted or suffered the broadcast to be made, he shall be treated as having so permitted or suffered the broadcast to be made.
     (4) The provisions of subsection (1) of this section are in addition to those of sections 2  (1) and 3 (1) of the Act of 1968 and nothing in this section shall be construed as amending the said section 2 (1) or 3 (1).
    4.—(1) A person who does any of the acts mentioned in subsection (2) of this section, while satisfying the condition as to knowledge or belief specified in relation to the act, shall be guilty of an offence

It also states
     (2) The acts, and the conditions as to knowledge or belief, referred to in subsection (1) of this section are the following:
(a) making available to another any premises or vehicle or any other thing knowing, or having reasonable cause to believe, that broadcasts are to be made from it in contravention of section 3 (1) of this Act;
( b) having or keeping, or agreeing to have or to keep, apparatus for wireless telegraphy knowing, or having reasonable cause to believe, that by means thereof broadcasts have been, are being or are to be made in contravention of the said section 3 (1);
(c) supplying any apparatus for wireless telegraphy for installation on or in, or installing any such apparatus on or in, any premises or vehicle or any other thing knowing, or having reasonable cause to believe, that, by means of that apparatus, broadcasts are to be made in contravention of the said section 3 
(d) repairing or maintaining any apparatus for wireless telegraphy knowing, or having reasonable cause to believe, that, by means of that apparatus, broadcasts have been, are being or are to be made in contravention of the said Section 3.

Adding,

Publishing dates, times or programme schedules which relate to broadcasts which, if made, would be made in contravention of the   said section3 (1) or (otherwise than by publishing such particulars) publishing an advertisement of matter calculated to promote, directly or indirectly, the interests of a business whose activities consist of or include the operation of a station from which broadcasts are, or are to be, made in contravention of the said section 3.


In December 1988, this new Act, which replaced the lax 1926 Act, forced the plethora of pirate radio stations across Ireland to close and they were subsequently replaced with legal commercial alternatives. But now over thirty years after the ‘great closedown’ another plethora of pirate radio stations fill the Irish airwaves, the length and the breath of the country. They are not the type of radio stations that once populated the airwaves in the 70’s and 80’s but rather a more niche broadcaster, on air a couple of times a week and despite the availability of a legal alternative pathway onto the airwaves, these pirates have decided the break the law and incur the possibility of a €10,000 fine and a possible prison sentence for illegal broadcasting.

When the race for the new independent commercial licences was under way in 1988 and 1989, the Catholic Church made it clear it would not be applying for licences to run religious radio stations under the new local radio legislation. A spokesman at the Catholic Press Office confirmed that the Church was not interested in running any radio station that would broadcast completely religious programming. However, the Church said it would consider becoming involved in community radio. According to the Catholic Press Office, any involvement in radio would be "ecumenical" and would reflect "orthodox community broadcasting lines". 

Yet by 2020 we are in the midst of a pirate radio phenomenon that is being led by the clergy of the Irish Catholic Church. Between January and June 2020, 95 low powered unlicensed pirate radio stations were broadcasting services from churches across Ireland and across the FM frequency dial. In the late 1990’s, churches especially in rural Ireland began to make use of a number of the now defunct pirate radio transmitters and CB radio systems to install stations in their churches to broadcast mass to the predominantly Catholic Ireland. These services were aimed at those who could not make it to the church whether it was through illness, transport issues or if they were resident in care facilities. They would broadcast Mass on a Sunday morning, religious services such as the rosary in the evenings or the Stations of the Cross at Easter but more recently they have been broadcasting bingo sessions, quiz nights and rather than being on air just on a Sunday, they are now operating seven days a week.

Symbolic of the time was the newspaper report in the Mayo News on April 29th 1998 which reported on a parish radio system being set up in Galway,
‘A parish radio system has been installed in the Parish Church in Renmore. It enables the priests to broadcast Mass and all church services to homes who have housebound people. There is a special portable receiver provided to homes at a cost of £3.50 per month which is paid half-yearly at £21.50. Anyone interested should contact the parochial house.’

The amateur pirate broadcasters were however falling foul of the authorities. The Longford Leader reported in November 2002 that Annaduff Parish Radio which was the ‘brainchild of Father Kevin O’Sullivan’ was closed down by the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland as being an unlicensed operation due to a complaint received by them. In the Leitrim Observer a listener observed,
‘seems there was a busybody in our midst who reported the broadcast which was termed illegal under the Act’.
 The service had been broadcasting services from both Annaduff and Drumsna parish churches aimed at the sick and elderly parishioners of the parishes.

In 2006, the spectrum enforcement agency ComReg (Communications Regulator) announced that they had been receiving complaints from Dublin air traffic control that approaching pilots to Dublin Airport were encountering interference with air to ground communications. The pilots reported that they had picked up ‘mass’ on their headsets. According to an article in the Irish Examiner on May 9th 2006,
‘Churches broadcasting Mass on the radio to housebound worshippers have unexpectedly found a new audience, pilots flying transatlantic planes at 30,000ft. Now churches across the country have had to cease their daily FM broadcasts following fears over interference with air traffic control communications. But the ban has come under fire from priests as well as parishioners, who said the religious broadcasts were a lifeline for the housebound. Father Brendan Quinlan used to broadcast Mass on the 106.5FM frequency from the Mother of Divine Grace Church in Finglas, Dublin, to listeners at three nearby nursing homes.’

The issue was immediately raised on the RTE Joe Duffy’s Liveline radio programme, one caller said,
“These broadcasts were greatly appreciated, especially by the housebound. It was a lifeline, they kept in touch with what’s happening but we had no idea it was causing any interference.”

ComReg swiftly enforced the closures contacting a number of churches to explain the need to immediately switch off their transmitters and to comply with the legislation. Many of the church stations at that time broadcast at the higher end of the FM band between 106mhz and 108mhz. Within months after this move by ComReg, that high end of the FM band became populated by transmitters for the almost national roll-out of Newstalk radio in September 2006, which previously had broadcast to Dublin only, since April 2002. The broadcasts of Newstalk were never reported as interfering with air band frequencies. In a Seanad debate in Dail Eireann on May 9th 2006, Independent Senator Joe O’Toole said,
‘Over the past few days, the might and mass of the State has been brought to bear on the housebound who cannot attend mass or services. They are generally aged people who receive a local radio broadcast of mass and religious service from their churches. They are, however, being treated as villains and those providing the service are being criminalised. ComReg has ordered the broadcast services to be stopped as they are interfering with air traffic control. This kind of action gives politics a bad name. Although ComReg has an important function to ensure the airwaves are protected, it must also be recognised that the airwaves are the people's property.’
In the same debate Senator Tom Kitt added,
‘I wish to support the comments made regarding local parish radio masts. I know from personal experience in my parish that they have been of great benefit to the elderly and the housebound. Headlines to the effect that radio masts pose a threat to aircraft and that the regulator would shut down such transmitters are somewhat over the top. It is a grey area and people have been accused of acting illegally by broadcasting mass or even possessing broadcasting equipment. I hope this matter can be clarified and there should be a dedicated radio frequency for parishes to broadcast mass. Although the House could hold a debate in this regard, the quickest solution would be for the regulator to decide on a frequency and allow the resumption of parish masses on radio.’
In the Dail, the then Minister for Communications Noel Dempsey informed the chamber,
‘ComReg has been contacted by the Irish Aviation Authority regarding frequency interference with Air Traffic Control systems and as result of its inquiries, ComReg has contacted three churches in counties Kildare, Meath and Kilkenny in relation to the transmission of religious services. ComReg fully understands the importance of such local community services and intends to permit wireless public address systems to meet the needs of religious and other community organisations.’

Someone is keeping a close eye on the FM aerial at Mountrath

The Catholic Church station in Kinnegad, Co. Meath was one of the station’s identified as causing interference. They had been broadcasting on 107.5mhz and when the station was closed by ComReg the Parish Priest Father Thomas Gilroy said
"I believe from talking to ComReg that some pilots were complaining. I think aeroplanes flying at 30,000 feet were picking up sermons from Kinnegad. Personally, I found ComReg very helpful in all of this. It's no big story, just the usual thing that comes up at national level. It's just a glitch in the system. We were broadcasting on 107.5 or 107.6fm and we were asked to stop. It's a national problem, a fact of the technology. There just don't seem to be enough airwaves."
While ComReg identified Kinnegad Parish radio as just one of a number of transmissions across the country that was interfering with radio frequencies on passing aircraft, the interference demanded the closure of the stations. The Church community radio had been broadcasting every day to the Kinnegad parishioners, including 8.30am mass each morning and the Rosary at 7.30pm.

Other parishes took a far more cavalier approach to the order to close and desist from illegally using the FM band. According to the Donegal News
‘Churches across the Raphoe Diocese regularly broadcast Mass within their local area to allow those who are housebound or ill to hear Sunday Services. Speaking this week in Letterkenny Father Michael McKeever said that despite reports of churches stopping this service for fear of legal action by Comreg, he had received no notification to quit broadcasting.
"As far as I know most parish churches have a radio transmitter on the roof and anyone who can tune into the frequency on their ordinary radio can hear Mass from their local church. It is a service greatly appreciated by those who are housebound or ill. Comreg have a job to do to protect the airwaves and if these broadcasts have to be licensed, we will take it from there,” Fr McKeever said.
He added that it was only last week a parishioner outside the Letterkenny area had said to him how much she appreciated having the Mass broadcast from her own parish church because she had been unable to get out to attend services one Sunday. It allowed her to feel part of her own praying community.
Fr McKeever said that he was aware that churches in Northern Ireland had already been banned from broadcasting Mass from localised transmitters because of the interference with other radio waves.’

St. John’s parish in Kilkenny were very unhappy with having to switch off their illegal transmitter.
‘We were forced to silence our Church Radio system. Because we were engaging in an illegal activity, our bishop, Laurence Forristal, instructed us to stop. We therefore switched off the transmitter after a brief statement to our many listeners before the 10.30am Mass on that morning. It should be noted, however, that it is a verifiable and indisputable fact that St John's radio broadcasts were never and could never be any source of danger to any kind of aircraft, large or small. Our religious services wert broadcast on 96.8 Mhz. Nevertheless, it is true to say that we were unlicensed and therefore illegal. The tragic thing about this new silence is that hundreds of the weak, the vulnerable, the voiceless, the sick, and the lonely are now deprived of daily and weekend worship in communion with our parish church. Reflect for one moment on this if such an action today, in 21st century Ireland, were applied to other faiths, such as to Jews, Muslims, Hindus, etc, what would the reaction be? Would they roll over and say, "let's be grateful for any few crumbs that fall from the master's table" as they were fobbed-off with a ridiculous alternative, like CB Radio?’

The solution was to licence churches to broadcast on the CB channels in the 27mhz frequency band. Once a parish had installed a transmitter and aerial at the church, the parishioners would then purchase a receiver that would allow them to hear the broadcasts. Noel O’Flynn, chairman of the Dail’s Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, said
“The move will be a huge relief to thousands of people across the country. They were left without their Church services while ComReg was investigating complaints that certain radio frequencies may have been interfering with aircraft controls.”

This system became known as ‘The Wireless Public Address System’ (WPAS). According to the ComReg website,
Wireless Public Address System
The Wireless Public Address System (WPAS) licensing scheme allows churches and community-based organizations throughout the country to cater for parishioners who are housebound and unable to attend church or other community services.
Application Form : To apply for a license please download the application form - Wireless Public Address System (WPAS) Application Form - 06 / 26a.
Applications should be submitted via email to licensing@comreg.ie .
A fee of € 100 applies to all WPAS license applications.

Churches, including St. Munchin’s in Limerick, said that it would cost almost €5,000[1] to purchased the transmitter and the aerial to put the CB system on the air and then charges of between €40 and €70 would be bourne by the parishioner to purchase a receiver often sold from the Parochial office. Another parish in the Limerick Diocese at Moyvane parish encouraged a fund raising drive to collect € 10,820[2] to pay for the installation of a WPAS radio station in their parish church. That was twice the amount that its fellow parish said it required to open a similar station at the same time.

But within three years of the introduction of the Comreg licensing scheme, newspaper reports were appearing indicating that the local Catholic churches were migrating back to FM. In an Irish Examiner article in November 2009 headlined, ‘Priest launches ‘pirate’ station to broadcast Mass to parishioners’ written by Gordon Deegan, it revealed that Father Brendan Quinlivan of Feakle parish in County Clare had put an illegal FM transmitter on 104.3mhz to broadcast Mass to an 8km radius of the church.

The parish priest said that the radio service is a means of combating rural isolation in the area, remarking that RTÉ doesn’t broadcast Sunday Mass any more on the FM frequency. Local Fianna Fail councillor Pat Hayes said: “It is a great initiative, particularly in the winter time when it is harder for older people to get out.
“Older people feel that they have missed something, that their weekend has not been fulfilled if they are unable to get to Mass. It is very valuable what Fr Quinlivan is doing.”
The article went onto to say to quote the Pirate Priest,
“I don’t have a licence, but the service is for less than one hour each week. It is on a very limited scale and for a very small purpose”.
In response a spokesman for Comreg said that
“any broadcast on the FM frequency without a licence is illegal. Anyone who doesn’t have a licence to broadcast may be causing interference.”
It went back to the original issue in 2006 when it said that unauthorised broadcasting on the FM band can cause interference with the emergency services and air traffic control. As Fr Quinlivan’s broadcast could reach to homes within an 8km radius, it is also reaching 8km into the air, said the Comreg spokesperson.

By 2016, there were numerous stations across Ireland broadcasting Mass in the 27mhz waveband. A DXer and radio listener in Finland picked up many of these stations and both listed them, recorded them and sought verification from the various Catholic churches. Harri Kajula’s 2016 list consisted of 219 different Parish radio stations in the Republic of Ireland. Kujula is located at Naantali in South West Finland and as one priest wrote to him in reply to a reception report, Fr. Shane Crombie from Tullamore Parish wrote "Harri! Congratulations! Such a wonderful and unique project: they say there is a website for everything; now it is true!"



LOCATION                CHURCH                    ADDRESS      LOGGED            FREQUENCY
Adare Parish
Holy Trinity Abbey Ch.
Adare -
Limerick Co.
Oct 2011
 27.621 / LW03
 Aughrim Street Church
 Aughrim Street Parish
 Dublin 7,
 Dublin Co.
 Nov 2014
  27,612 / LW02
 Arklow Parish
 SS Mary & Peter Church
 Arklow -
 Wicklow Co.
 Oct 2013
  27.631 / LW04
 Askeaton Parish
 St Mary's Church
 Askeaton,
 Limerick Co.
 Dec 2014
  27.332 / CH
 Athea Parish
 St. Bartholomew´s Church
 Athea,
 Limerick Co.
 Feb 2014
  27.025 / CH
 Balally Parish
 Church of the Ascension
 of the Lord
 Dublin 15,
 Dublin Co.
 Oct 2014
 27.711 / LW12
 Balbriggan Parish
 SS Peter & Paul Church
 Co. Dublin
 Nov 2012
 27.755 / UW16
 Ballindaggin Parish
 St Patrick's Church
 Kiltealy
 Wexford Co
 Oct 2013
 27.675 / UW08
 Ballintemple Parish
 St Michael's Church,
 Potahee
 Ballinagh,
 Cavan Co.
 Dec 2014
  27.601 / LW01
 Ballivor & Kildalkey
 Church of
 St.Columbanus'
 Ballivor,
 Meath Co.
 Feb 2014
  27.665 / UW07
 Ballybrack & Killiney P.
 Church of the Apostles
 Ballybrack,
 Co. Dublin
 Nov 2014
  27.891 / LW30
 Ballybunion Parish
 St John's Church
 Ballybunion,
 Kerry Co.
 Nov 2014
  27.631 / LW04
 Ballyboden Parish
 Church of Our Lady of
 Good Counsel
 Ballyboden
 Dublin Co.
 Feb 2014
  27.771 / LW18
 Ballycullane Parish
 (Gusserane local)
 St John the Baptist
 Church
 Gusserane,
 Wexford Co
 Oct 2013
  27.305 / CH
 Ballydonoghue Parish
 St Teresa´s Church
 Ballydonoghue
 Kerry Co.
Dec 2014
 27.005 / CH
 Ballygall Parish
 Our Mother Of
 Divine Grace
 Ballygall,
 Dublin Co.
 Oct 2013
  27.851 / LW26
 Ballyheigue Parish
 St Mary's Church
 Ballyheigue,
 Kerry Co.
 Nov 2011
  27.611 / LW02
 Ballylongford Parish
 Church of St Michael
 the Archangel
 Ballylongford
 Kerry Co.
 Nov 2013
 27.651 / LW06
 Ballyragget Parish
 St Patrick's Church
 Ballyragget,
 Kilkenny Co.
 Nov 2013
 27.631 / LW04
 Ballyroan Parish
 Church of the Holy Spirit
 Marian Road
 Dublin 14
 Oct 2014
  27.811 / LW22
 Beaumont Parish
 Church of the Nativity
 of Our Lord
 Beaumount,
 Dublin Co.
 Oct 2013
 27.635 / UW04
 Blarney Parish
 Church of the
 Immaculate Conception
 Blarney,
 Cork Co.
 Dec 2011
 27.831 / LW24
 Bluebell Parish
 Our Lady of the Wayside
 Church
 Dublin 12,
 Dublin Co.
 Nov 2015
 27.305 / CH
 Boherbue & Kiskeam
 Parish
 Church of the
 Immaculate Conception
 Boherbue.
 Kerry Co.
 Oct 2013
 27.815 / UW22
 Boherbue & Kiskeam
 Parish
 Church of the Sacred Heart
 Kiskeam,
 Kerry Co.
 Nov 2014
 27.205 / CH
 Brackenstown Parish
 St. Cronan´s Church
 Swords,
 Dublin Co.
 Oct 2013
 27.891 / LW30
 Bruff - Meanus - Grange
 Parish
 St. Peter & Paul Church
 Bruff,
 Limerick Co.
 Nov 2013
 27.601 / LW01
 Buttevant Parish
 St Mary's Church
 Buttevant,
 Cork Co.
 Mar 2014
 27.601 / LW01
 Cabra West Parish
 Church of the Most
 Precious Blood
 Dublin 7
 Dublin Co
 Oct 2014
  27.891 / LW30
 Caherciveen Parish
 Daniel O´Connell
 Memorial Church
 Caherciveen,
 Kerry Co.
 Feb 2014
  27.601 / LW01
 Caherdavin Parish
 Church of Christ the King
 Caherdavin,
 Limerick Co.
 Feb 2014
  27.731 / LW14
 Caltra Parish
 Our Lady of Lourdes Ch.
 Caltra,
 Galway Co.
 Oct 2013
  27.365 / CH
 Carlingford and
 Omeath Parish
 Church of St. Laurence
 Omeath,
 Louth Co.
 Dec 2014
  27.245 / CH
 Carrickbeg & Windgap
  Parish
 St. Molleran's Church
 Carrick-on-Suir
 Tipperary Co.
 Nov 2014
  27.781 / LW09
 Carrick-on-Suir &
 Faugheen Parish
 St Nicholas Church
 Carrick-on-S.
 Tipperary Co.
 Oct 2013
  27.715 / UW12
 Carrigtwohill Parish
 St Mary's Church
 Carrigtwohill,
 Cork Co.
 Nov 2013
  27.811 / LW22
 Castlecomer Parish
 Church of the
 ImmaculateConception
 Castlecomer,
 Kilkenny Co .
 Feb 2014
  27.601 / LW01
 Castledermot Parish
 Church of the
 Assumption
 Castledermot,
 Kildare Co.
 Feb 2014
  27.785 / UW19
 Castletown Parish
 St Patrick's Church
 Gorey,
 Wexford Co.
 Nov 2014
  27.651 / LW06
 Castleisland Parish
 St. Stephen &
 St. John Church
 Castleisland,
 Kerry Co.
 Jan 2014
  27.631 / LW04
 Castlelyons Parish
 St Nichola's Church
 Castlelyons,
 Cork Co.
 Oct 2013
  27.345 / CH
 Castletown -
 Geoghedan Parish
 St Michael's Church
 Castletown- G.
 Weastmeath Co
 Nov 2011
  27.665 / UW07
 Charleville Parish
 Holy Cross Church
 Charleville,
 Cork Co.
 Feb 2015
  27.025 / CH
 Churchtown Parish
 St Joseph Church
 Liscarroll,
 Cork Co .
 Oct 2013
  27.805 / UW21
 Clane and Rachcoffey
 Parish
 St. Patrick and St Brigid
 Church
 Clane,
 Kildare Co.
 Nov 2012
 27.651 / LW06
 Clarecastle & Ballyea
 Parish
 SS Peter and Paul
 Church
 Clarecastle,
 Clare Co.
 Nov 2013
 27.795 / UW20
 Clonaslee Parish
 St Manman's Church
 Clonaslee,
 Co Laois
 Nov 2014
 27.681 / LW09
 Clonskeagh Parish
 Church of the
 Miraculous Medal
 Dublin 14,
 Dublin Co.
 Nov 2015
 27.405 / CH
 Cloyne Parish
 St Colmcille Church
 Churchtown
 South, Cork
 Nov 2011
 27.911 / LW32
 Confey Parish
 St Charles Borromeo
 Church
 Leixlip,
 Kildare Co.
 Oct 2013
 27.841 / LW25
 Corpus Christi Parish
 Corpus Christi Church
 Drumcondra,
 Dublin 9
 Nov 2013
 27.691 / LW10
 Croagh Parish
 St. John the Baptist
 Church
 Croagh,
 Limerick Co.
 Mar 2014
 27.735 / UW14
 Croom Parish
 St Mary's Church
 Croom,
 Limerick Co.
 Oct 2013
 27.175 / CH
 Dolphins Barn Parish
 Church of Our Lady
 of Dolours
 Dolphins Barn
 Dublin 8
 Oct 2013
 27.871 / LW28
 Donaghmede-Clongriffin-
 Balgriffin Parish
 Holy Trinity Church
 Donaghmede
 Dublin Co.
 Nov 2011
 27.711 / LW12
 Donnybrook Parish 
 Church of the Sacred Heart
 Donnybrook,
 Dublin 4
 Nov 2014
 27.761 / LW17
 Dromcollogher –
 Broadford Parish
 Our Lady of the Snows
 Church
 Broadford,
 Limerick Co.
 Oct 2013
 27.365 / CH
 Dromcollogher –
 Broadford Parish
  St. Bartholomew's Church
 Dromcollogher,
 Limerick Co.
 Nov 2015
 27.275 / CH
 Drum Parish
 SS Peter & Paul
 Church
 Athlone,
 Roscommon
 Nov 2012
 27.611 / LW02
 Dunlavin Parish
 Church of St. Nicholas
 of Myra
 Dunlavin,
 Wexford Co.
 Oct 2013
 27185 / CH
 Durrow Parish
 Holy Trinity Church
 Durrow,
 Co. Laois
 Dec 2014
 27.365 / CH
 Ennis Parish
 Ennis Cathedral
 Ennis,
 Clare Co.
 Nov 2011
 27.771 / LW18
 Fedamore Parish
 St John the Baptist Church
 Fedamore,
 Limerick Co.
 Dec 2014
 27.075 / CH
 Fermoy Parish
 St Patrick Church
 Fermoy,
 Cork Co.
 Oct 2013
 27.695 / UW10
 Finglas Parish
 St Canice´s Church
 Finglas,
 Dublin 11
 Oct 2013
 27.405 / CH
 Francis Xavier Parish
 Francis Xavier Church
 Gardiner Str.
 Dublin 1
 Oct 2014
 27.911 / LW40
 Glenmore Parish
 St James Chruch
 Glenmore,
 Kilkenny Co.
 Feb 2014
 27.185 / CH
 Glounthaune Parish
 Sacred Heart Church
 Glounthaune,
 Cork Co.
 Oct 2013
 27.665 / UW07
 Good Sheperd Parish
 Chruch of the
 Good Sheperd
 Dublin 14,
 Dublin Co.
 Nov 2014
 27.991 / LW40
 Grenagh Parish
 St. Lachteen Church
 Grenagh,
 Cork Co.
 Oct 2014
 27.435 / CH
 Holy Redeemer Parish
 Holy Redeemer Church
 Bray,
 Dublin Co.
 Nov 2011
 27.631 / LW04
 Horeswood Parish
 St James Church
 Horeswood,
 Wexford Co.
 Oct 2013
 27.225 / CH
 Howth Parish
 Church of the
 Assumption
 Howth,
 Dublin Co.
 Oct 2011
 27.745 / UW15
 Inagh and Kilnamona
 Church of the
 Immaculate Conception
 Inagh,
 Co Clare
 Nov 2014
 27.612 / LW02
 Inniscarra Parish
 St Mary's Church
 Berrings,
 Cork Co.
 Feb 2014
 27.605 / UW01
 Kenmare Parish
 Holy Cross Church
 Kenmare,
 Kerry Co.
 Oct 2013
 27.275 / CH
 Kilbarrack - Foxfield
 Parish
 St. John the Evangelist
 Church
 Kilbarrack,
 Dublin 5
 Feb 2014
 27.601 / LW01
 Kilfinane Parish
 St Andrew´s Church
 Kilfinane,
 Limerick Co.
 Oct 2013
 27.151 / CH
 Killann Parish
 St Patrick's Church
 Shercock,
 Cavan Co.
 Dec 2014
 27.981 / LW39
 Killarney Parish
 St. Mary's Cathedral
 Killarney,
 Kerry Co.
 Oct 2013
 27.991 / LW40
 Killavullen, & Annakissa
 Parish
 St. Nicholas´ Church
 Killavullen,
 Cork Co.
 Oct 2014
 27,395 / CH
 Kill-o’-the-Grange Parish
 Church of the Holy
 Family
 Dun Laoghaire,
 Dublin Co.
 Oct 2013
 27.831 / LW24
 Kilmacud Parish
 Church of St. Laurence
 O’Toole
 Kilmacud,
 Dublin Co.
 Feb 2014
 27.691 / LW10
 Kilmaley Parish
 St John the Baptist
 Church
 Kilmaley,
 Clare Co.
 Feb 2014
 27.185 / CH
 Kilmallock Parish
 SS Peter & Paul Church
 Kilmallock,
 Limerick Co.
 Oct 2013
 27.505 / CH
 Kilmore Road West
 Parish
 St. Luke the Evangelist
 Church
 Kilmore West
 Dublin 5
 Oct 2013
 27.921 / LW33
 Kilrush Parish
 St Senan´s Church
 Kilrush,
 Clare Co.
 Oct 2013
 27.891 / LW30
 Kilsheelan & Kilcash
 Parish
 St Mary's Church
 Gambonsfield,
 Tipperary Co
 Oct 2013
 27.755 / UW16
 Kinsale Parish
 St John the Baptist Church
 Kinsale,
 Cork Co.
 Nov 2014
 27.791 / LW20
 Knockbridge Parish
 St Brigid's Church
 Knockbridge E.
 Cavan Co.
 Nov 2015
 27.225 / CH
 Laragh Parish
 St Brigid's Church
 Laragh,
 Cavan Co.
 Nov 2014
 27.751 / LW16
 Lixnaw Parish
 St Michael's Church
 Lixnaw,
 Kerry Co.
 Oct 2013
 27.891 / LW30
 Mahoonagh Parish
 St John The Baptist
 Church
 Castlemahon,
 Limerick Co.
 Nov 2012
 27.835 / UW24
 Mahoonagh Parish
 St Mary's Church
 Feohanagh,
 Limerick Co.
 Mar 2014
 27.831 / LW24
 Mallow Parish
 St Mary's Church
 Mallow,
 Cork Co.
 Mar 2014
 27.691 / LW10
 Manorhamilton Parish
 S. Clare´s Church
 Manorhamilton,
 Leitrim Co.
 Nov 2014
 27.891 / LW30
 Marino Parish
 St Vincent de Paul
 Church
 Marino,
 Dublin 3
 Oct 2013
 27.035 / CH
 Marley Grange Parish
 Church of the
 Divine Word
 Dublin 16
 Dublin Co.
 Nov 2014
 27.701 / LW11
 Mary Immaculate Parish
 Church of Mary
 Immaculate
 Inchicore,
 Dublin 8
 Nov 2014
 27.819 / LW23
 Mayfield Parish (Upper)
 Our Lady Crowned
 Church
 Mayfield,
 Cork Co.
 Nov 2011
 27.981 / LW39
 Meadowbrook Parish
 St Attracta’s Church
 Ballinteer,
 Dublin 16
 Oct 2014
 27.771 / LW18
 Midleton Parish
 Church of the Most Holy
 Rosary
 Midleton,
 Cork Co.
 Oct 2013
 27.651 / LW06
 Milford Parish
 St Michael´s Church
 Freemount,
 Cork Co.
 Oct 2013
 27.301 / CH
 Milford Parish
 Church of the Assumption
 of the BVM
 Milford,
 Cork Co.
 Nov 2014
 27.631 / LW04
 Mitchelstown Parish
 Church of Our Lady
 Conceived Without Sin
 Mitchelstown,
 Cork Co.
 Nov 2014
 27.375 / CH
 Mountmellick Parish
 St Joseph's Church
 Mountmellick,
 Laois Co.
 Oct 2013
 27.225 / CH
 Mountrath Parish
 St Fintan's Church
 Mountrath,
 Laois Co.
 Nov 2014
 27.601 / LW01
 Mourne Road Parish
 Our Lady of Good Counsel
 Church
 Mourne Road,
 Dublin 12
 Oct 2014
 27.601 / LW01
 Moyvane Parish
 Church of the
 Assumption
 Moyvane,
 Kerry Co.
 Mar 2014
 27.065 / CH
 Mullagh Parish
 St Mary's Church
 Cross,
 Cavan Co.
 Feb 2014
 27. 781 / LW19
 Multyfarnham Parish
 St Nicholas Church
 Multyfarnham,
 Westmeath Co
 Dec 2013
 27.671 / LW08
 Mungret - Crecora -
 Raheen Parish
 St Nessan Church
 Raheen,
 Limerick Co.
 Oct 2011
 27.755 / UW16
 New Ross Parish
 St.Mary & St.Michael
 Church
 New Ross,
 Wexford Co.
 Nov 2012
 27.745 / UW15
 Newbridge Parish
 St Conleth´s Church
 Newbridge,
 Kildare Co.
 Oct 2013
 27.951 / LW36
 Newcastle West Parish
  Church of the
 Immaculate Conception
 Newcastle W.
 Limerick Co.
 Oct 2013
 27.605 / UW01
 Newmarket Parish
 St Mary's Church
 Newmarket,
 Cork Co.
 Nov 2011
 27.315 / CH
 Newmarket-on Fergus
 Parish
 Our Lady Of The
 Rosary Church
 Newmarket-
 on F. Clare Co
 Oct 2013
 27.025 / CH
 Newtownshandrum
 Parish
 St Joseph´s Church
 Newtownsh.,
 Cork Co.
 Nov 2013
 27.661 / LW07
 Our Lady Help of
 Christians Church
 Our Lady Help of
 Christians Parish
 Navan Road,
 Dublin 7
 Nov 2014
 27.826 / UW23
 Our Lady of
 Consolation Parish
 Donnycarney Church
 Donnycarney,
 Dublin 5
 Oct 2013
 27.691 / LW10
 Our Lady of the Rosary
 Parish
 Our Lady of the Rosary
 Parish
 Limerick,
 Limerick Co.
 Mar 2014
 27.641 / LW05
 Our Lady Queen Of
 Peace Parish
 Our Lady Queen Of
 Peace Church
 Bray,
 Dublin Co.
 Nov 2011
 27.791 / LW20
 Our Lady´s Nativity
 Parish
 Church of Our Lady´s
 Nativity
 Leixlip,
 Kildare Co.
 Oct 2013
 27.655 / UW06
 Parish of the
 Annunciation
 Church Of The
 Annunciation
 Rathfarnham,
 Dublin 14
 Feb 2014
 27.711 / LW12
 Portmarnock Parish
 St  Anne´s Church
 Portmarnock,
 Dublin Co.
 Nov 2013
 27.811 / LW22
 Portarlington & Emo
 Parish
 St Michael's Church
 Portarlington,
 Offaly Co.
 Nov 2014
 27.319 / CH
 Rathcormac Parish
 St. Bartholomew's Church
 Bartlemy,
 Cork Co.
 Nov 2011
 27.065 / CH
 Rathcormac Parish
 Church of the
 Immaculate Conception
 Rathcormac,
 Cork Co.
 Dec 2014
 27.515 / CH
 Rathgar Parish
 The Church of Three
 Patrons
 Rathgar,
 Dublin Co.
  Nov 2012
 27.955 / UW36
 Rathkeale Parish
 St Mary's Church
 Rathkeale,
 Limerick Co
 Jan 2014
 27.621 / LW03
 Rathnure Parish
 St Anne's Church
 Rathnure,
 Wexford Co.
 Dec 2011
 27.161 / CH
 Rockhill-Bruree Parish
 Church of the
 Immaculate Conception
 Bruree,
 Limerick  Co.
 Oct 2013
 27.765 / UW17
 Rosslare Parish
 St Brigid's Church
 Rosslare Strand
 Wexford Co.
 Nov 2014
 27.285 / CH
 Sallynoggin Parish
 Our Lady of Victories
 Church
 Sallynoggin,
 Dublin Co.
 Nov 2014
 27.871 / LW28
 Sandyford Parish
 St Mary's Church
 (or other parish church)
 Sandyford,
 Dublin Co.
 Nov 2012
 27.825 / UW23
 Sandymount Parish
 Church of Our Lady
 Star of the Sea
 Sandymount,
 Dublin Co.
 Oct 2013
 27.971 / LW38
 Shanagolden & Foynes
 St Senan Church
 Shanagolden,
 Limerick Co.
 Oct 2014
 27.395 / CH
 Skerries Parish
 St Patrick´s Church
 Skerries,
 Dublin Co.
 Nov 2013
 27.855 / UW26
 Sligo Cathedral Parish
 Cathedral of the Immaculate
 Conception
 Sligo Co.
 Oct 2013
 27.125 / CH
 Springfield Parish
 St Mark's Church
 Tallaght,
 Dublin Co.
 Oct 2013
 27.651 / LW06
 Shannon Parish
 SS John & Paul
 Church
 Tullyvarraga,
 Clare Co.
 Oct 2011
 27.621 / LW03
 Sliverue Parish
 Church of the Assumption
 Sliverue,
 Kilkenny Co.
 Nov 2014
 27.205 / CH
 St Agatha's Parish
 St. Agatha's Church
 North Strand
 Dublin Co.
 Dec 2013
 27.691 / LW10
 St Agnes´ Church
 St Agnes´ Church
 Crumlin,
 Dublin 12
 Oct 2013
 27.661 / LW07
 St Anne's and Carraroe P.
 St Anne's Church
 Sligo,
 Sligo Co.
 Nov 2015
 27.395 / CH
 St Bernadette’s Parish
 St Bernadette’s Church
 Clogher,
 Dublin 12
 Jan 2014
 27.751 / LW16
 St Cronan's Parish
 St Cronan's Church
 Roscrea,
 Tipperary Co.
 Oct 2013
 27.621 / LW03
 St Dominic’s Parish
 St Dominic's Church
 Dublin 24
 Dublin Co.
 Oct 2014
 27.821 / LW23
 St Gabriel's Parish
 St Gabriel's Church
 Clontarf
 Dublin 3

 27.751 / LW16
 St John's Parish
 St John's Church
 Parnell Str,
 Waterford Co.
 Oct 2013
 27.601 / LW01
 Saint John the Baptist
 Catholic Parish
 St John the Baptist Church
 Clontarf
 Dublin 3

  27.851 / LW26
 St John the Evangelist
 Parish
 St. John the Evangelist
 Church
 Ballinteer,
 Dublin 16
 Oct 2013
 27.641 / LW05
 St. Joseph & St.Benildus  
 and St. Mary’s Parish
 St.Joseph & St. Benildus
 Church
 Waterford City
 Nov 2015
 27.185 / CH
 St Laurence O'Toole
 Parish
 St Patricks Church
 Ringsend,
 Dublin Co.
 Oct 2013
 27.671 / LW08
 St Mary's Parish
 St Mary's or Our Lady
 Queen Church
 Athlone,
 Roscommon
 Dec 2011
 27.980a / CH?
 St Mary's Parish
 St Mary's Church
 Lucan,
 Dublin Co.
 Nov 2014
 27.681 / LW09
 St Munchin's & St.
 Lelia's Parish
 St Munchin´s Church
 Clancy Str.
 Limerick
 Oct 2013
 27.601 / LW01
 St Patrick's & St Brigid's
 Parish
 St Brigid's Church
 Singland,
 Limerick Co.
 Feb 2014
 27.615 / UW02
St Peter's Parish Little Bray
 St Peter's Church
 Little Bray,
 Wicklow Co.
 Jan 2015
 27.891 / LW30
 St Peter's Parish Phibsboro
 St Peter's Church
 Phibsboro,
 Dublin 7
 Nov. 2014
 27.731 / LW14
 St Philip the Apostle
 St Philip the Apostle Ch.
 Mountview /
 Clonsilla,
 Dublin 15
 Jan 2015
 27.741 / LW15
 Tarbert Parish
 St Mary's Church
 Tarbert,
 Kerry Co.
 Oct 2013
 27.425 / CH
 Templeglantine Parish
 Most Holy Trinity Church
 Templeglantine
 Limerick Co.
 Jan 2014
 27.741 / LW15
 Tullamore Parish
 Church of the
 Assumption
 Tullamore,
 Offaly Co.
 Feb 2014
 27.631 / LW04
 Walkinstown Parish
 Assumption of the
 Blessed Virgin Mary
 Dublin 12,
 Dublin Co.
 Oct 2014
 27.941 / LW35
 Watergrasshill &
 Glenville Parish
 St Joseph’s Church
 Glenville,
 Cork Co.
 Jan 2014
 27.631 / LW04
 Woodford &   Looscaun
 Parish
 St. Brendan’s Church
 Looscaun,
 Galway Co.
 Feb 2015
 27.075 / CH



















































































































































































































































































































































































(c) http://www.parishradio.harriku.com/

In 2020, the Wicklow parish church informed parishioners on their website,
Channels: You can hear Mass on the following channels and frequencies: Channel UW 04, Frequency 27.63500 and Channel LW 04, Frequency 27.63125. Receiving radios were available to purchase from the Parish office, costing €75.00.

You would imagine that this was an end to the matter but in 2020, Comreg revealed that there were only 61 WPAS licences issued in Ireland and while the majority of them were to Catholic Churches not all of the 61 belonged to religious broadcasts. The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, the licencing body for Broadcast licences, have since their creation in 1988 as the Independent Radio and Television Commission issued licences to national, regional, local, community, institutional and temporary groupings but no licences have been issued to churches yet as of June 2020 there were more than 100 illegal FM transmitters operating broadcasting services making the Irish Catholic church the largest pirate radio operator in the world.



The requirement for a licence to own a CB receiver in Ireland was abolished in 1998, but this applied to point to point communications not for the use of CB radio for broadcast purposes. According to a communications expert,
‘Yes, some religious and community groups currently transmit on the CB bands and such users would need to change operating channel to one within the WPAS band. Licence-exempt Citizen Band radios may be operated in the frequency band 26.96MHz to 27.41 MHz – just below the WPAS band at 27.6 to 27.99 Mhz. While most equipment can be easily re-tuned, some equipment (transmitter and/or receivers) may not be capable of being adjusted to the WPAS band. In such cases replacement equipment may be required.’

The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) who issues licences for the FM band, could issue licences to the Catholic Church under their Institutional Licences category but as of June 2020 the only stations licensed under that title which can be licensed for up to ten years were Dreamtime Radio (Kilkenny), CUHFM Hospital Radio (Cork), Regional Hospital Radio (Limerick), St. Ita’s Hospital Radio (Dublin), South Tipperary General Hospital Radio and Reflink operated by the Irish Rugby Football Union to allow spectators to listen to the match referee.

While Ireland is regarded as a Catholic nation, other denominations including the various Protestant churches (the largest being the Church of Ireland), Jewish and Muslim faiths do not use illegal FM transmitters to reach their congregations. The Catholic church appear to ignore the law and any threat of a €10,000 fine which could approach a fine of almost one million euro if all the transmitter sites were raided, is not a deterrent. The frequencies used are all along the FM band from 88 to 108mhz, despite the fact that a legal alternative has been provided for. In an interview with one County Galway priest, his rationale for using an illegal transmitter on FM was that his elderly parishioners were unable to afford the €40 -€70 cost of a CB receiver and that they all had access to a transistor radio which allowed FM programming. He pointed out to its importance of broadcasting funeral Masses during the pandemic when parishioners were excluded from their parish churches. While there seems to be a need and desire for parish churches to broadcast their services via the radio, despite the fact that many of them now use live video either via Facebook or purposely designed websites, moving these stations from the illegal to legal would be productive in terms of purchasing of licences and enforcement of non-interference and bringing some of these broadcasts under the BAI complaints commission jurisdiction. The ‘blind- eye’ being turned towards these broadcasters is contributed to by the fact that they are not encroaching on the advertising revenue generated by the legal stations across Ireland.



The following list has been compiled from various sources including, Church newsletters, local area news reports and death notices published in regional newspapers, ‘In Memoriam’ website sections of local radio stations including Galway Bay FM and Northern Sound, www.rip.ie and Church Facebook pages. The list has been compiled for the period from 2005 – 2020 and while some of the Churches have abandoned the FM band in favour of online services, the vast majority have continued on FM expressly for their sick and infirm listeners. With Catholic churches closed to the public during the Coronavirus pandemic and mourners banned from funerals, the number of Catholic churches taking to the FM band to broadcast their services has significantly increased. The fact that both Churches and newspaper websites openly advertise these illegal broadcasts is also a cause for concern as it provides a precedent for other illegal broadcasters. Recently during the Coronavirus lockdown, one County Louth Catholic church was broadcasting Mass seven days a week in the mornings, rosary recitals in the afternoons and both Bingo and Quiz night events during the week.



LOCATION                                                  FREQUENCY
St Patrick’s, Skerries                                      87.5 MHz
St Lastra’s, Donaghmoyne, Monaghan          87.5 MHz
Mullagh, Cavan                                              87.6 MHz
Moone, Kildare                                              88 MHz
Drumconrath, Meath                                      89.7 MHz
Carrickmacross, Monaghan                            92.1 MHz
Clonard, Co Wexford                                     92.9 MHz
Castlerea, Roscommon                                   94.5 MHz
Belclare, Clare                                                95 MHz
Fivemilehouse, Roscommon                          95 MHz
Kilbride, Wicklow                                          95 MHz
Urlingford, Kilkenny                                      95.2 MHz
Newmarket on Fergus, Clare                          97.9 MHz
Oldcastle, Cavan                                             98 MHz (previously 108 MHz)
Dungarvin, Waterford                                    98.5 MHz
Monasterevin, Loais                                       99 Mhz
Ardagh, Longford                                           99.7 MHz
Baltinglass, Wicklow                                     100.2 MHz
Ballymacward, Galway                                  101.4 MHz
Immaculate Conception, Glencorrib              101.4 MHz
Shrule, Galway                                               101.4 MHz
Newcastle West, Limerick                             102 MHz
St Patricks, Broomfield, Monaghan               102.4 MHz
Burrishoole, Mayo                                          102.4 MHz
St. Bridget’s Portumna, Galway                     102.8 MHz
Knocknacarra, Galway                                   102.8 MHz
St Enda’s Killanny, Monaghan                      103 MHz
Ferrybank, Waterford                                     103.9 MHz
Lismore, Waterford                                        103.9 MHz
Gort, Galway                                                  104 MHz
Burrishoole, Mayo                                          104.2 MHz
Newport, Mayo                                               104.2 MHz
Ballycorick, Clare                                          104.4 MHz
Ballynacally, Clare                                         104.4 MHz
Mountrath, Laois                                            104.5 MHz
New Ross, Co. Wexford                                 104.7 MHz
Kill, Waterford                                               104.8 MHz
Westport, Mayo                                              104.8 MHz
Ballycommon, Offaly                                     105 MHz
Ennistymon, Clare                                          105 MHz
Quilty, Clare                                                   105 MHz
Robeen Parish, Mayo                                     105 MHz
St Joseph’s, Milltown Malbay, Clare             105 MHz
Woodford, Galway                                         105 MHz
Doon. Limerick                                              105.1 MHz
Moylough, Galway                                         105.1 MHz
Ballyhaunis, Mayo                                         105.2 MHz
Cloughjordan, Tipperary                                105.2 MHz
Newtown, Waterford                                      105.2 MHz
St. Nicholas, Carrick-on-Suir                         105.2 MHz
Castlebar, Mayo                                             105.3 MHz
Lorrha/Dorrha, Tipperary                               105.4 MHz
Tramore, Waterford                                        105.4 MHz
St Senan’s, Shannon, Limerick                      105.6 MHz
Roundfort, Mayo                                            105.75 MHz
Corofin, Galway                                             105.8 MHz
Crooke, Waterford                                         105.8 MHz
Kilmoylan, Galway                                        105.8 MHz [3]
Virginia, Cavan                                              105.8 MHz
Kilteevan, Roscommon Town                        105.9 MHz
Abbeynocmoy, Galway                                  106 MHz
Birr, Co. Offaly                                              106 MHz
Castlemaine, Kerry                                         106 MHz
Milltown, Killarney, Kerry                             106 MHz        
Monivea, Galway                                           106 MHz
St. Coleman’s Claremorris                             106 MHz
St Michael’s Gorey, Wexford                        106 MHz
Wexford Parish                                               106 MHz
Clarinbridge, Galway                                     106.2 MHz
Nenagh, Tipperary                                          106.2 MHz
St Marys, Cahir, Tipperary                             106.2 MHz (Previously 107mhz  to 2011)
Castleconnell, Limerick                                 106.3 MHz
Easkey, Sligo                                                  106.3 MHz
Claregalway, Galway                                     106.4 MHz
Ennis Cathedral, Clare                                   106.4 MHz
Kilconly, Galway                                            106.4 MHz
Killea & Faithleg, Waterford                         106.4 MHz
Thurles, Tipperary                                          106.4 MHz
St Mary’s Ballyhaise, Cavan                          106.4 MHz
Ballintubber, Sligo                                         106.5 MHz
Carrigaline, Cork                                            106.5 MHz
Cloughaneely, Donegal                                  106.5 MHz
Easkey, Sligo                                                  106.5 MHz
Ferbane, Offaly                                               106.5 MHz
Goresbridge, Kilkenny                                   106.5 MHz
Kilasser, Sligo                                                106.5 MHz
Kilbegnet, Roscommon                                  106.5 MHz
Kilbehenney, Limerick                                   106.5 MHz
Kilimor, Mayo                                                106.5 MHz
Kilronan, Sligo                                               106.5 MHz
Kilteely, Limerick                                          106.5 MHz
Lacken, Mayo                                                 106.5 MHz
Naomh Fionán, an Fál Carrach Dun na Gal   106.5 MHz
Portlaoise, Laois                                             106.5 MHz
Rockfield, Coolaney, Sligo                            106.5 MHz
Roskey, Leitrim                                              106.5 MHz
St. Joesph’s Killimor, Galway                        106.5 MHz
St Mary’s Athenry, Galway                            106.5 MHz
St Mary’s Clonmel Tipperary                        106.5 MHz
Toomevara, Tipperary                                    106.5 MHz
Tourmakeady, Mayo                                      106.5 MHz
Williamstown, Mayo                                      106.5 MHz
Barna Furbo, Galway                                     106.6 MHz
Bearna, Galway                                              106.6 MHz
Corrandula, Galway                                        106.6 MHz
Glenamaddy, Mayo                                        106.6 MHz
Glengoole, Tipperary                                     106.6 MHz
Kill, Co. Kildare                                             106.6 MHz
Kilkerrin, Mayo                                              106.6 MHz
Skehana, Galway                                            106.6 MHz
St, Mary’s, Cloghan, Offaly                           106.6 MHz
Ardrahan, Galway                                          106.7 mhz
St Mary’s Killenaule, Tipperary                    106.7 MHz
Lackagh, Athenry, Galway                             106.8 MHz
St. John’s, Kilkenny                                       106.8 MHz
Lackagh, Galway                                            106.9 MHz
St. Andrew’s Bagenalstown                           106.9 MHz
Ballinakill, Mayo                                            107 MHz
Cromane, Co. Kerry                                       107 MHz
Curraroe, Sligo                                               107 MHz
Duagh, Kerry                                                  107 MHz
Gormanstown, Meath                                     107 MHz
Kincasslagh, Donegal                                     107 MHz
Kilcullen, Co. Kildare                                    107 MHz
Kinlough, Leitrim                                          107 MHz
St Marys, Crookstown, Kildare                      107 MHz
Naas, Kildare                                                  107.3 MHz
Ballingarry Parish Church, Kilkenny             107.5 MHz
Laytown, Co. Meath                                       107.6 MHz
Piltdown, Kilkenny                                         107.6 MHz
St. Michael’s Athy, Kildare                           107.6 MHz
Mary Mother of Mercy Inniskeen                  107.7 MHz
Trim Parish, Meath                                         107.7 MHz
Athy, Kildare                                                  107.9 MHz
Carlow Cathedral                                            107.9 MHz
Kilflan, Mayo                                                 107.9 MHz
Killaloe, Clare                                                107.9 MHz
St Mary’s, Quin, Clare                                   107.9 MHz
St Peter & Paul, Clonmel, Tipperary             107.9 MHz
St Pauls, Butlerstown, Waterford                  107.9 MHz
Cathedral of the Assumption Tuam               108 MHz
Rasharkin, Co. Down                                     108 MHz
St. Naul’s, Ardaghey, Donegal                       108 MHz
Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny                           108 MHz
Stradbally Laois                                              108 MHz
Caltra, Galway                                                108 MHz
Crosserlough, Cavan                                      108 MHz
Danesfort, Kilkenny                                       108 MHz
Dunmore, Wexford                                        108 MHz
Foxford, Mayo                                                108 MHz
Headford, Mayo                                             108 MHz
Keadue, Leitrim                                             108 MHz
Kilbarron, Ballyshannon, Donegal                 108 MHz
St Bridget’s, Suncroft, Kildare                       108 MHz
St Canice’s, Kilkenny                                     108 MHz        
Mooncoin, Kilkenny                                       108 MHz (Previously 107.9)

(There are 155 Stations listed above compiled from various sources during the period 2005 -2020, but this may not be the entire network. Some however may have closed since they were first identified, as churches began to use other broadcast forms including YouTube, Facebook Live or dedicated websites. Of the 155 listed above, 96 were identified as being on air from January - June 2020)



The overwhelming majority of these FM pirates are located outside the Dublin area, as there are a limited number of frequencies available in the capital with national, local, community, temporary licensed and music pirate stations filling the FM waveband. In Dublin and with Churches in major cities, access for parishioners is more often than not through vision rather than sound. Parishioners can access livestreams via website cameras, Facebook Live broadcasts or via two major stream providers for the churches, www.mcnmedia.tv or www.churchservices.tv. Dublin parishes also direct listeners to Radio Maria online or Vatican broadcasting services. There are over 1,000 Catholic parishes in the Republic of Ireland serving 80% of the five million population, the other 20% made up on various faith including 200,000 Protestants.

In January and February 2020 and June 2020, I visited a number of parishes across the country in Tipperary, Meath, Laois, Limerick and Clare and I was provided access to the equipment used at the churches. The photograph montage of aerials are a combination of personally taken photographs on my tour, Google map images and from parish websites. I also interviewed Parish Priests, curates and sacristans, who wished not be named, about using the radio equipment in their churches. I visited both CB and FM using stations. Some curates inherited the FM systems when they took up their posting to a parish and have continued to use FM unaware that it is illegal to broadcast without a licence. Others told me that they maintained the option of an FM transmitter as the online service that they used to connect with their parishioners was often unreliable. One church had been broadcasting on FM for almost eighteen years and neither priest attached to the Parish were aware that a licence was required. For one curate it was simply pushing two electric switches and he was on air and he knew little about the technology he was using. I spoke at three parishes to some of the congregation leaving, on the basis of anonymity and they congratulated the church for maintaining the contact for Mass for some of the older parishioners. Some churches used both web-cam based systems to broadcast Mass augmented with FM radio and they anecdotally told me that from visiting rural parishioners that FM proved very popular.

A Parish Church Transmitter


One Sacristan spoke about the cost of purchasing a CB receiver for the locals and their reduced availability both on the Irish market and online. One Tipperary priest told me how an eighty two year old man was swindled out of €250 attempting to purchase a CB receiver online. The money was recovered thanks to the gentleman’s bank. The radio broadcasts have proved invaluable during the Covid 19 crisis when Churches were closed to the public and socially distanced Mass including funeral services were the only avenue for receiving the Churches broadcasts. A couple of churches in County Clare organised drive in Masses, whereby parishioners drove to the church carpark and as a priest conducted Mass from the back of a tractor and trailer, the faithful tuned in their car radios to a FM frequency to follow proceedings.

The broadcasting of Catholic Church services, especially in rural Ireland, is a vital tool and an invaluable asset for the listening parishioners. While it is an important service for locals unable to reach their church building, it is not a right to broadcast illegally, without oversight or without recourse for the listener to complain about interference or content. They should be maintained. However the use of FM in the Republic of Ireland without a licence from the BAI is illegal but perhaps with some lobbying from the Church hierarchy, parishioner groups and rural TD’s, a way could be found whereby these stations could be licensed and not simply ignored. Perhaps a system such as the ‘Low Power FM’ access to the airwaves that is licensed by the FCC in the United States is an avenue worth exploring.

As you have read, there are a large number of parish radio stations broadcasting on the 27mhz waveband yet only 61 licences have been purchased from ComReg meaning that over half of these Parish Radio stations have not purchased a licence and are therefore broadcasting illegally. There are also over 100 low powered unlicensed FM based Parish Radio stations broadcasting illegally, that is a total of approximately 200 illegal broadcasting radio stations being operated by members of the Catholic clergy making the Irish Catholic Church the largest pirate radio operator in the world.


    Tramore, Waterford                       Drumcondrath, Meath                              Abbeyknockmoy, Galway


A recording of Mass on 106.5mhz from St. Peter & St. Paul's Parish Church Portlaoise

Emails were sent to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, ComReg, the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland and the Catholic Hierarchy for a comment on this subject but only the BAI have replied to date and they said that the issue should be addressed to ComReg. If there are any relevant responses I will update this post. 

Links


[1] Limerick Leader August 2nd 2003
[2] Limerick Leader June 14th 2003
[3] Advertised on the Galway Bay FM website

2 comments:

  1. Ahh, leave them alone. But, just to be fair, leave me alone too.

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  2. yay! low power dx targets for me here in the UK!
    thanks so much for all the time it must have taken you to compile this list

    Back when i had the car i would drive up to here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mow_Cop
    to listen and maybe a decade or so ago i heard church broadcasts on 107.5 and 108

    sadly 107.5 is now blocked by one local community station and 108.0 is all but blocked by another CR on 107.9

    when theres no service do these broadcast blank carriers like the Italian church broadcasts?


    I'm not a believer but better a thousand of these truly serving the community than the identikit Heart FM/Greatest Hits stations that are devouring valuable frequencies like the biblical locusts. good luck to them

    ReplyDelete