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Radio Nova was a pirate radio station in Dublin, owned and operated by UK pirate radio veteran Chris Cary, a former DJ on the famous Radio Caroline pirate ship in the 1960s, then Radio North Sea International in the 1970s, before a 3-year stint at Radio Luxembourg.

Cary (R.I.P.) arrived in Dublin in 1981 and launched Radio Nova which set the gold standard for radio, becoming Ireland’s most successful Top 40 station.

Radio Nova began official broadcasts on Monday June 29th 1981 and was hugely successful until a long running dispute with the NUJ, ultimately led Carey to pull the plug on Wednesday March 19th 1986.

40 years later, Feb 15th 2021 RADIO NOVA was relaunched online, with the original jingles, original favourites and by the end of the year, 4 of the original NOVA DJS, John Clarke, Jason Maine, Tony McKenzie and Lawrence John.

The new commercial-free, not-for-profit station remains faithful to the original in many ways, while adding some new ideas that remain true to the spirit of the original RADIO NOVA, like the NOVA POWER HOUR and POWERPLAYS.

The man behind the tribute station is DJ, radio consultant and programme director LAWRENCE JOHN, who spent two years on Cary’s original NOVA, before founding Dublin’s Q102 in 1985 and later Belfast’s ENERGY 106FM.

With the writing on the wall for traditional FM radio stations the future of radio lies online and RADIO NOVA INTERNATIONAL is in early, ready for the growth of online and internet car radio. In a nutshell, RADIO NOVA INTERNATIONAL – SMOOTH HITS , is the past, present and future of Top 40 music radio.

Meanwhile as stated in February 2021, we continue with our plans for a RADIO NOVA D.A.B. station in Belfast and have secured premises for the new station.

The new station is not only a tribute to Chris Cary’s original super-pirate, but to Cary himself and the many original RADIO NOVA air personalities who are sadly no longer with us, especially

those Lawrence worked alongside in 1983 and 1984, including Tony Allan,
Bob Gallico, Roland Burke, Peter Madison, Eddie West and Tom Hardy,
plus U.S. radio legends Casey Kasem and Gary Owens whose syndicated
shows were extremely popular during Lawrence’s tenure at the station.

Lawrence says, “you can’t put the genie back in the bottle, as there are far
more distractions now than in the 1980s, but we’ll make our mark as a
living testament to the original RADIO NOVA and an
acknowledgement of it’s special contribution to Irish broadcasting.

To this end we plan to put a commemorative blue plaque on the former NOVA
premises at Herbert Street”.

RADIO NOVA INTERNATIONAL, is not-for-profit… “it’s all about the music”. We hope you like what you hear and if you do, perhaps you’d be good enough to leave a tip or donation to help offset running costs and keep the station going. You might also consider becoming a friend or patron of the station at whatever monetary level suits your pocket.

Use the donate button on the side of this panel to make payments of any kind, including donations or merchandising such as t-shirts, sweatshirts, mugs, CDs, baseball hats, truckers caps, pens and CDs. If you wish, you can leave a comment with your donation. As part of it’s fundraising efforts, RADIO NOVA INTERNATIONAL, will be releasing aircheck cds like the two sets below. NOVA DJ LEGENDS and THE RADIO NOVA TOP 40, 1981-1986.

Each CD release is limited to 88 or 102 cds, with downloads also available.

Use the PAYPAL DONATE button, on the left and include your address, or PM it. Please donate at least £10 plus £2 for P&P U.K. or £3.50 for the ROI.

THE RADIO NOVA TOP 40 1981-1986… 40TH ANNIVERSARY 3 CD set features 40 Favourites from the NOVA YEARS, as voted for by NOVA fans on Facebook. All tracks DIGITALLY REMASTERED and in countdown order from 40 to No.1.

Presented by Lawrence John, the countdown includes fascinating facts and trivia on all tracks, plus messages from original NOVA DJs, Declan Meehan, John Clarke and Tony Gareth O’Callaghan.

Only 88 cds are available for a donation of £10 + P&P or £10 download.

Use the PAYPAL DONATE button, on the left and include your postal address.

Please donate at least £10 plus £2 for P&P within the U.K. or £3.50 for the ROI.

The RADIO NOVA BREKKIE TREKKIE 2023 with Lawrence John and Danny Dee, named in tribute to Nova’s original breakfast show which aired in the 1980’s, The DEKKIE WEKKIE BREKKIE TREKKIE, with Bob Galllico & Declan Meehan. But while the name is similar, this is a completely new original format, with a tongue-in-cheek sci-fi theme, presented in chapters as a serial.

Set in cyberspace, its a serial breakfast show, to go with your breakfast cereal. IT’S BREAKFAST JIM… BUT NOT AS WE KNOW IT, the show’s strapline, serves as a clue to what you can expect i.e. lots of sci-fi references and imagery

Original 1980’s Nova jock Lawrence John is joined on the show by Danny Dee his former sidekick and partner in crime from their days together on the hugely successful cross border pirate ENERGY 106FM, 1997-2004.

The new BREKKIE TREKKIE 2023, will feature clutterfree 2-song sweeps and include many of the original RADIO NOVA jingles and favourites from the 80’s. As for the speech content you can expect lots of banter and craic, with jokes, sketches, put downs and puns, some bordering on the bizarre at times.

These guys always enjoy what they’re doing, so the craic will be mighty and the laughter, even when it’s at their own expense, can be highly contageous.

As serial DJS and serial offenders, they are GOING TO HAVE A GOOD TIME… even if it kills them… and it may well do…lol

The all-new BREKKIE TREKKIE 2023 launches on Monday January 9… 7-10am. MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU !

For many years now radio stations have been predictable, bland, even rotten.

You’ve enjoyed some more than others, but nothing has grabbed the beat, or rhythm of your life, like Chris Cary’s original RADIO NOVA 1981-1986.

That’s why we’re building this tribute station to Cary’s original super pirate.

RADIO NOVA INTERNATIONAL is a radio station you can play loud and play proud, a radio station that fits just right, whether you’re nineteen or ninety.

We’re working hard to put the finishing touches to the station and we won’t stop working until we get it right.

N.B. this is not just a tribute station, but a new station in it’s own right.

Tell your friends about the remarkable RADIO NOVA INTERNATIONAL.

Listen directly online or download the free Amazon Alexa skill, or Google Home app and listen on your smart speaker, on Radio Garden, or Roberts Radio.

Keep up to date with what’s happening on our Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/RADIO-NOVA-INTERNATIONAL-105889744598055

For now, enjoy a selection of highlights and original RADIO NOVA memories until the start of official live programmes.

RADIO NOVA INTERNATIONAL registered office :

17 Glendarragh Mews, Belfast, BT4 2WE. Northern Ireland.

Telephone 0044 (0) 7712 586796.

Or RADIO NOVA INTERNATIONAL 19, Herbert Street, Dublin, D02 F343

EMAIL : ljenergy@hotmail.co.uk