Ronan O'Rahilly was the founder of Radio Caroline in 1963, after a brief involvement with a rival project. He set up Radio Caroline and has remained the Caroline organisation’s figurehead ever since. It was Ronan who developed the idea, organised the funding and got the UK's first offshore radio ship on the air at Easter 1964. After a brief involvement with a rival project he decided to launch his own station, offshore - Radio Caroline.
Radio Caroline in the 1970s
After an enforced closure at the end of the 60s, Ronan resurrected the station briefly from the Radio North Sea ship, giving a bloody nose to Harold Wilson at the 1970 General Election. His work as film producer and manager of the MC5 rock band enabled him to inject the necessary funds to get Caroline back on the air at Christmas 1972. He spent the next twenty years busily pulling rabbits out of the hat to keep the voice of Loving Awareness alive.
When the Ross Revenge ran aground on the Goodwin Sands in late 1991 and had to be salvaged, Ronan continued to search for new streams of revenue. His failing health meant he had to hand over the day-to-day running of Radio Caroline to Peter Moore.
Ronan returns to Ireland
Some years ago, Ronan was finally diagnosed with advanced vascular dementia and his girlfriend Ines took him back to Ireland. He lived out his final years in County Louth, over-looking Carlingford Lough, very close to Greenore, where the two Radio Caroline ships were fitted out.
Ronan continued his interest in horse racing and in golf, and he exercised regularly with a physiotherapist. Fighting the frustration of the dementure, Ronan remained cheerful. He often listened to Radio Caroline and Ines read him passages from draft copies of Radio Caroline Bible most days when his old twinkling eyes were tired.
After a problem feeding in April 2020, Ronan stopped taking food and got weaker. Finally, on Monday 19 April, he pulled Ines close to him, hugged her and slipped away.
RIP Ronan
Our sincere thanks for changing so many lives,
and bringing so much joy and entertainment
and music to many millions more.
Ronan O'Rahilly, Radio Caroline's founder & figurehead
The Radio Caroline bible,
has the story of Caroline's genesis
right up to the present,
Ronan O'Rahilly was the founder of Radio Caroline in 1963 and has remained the Caroline organisation’s figurehead ever since. It was Ronan who developed the idea, organised the funding and got the UK's first offshore radio ship on the air.
Ronan O'Rahilly
Radio Caroline's
founder & figurehead
Radio Caroline in the 1970s
After an enforced closure at the end of the 60s, Ronan resurrected the station briefly from the Radio North Sea ship, giving a bloody nose to Harold Wilson at the 1970 General Election. His work as film producer and manager of the MC5 rock band enabled him to inject the necessary funds to get Caroline back on the air at Christmas 1972. He spent the next twenty years busily pulling rabbits out of the hat to keep the voice of Loving Awareness alive.
When the Ross Revenge ran aground on the Goodwin Sands in late 1991 and had to be salvaged he continued to try and search out new streams of revenue for the station, but failing health compelled him to hand over the day to day running of Caroline to Peter Moore.
Ronan O'Rahilly returns
Some years ago, Ronan was finally diagnosed with advanced vascular dementia and his girlfriend Ines took him back to Ireland. He lived out his final years in County Louth, over-looking Carlingford Lough, just a couple of miles from Greenore. Thats the port where the two original Radio Caroline ships were fitted out, in early 1964.
Ronan continued to his in horse racing and in golf, and he exercised regularly with a physiotherapists. Fighting the frustration of the dementure, Ronan remained cheerful. He often listened to Radio Caroline and Ines read him passages from the Radio Caroline bible most days when his old twinkling eyes are tired.
After a problem feeding in April 2020, Ronan stopped taking food and got weaker. Finally, on Monday 20 April, he pulled Ines close to him and slipped away. "It was a very peaceful moment, he was in no pain at all and just held me close as he went," said Ines.
RIP Ronan.
Our thanks for changing so many lives,
and bringing joy and entertainment
and music to many millions more.
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Ronan ORahilly, RIP, Radio Caroline's founder
Read about the story of Radio Caroline
