Back in the mid-1970s, the traffic layout on Bray Seafront was very different from how it is today. To handle the summer tourist rush, the then Bray Urban District Council ran a seasonal system. In the winter, Strand Road was a standard two-way street, but from May to September, it switched to a one-way system.

This reliance on drivers noticing temporary signs ultimately led to a tragedy on Bank Holiday Monday, June 6th 1977, motorcyclist 19-year-old Niall Lynch was involved in a head-on collision on the Seafront with a driver who was unfamiliar with the summer-only one-way rules. The accident, caused by the driver travelling against the system, left Niall with life changing paralysis. Niall was a school classmate of host Mark Quinn which lends an extra poignancy to this honest and open interview.

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Hazel O'Connor skyrocketed to fame as the blazing, neon-haired star of the iconic New Wave film, Breaking Glass. By the time of this interview, Hazel was stepping away from the chaotic mainstream pop charts, battling intense industry legal wars, and fiercely reclaiming her independence as a live performer and storyteller. While living in Roundwood, County Wicklow. Hazel is brutally honest in this revealing and sometimes uncomfortable listen.

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Bray Talking Heads Podcast is available on Apple, Spotify and YouTube. Listen now, you'll love it!

https://blb.buzzsprout.com

From Saturday 13th Oct 1990 and the studios of Horizon Radio, Bray, County Wicklow in Ireland. In the studio chairs either side of host Mark Quinn are two men who, in their own unique ways, became guardians of Ireland’s natural world.

John Wilson and Éamon de Buitléar. John the trusted Bray vet from the Dublin Road. The man who co-founded Brayvet and to some degree, changed the face of animal care in the town and Éamon de Buitléar, the legendary filmmaker and naturalist who grew up in the Dargle Valley in Bray and who had already spent decades bringing the "magic of the wild" into Irish living rooms with TV programmes like 'Amuigh Faoin Spéir’.

In this interview, recorded live on air, both men are in great form chatting away freely about growing up, animal care, wildlife and life in general.

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Bray Talking Heads Podcast is available on Apple, Spotify and YouTube. Listen now, you'll love it!

https://blb.buzzsprout.com

BLB - Bray Local Broadcasting ceased broadcasting for good at the end of December 1988, bringing to a close more than nine years of service to the local community.
Launched in 1979, the station became a beloved fixture in the area, known for its mix of music, local news, interviews, and community-focused programming. As one of the early pioneers of local radio, BLB built strong connections with its audience and gave a platform to local voices.

This episode is an edited version of BLB Radio’s final broadcast—a special four-hour programme that aired on the station’s last day. Hosted by long-time presenter Mark Quinn, the show brought together a wide range of contributors, including former presenters and producers, advertisers, local politicians and loyal listeners.

Their messages, memories, and tributes paint a vivid picture of what the station meant to so many. There are moments of humour, nostalgia, and emotion, as well as reflections on the challenges and triumphs of running a local radio station during a transformative era for media. Many also shared their hopes for the future of community broadcasting, even as they bid farewell to BLB.

This recording is more than just a sign-off—it's a time capsule capturing the spirit of an era and the powerful role local radio played in shaping community identity.

Go on, send us a review text!

Bray Talking Heads Podcast is available on Apple, Spotify and YouTube. Listen now, you'll love it!

https://blb.buzzsprout.com