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Malin Head Coastal Radio Station has been receiving and sending the transmissions of seafarers through two world wars, the Irish War of Independence, the Irish Civil War, the setting up of the Irish Free State, the formation of the Irish Republic and all that has passed since. During that time the radio service has never been shut down for one day, one hour or even one minute.

IT IS rather fitting that on the eve of its centenary a postcard depicting radio officers at the original 'Marconi Wireless Telegraph Station' at Lloyd's Tower, Banba's Crown, Malin Head, should arrive on the doorstep of Malin Head Coastal Radio Station.

The postcard/photograph (pictured) was taken on the opening day of the station, January 1st, 1902 and sent to America by a Mr. John Quigley of Malin Head to his sons in Boston in 1912. That was just one year before the station moved to its present location, a mile and a half away. In Boston it gathered dust, lying in an attic for 89 years, until only two months ago when it was returned, along with other old letters, to Mr. Quigley's granddaughter, Marie Doyle who is, coincidentally, married to a former Officer in Charge at the station. This is the only photograph of the original Marconi station known to exist. "At long last, after all those years we finally had a photo showing the original radio station at Malin Head. What a great way to mark the 100 years," said Senior Radio Officer of 27 years, Finbar O'Connor, as he talked fondly about the history of the station.

In an unprecedented move in marine communication at the turn of the last century, Lloyds of London commissioned the Marconi wireless company to supply its newly developed radio system to a total of six coastal signal stations around the British Isles. The London-based shipping insurance company required a more efficient method of keeping an eye on the vessels it was underwriting while they navigated through the treacherous waters off the north coast. Until 1902 Lloyds had been relying on primitive signalling system which provided very limited contact with ships.

It is recorded in the 'Derry Journal' that the original Malin Head station came into operation at Banba's Crown on January 1st, 1902 almost 24 years before the establishment of RTE and nearly 20 years before BBC radio came into being. Today, the north Inishowen station is the only one remaining of the six originally commissioned by Lloyds, making it the oldest in use in both Britain and Ireland.

Mr. O'Connor illustrated just how untiring the service provided by the station has been since its foundation. "The station has never closed for one day, one hour or one minute in all its existence." Radio transmissions from ship to shore were an instant hit with passengers and relatives waiting in port. In the 'Journal' of May 28th, 1902 it is noted that the famous Allan Line Steamers to Paris, Tunisia and Iona and the Beaver Line Steamer of Liverpool "regularly make their presence known by means of telegraphy, thereby affording passengers an opportunity of sending messages to their friends before arriving or leaving port." Such evidence shows clearly just how quickly the station established itself as a means of communication with ships.

In the early days the role of the station had an air of novelty to it, with newspaper reports concentrating more on the advantages of sending messages to friends and relatives at sea and arranging to meet them at port.
Coastal rescues
Nevertheless from the beginning the station was dedicated to helping those in trouble at sea and it was to provide a crucial lifesaving device central to thousands of sea and coastal rescues throughout its history. "In the beginning of wireless the full uses and potential of the medium, (Morse code) were not realised; but very quickly it was found, that when ships got into trouble, this medium could be used for sea rescue. So the role of the station very, very rapidly changed from just a means of communication between shore and ship to a means of rescue. Over the hundred years the primary function of the station and others around the world was to ensure the safety of life at sea," said Mr. O'Connor. "However, it also provides a general service to the marine community, broadcasting weather, information, navigational warnings, gale warnings an providing communication for crews to contact shore and vice versa," he said.

In 1909 the British Post Office took control of the stations operated by Lloyds and by 1913 the Malin Head station was moved to a newly purpose built and fully equipped bungalow where it has remained since. With the advent of the Irish Free State in 1922, the new Irish administration took control. However, the station used a British call sign (GMH) until December 31st, 1949, after which the southern part of Ireland became known as the Irish Republic and a new call sign (EJM) was used for the first time. Since the 1950's the station has come under the control of various government departments including the Department of Communications, the Department of Transport and Power and finally, in 1995, the Department of Marine and Natural Resources took up the reins.

In 2000 the station was redesignated as a marine rescue sub centre and renamed as the Malin Head Division of the Irish Coast Guard with a vast operating area of ocean and coastline, spanning from Inishowen Head to Slyne Head to 15 degrees west in the Atlantic ocean. Divisional Controller Mick McGarry, who was first appointed to the station in 1975, told the 'Journal' that the work of saving lives at sea only begins at the station. Team effort "The station may be here for 100 years but over those years operators have depended on coastal rescue units and seafarers. Today we (Irish Coast Guard) rely heavily on the co-operation of the RNLI, the Air Corps, fishermen and others. It is a team effort," he said. Until 1988 the primary means of communication through the station was Morse code (on 500KHZ) and the very last message sent using that form was tapped out on December 31st of that year by Mr. O'Connor. "Malin Head Radio Station sent its final transmission with best wishes to all the other radio station still operating on that distress frequency," he said.

Over the years there have been great changes in radio technology and the early 'spark' transmitters used at the beginning of the century have been eclipsed by the advent of high speed data transmissions. Coincidentally, within the next few weeks the old reel-tape recording equipment will be replaced by a state-of-the-art digital recording system, taking the sea-land transmissions of the north coast of Ireland into the 21st century. The 14 radio officers, station attendant and Divisional Controller, who man the premises and co-ordinate approximately 400 marine rescues each year, continue to work a 24-hour shift and, according to Finbar, are more than ready for the challenges of the next 100 years.