Kinvara Community Radio is a local initiative to set up a live-streaming as well as FM broadcast radio station serving Kinvara environs as well as ‘Kinvara worldwide’ – interested listeners outside the limited broadcast area. The idea and ideals of community radio are to give voice and access to local people, and to serve local interests that are not served by other media.

See the AMARC Charter which all licenced radio stations in Ireland must adhere to – document will open in a new window.

The Kinvara community seems ideal as a location for this kind of media project. There are many interesting people, farmers, artists, musicians, sports enthusiasts, business and professional people, activists and characters of all sorts. In addition there is a wider Kinvara community around the world who would be able to tune in on the internet and keep up with their home place and people. It is a chance to have very local news presented, as well as local connections to national and international news events. Many are the possibilities. The roles of presenters, writers, technicians, news researchers, and much more, will be open to any community member, as this endeavour will always be volunteer powered to a large if not total degree.

History

An initiative was floated originally in October, 2015, at a Community Council meeting to start a Kinvara Community Radio station. The idea was to set up a studio capable of streaming live radio on the internet and also to broadcast on FM to a local area of 5 km radius, the legal maximum for community radio. The right to transmit via FM is licensed and requires a transmission equipment, location, and premises. So this is a slightly longer process. However, the basic equipment, including microphones, computer, sound desk, etc.–necessary for streaming–are already in place in a starter studio set up at the Community Centre.

Since the idea was mooted some few months ago, several workshops have taken place with local groups invited to send a representative. The basic training in operating a sound desk, organising programming, tweaking microphones, and so forth, brought home to the participants the accessibility of radio to anyone with an interest in presenting or supporting the effort.

A public meeting to launch the organisation/idea was held January 18 at the Community Centre. Mary Ruddy, from Connemara Community Radio, presented the ideas, ethos, and necessities of community radio to all fifty-some persons who attended. Since then a working group of some 25 volunteers have attended organising meetings, tackling various issues from the form and structure of the organisation to the possibilities of training, the local interest in presenting programs, and the process of applying for a broadcast license.

Support Kinvara FM

In order to get on air we are depending on the support of the whole Kinvara community. We have had a great response for volunteers to become involved but, like any project, we also need funds. If you would like to support us and help your community, why not make a donation to help us realise our goal of providing a great community radio for Kinvara, and for the Kinvara diaspora scattered across the world. Simply click on the Donate button below and give us what you can. Thank you.