1970s and up unto the early 1980s until the arrival of Radio Nova and Sunshine radio whose professionalism and quality stereo reception left the station adrift in their wake in the subsequent years. Radio Dublin broadcast on MW, SW and FM simultaneously. After Eamonn Cooke took over, Radio Dublin had ever increasing ambitions. It was the first radio station in the Republic of Ireland to complete a 24-hour broadcast, this on the occasion of the Irish general election of June 1977. The broadcast was hosted by Roland Burke and David Moore. The "marathon" broadcast over the following Christmas, of at least 185 hours was history in the making leading the way into really a new world of 1978. It was for many years accepted as just another radio station, with little being known about its lack of a licence. The station ceased full-time operation after the jailing of the station's then-owner Eamonn Cooke for child sex offences which took place at the radio station, staff at the station destroyed much of the equipment in Inchicore in anger at Cooke. Radio Dublin closed down in May 2003 and has never returned. Cooke died in June 2016. Radio Milinda Radio Milinda started Broadcasting early in 1972. It was the first pirate radio station to be raided and prosecuted in the republic of Ireland. On 17 December 1972 a large contingent of police raided Radio Milinda and seven people were arrested. They were fined £2 each and all equipment and media was confiscated. Radio Milinda broadcast on 300 metres M.W. Radio Milinda was believed to have been one of the most professional sounding stations of the day having a broad listener base in Ireland as well as the UK. Sunshine Radio and Radio Nova "The Super Pirates" Sunshine Radio was the first of the so-called Super Pirate radio stations in the Republic of Ireland and commenced broadcasting on 9 September 1980 from studios in the Sands Hotel, Portmarnock, County Dublin. It was the longest operating of the major stations. Sunshine closed at the end of 1988 having achieved the highest ratings of any Dublin radio station to this day. Their head office was in JWT House in Baggot Street in the heart of the city's commercial district. Sunshine Radio was set up by former Radio Caroline men Chris Cary, Robbie Robinson, aka Robbie Dale, and ex-BBC broadcast engineer Jimmy White with some financial