Barristers / Bankers Showband Story (1963-1966)

Photo Gallery - Band Lineups - Discography - Audio samples - Where Are They Now?

The Story

Editor's note: Every care has been taken to present only factual information in our stories based on first person reports, newspaper articles and photographic archives. If you can add anything or correct info in this story, please email us and let us know.

The first advert for the Barristers Showband we have found is on October 26th, 1963 when they were coming "direct from the Boom Boom Room" in Belfast. We have read that they had a six month residency in the famous northern night spot which must have been in 1963. Based in Derry, the band was managed by Eddie Davis and may well have been one of the first wave of "gimmick" bands in the country as apparently in their early days, they dressed in barristers' costumes, including the venerable white wigs.  

Although we are not sure when they actually went on the road, by early 1964, they were playing many of the biggest venues north and south of the border. In either late 1965 or early 1966, the band released its first and only single under the Barristers' name, "The Way It Feels To Die" which featured male vocalist Mike Cassidy.

During 1965, the band often announced tours abroad to London, the USA and Spain. It is difficult today to validate that these tours took place as many bands of the era made these kinds of claims from time to time as it helped improve their image at home and usually couldn't be verified by local dancers. In the case of the Barristers, it appears to have been mainly true as it was regularly reported on.

In September, 1966, a major change took place when the Barristers lost half of their band to a new group which would be called the Bankers. Gone were Mick Cassidy, Chuck McGuigan, Tricia Dee, and Seamus Creagh, and they would be joined by  Bill Bradley (ex-Woodchoppers - sax), Kieran McDonald (ex-Playboys - keyboards), and an un-named drummer to form the new band.

It was reported that the Bonner brothers' Barristers would add Eamonn Toland on guitar, Danny McLaughlin (drums) and Willie Barrett (keyboards) and according to reports, were still on the road. However, we can find no advertising showing the band playing after this and, in fact, ads where the Bankers we listed as "Ex-Barristers."

As of March, 1967, Mike Cassidy was still with the band, but we think not long after Charles "Chuck" McGuigan took over as the lead singer so we think Mike Cassidy may have left the band.

Other than the fact that Charles was in both bands, we can't be sure whether it was, indeed the same band, or a totally different set of musicians except for with only him remaining and the name changed. 

One of the reasons we are having so much trouble researching the band is that the Derry Journal is not available in online archives.

More to come.....

Photo Gallery

click on thumbnails for full image

Discography

The Way It Feels To Die / Love Looks Good On You (featuring Mick Cassidy)
Emerald Records - MD 1038 - Unknown

Audio Clips

Coming Soon

Where Are They Now?