Countrymen Showband Story (1962-)
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 mention of the band we can find is during Christmas, 1962
when they entertained a children's social club on December 22nd. At
the time, the band was advertised as "Dave Kavanagh and his Dynamic
Countrymen's Showband." Dave was the band's drummer and the lineup
(we think) also included Noel "Speedy" McCormick (guitar), Gerry
Rock (trumpet), Mickey O'Hara (bass), Matt Fleming (sax), and Vin
Dunne (trombone). Based in Clara, Co. Offaly, they were a typical
band of the early 1960's...a group of local lads looking to
entertain dancers both local and, if possible, further afield.
In the beginning, most of their
gigs were local and included badminton clubs, GAA clubs and socials.
At the end of 1963 another band came on the scene with a similar
name: the "Mighty Countrymen Showband" based in Cork started
advertising in the Irish Independent. This made it a little harder
to determine where the Clara Countrymen were actually playing as
often advertisements did not list the band's home town (hence we
can't tell which band was playing in Drogheda, for instance).
By mid-1964 the Countrymen were
traveling further afield with gigs in Kilkenny, Athboy and Kilkenny.
They hjadf also started playing most of the major carnivals in the
midlands including Trim, Delvin, Oldcastle, and Longford among many
others.
More to come.....
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