 All
the latest news for 2026 on the site and the scene.....
Click here for our news archives including
articles from Irish papers
Headlines from:
2025-2024-2023-2022-2021-2020-2019-2018-2017-2016-2015-2014-2013-2012-2011-2010-2009-2008-2007
February 3, 2026...Death of Francis Kennedy...(Swingtime Aces,
Brendan Shine Band)
Sad news today from community member John Harold
that Francis "Frank" Kennedy a former member of the Swingtime Aces
and the Brendan Shine Band has passed away in his hometown of
Athenry, Co. Galway. After a period playing with the showbands,
Francis turned his talent to the art world and also ran a website
dedicated to the showband era until his death. Last year he
published a book on the era titled from Tango to Twist. Our
sincerely sympathies are extended to his family, friends and fans at
home and abroad.
March 18, 2026...Death of Cahir O'Doherty...(Gentry,
The Dazzle Band)
Sad news today from his loving wife Teresa that
Cahir O'Doherty sadly passed away after a sudden illness March 18th.
Cahir first came to prominence with the group The Gentry,. The band
soon morphed (along with several other groups of the period) into a
fully fledged showband. The band eventually packed it in and Cahir
went on to form the Dazzle Band which specialised in "good ole" rock
n' roll. He eventually moved to the stage starring as Pharaoh in the
musical, Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat in Dublin. He
soon left Ireland for the States where he settled in Florida and
continued to entertain crowds with his own special brand of Irish
folk music. A past friend of the website, our sincere sympathies are extended to Teresa and Cahir's family, friends and fans both in Ireland and the United
States.
May 31st, 2026...Death of Henry McMahon...(Mainliners)
Sad news today from community member, John
Harrold, that former founding member of the Mainliners, Henry
McMahon, passed away on May, 31, 2026. Henry formed the band in 1963
along with Big Tom McBride, when Tom returned to Ireland after
working in England for a couple of years. The band started as the
"Mighty Mainliners" and their reputation (and unique sound) captured
the imagination of the Irish dancing public throughout the early
showband years. They soon became Big Tom and the Mainliners and
dominated the ballroom circuit for many years. In recent years Henry
continued to tour with the reformed Mainliners until Tom's passing
and also handled management for Jimmy Buckley. Our sincere
sympathies are extended to his family friends and fans across
Ireland and the UK.
June 6, 2026...Death of Marion Fossett (Sheeba),
Fossett's Circus)
 Sad
news today from several community members including John Harrold and
Niall Power that Marion Fossett former member of the "girl band"
Sheeba, has passed away aged 71 after an extended illness. Marion
was part of the girl "super group" which featured Irene "Maxi" McCoubrey (formerly of Maxi, Dick and Twink), Marion
(formerly of the Fossett's Family Circus) and Francis
Campbell from Derry. The trio were initially being "backed" by
Jim Farley's Band at the time. Launched with a bang, the band
would play the ballroom scene for several years before calling it
quits in 1984 with Maxi going into television and Marion returning
to the family business and would eventually serve as the ringmaster.
Our sincere sympathies are extended to the Fossett family, and
Marion's fans and friends across the world.
|
