54-641: The Miami Showband were an Irish showband in the 1960s and 1970s led firstly in 1962 by singer Jimmy Harte, followed by Dickie Rock and later by Fran O'Toole. They had seven number one records on the Irish singles chart . Band members Fran O'Toole, Tony Geraghty, and Brian McCoy were killed in the Miami Showband killings in 1975 during the Troubles when returning from a performance in County Down , Northern Ireland to
108-553: A BBC Four documentary about the showband phenomenon. Banbridge Banbridge ( / b æ n ˈ b r ɪ dʒ / ban- BRIJ , Irish : Droichead na Banna pronounced [d̪ˠɾˠɪçəd̪ˠ n̪ˠə ˈbˠan̪ˠə] ) is a town in County Down , Northern Ireland. It lies on the River Bann and the A1 road and is named after a bridge built over the River Bann in 1712. It is situated in
162-695: A branch line from Banbridge to Ballyroney in 1880. In 1906 the GNR opened an extension from Ballyroney to Castlewellan , where it connected with a new Belfast and County Down Railway branch line to Newcastle, County Down . In 1953 the governments of Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic jointly nationalised the GNR as the GNR Board . On 1 May 1955 the GNRB closed Banbridge's lines to Scarva and Castlewellan. Banbridge (BLBR) railway station closed on 29 April 1956, when
216-474: A large band for the seventies. There were a few bands that changed their name from dance bands and orchestras to 'Bandshow' before calling themselves 'Showbands'. For example, The Jimmy Wiley Orchestra changed its name to The Jimmy Wiley Bandshow and then to The Jimmy Wiley Showband. Dave Glover renamed his group to the Dave Glover Showband in 1955, pioneering the use of the word "showband"; he chose
270-569: A love of music. At a dark time, they were a shining light for so many." Tom Doherty died on 21 April 2009. Former band members Martin Phelan and Paul Ashford (born 1950, Bray , County Wicklow ) died in 2010 and 2011 respectively. A stamp was issued on 22 September 2010 by An Post commemorating the Miami Showband. This was one of a series of four stamps issued in Ireland to celebrate the "golden age" of
324-461: A population of 17,400 in the 2021 census. The town's main street is very unusual, rising to a steep hill before levelling out. In 1834 an underpass was built as horses with heavy loads would faint before reaching the top of the hill. It was built by William Dargan and is officially named 'Downshire Bridge', though it is often called "The Cut". Banbridge, home to the " Star of the County Down ",
378-477: A star with The Miami Showband , and later represented Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1966. At its height in the mid-1960s, there were as many as 800 full and part-time bands travelling the country. The business as a whole employed many thousands of musicians, support staff and managers. A second wave of bands emerged in the late sixties and early seventies with personnel coming mostly from
432-695: A version of the Elvis Presley album track " There's Always Me " reached number one in the Irish charts They had four further number one hits over the next two years: " I'm Yours " and "From the Candy Store on the Corner" (both 1964), and "Every Step of the Way" and "Wishing It Was You" (both 1965). In 1966, the band were chosen to sing Ireland's entry in the Eurovision Song Contest , and their song "Come Back To Stay" also reached
486-406: Is Scarva on Northern Ireland Railways ' Belfast–Newry railway line , about 4 miles (6.4 km) west of Banbridge. Banbridge had its own railway station from 1859 until 1956. The Banbridge, Newry, Dublin and Belfast Junction Railway opened Banbridge (BJR) railway station on 23 March 1859. In contrast with its very long name, this was a short branch line between Banbridge and Scarva. This
540-508: Is a list of townlands within Banbridge's urban area, alongside their likely etymologies : On census day (27 March 2011) there were 16,637 people living in Banbridge (6,693 households), accounting for 0.92% of the NI total, representing an increase of 12.8% on the census 2001 population of 14,744. Of these: On census day (21 March 2021) there were 17,400 people living in Banbridge. Of these: Near
594-447: Is a relatively young town, first entering recorded history around 1691 during the aftermath of the struggle between William III and James II . An Outlawry Court was set up in the town to deal with the followers of James. The town grew up around the site where the main road from Belfast to Dublin crossed the River Bann over an Old Bridge which was situated where the present bridge now stands. The town owes its success to flax and
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#1732855884760648-462: Is about a contemporary group of unemployed Irish youths who start a soul band in the manner of the late-1960s Irish showbands. The novel spawned a popular 1991 film of the same name , which in turn led to a touring band, The Stars from the Commitments , and a 2013 musical, The Commitments . The 2005 Irish TV movie Showbands and its 2006 sequel, Showbands II , both starred Liam Cunningham as
702-516: The 1910 Fruitgum Company song) in 1968. McCarthy and Tony Bogan later left, and were replaced by Danny Ellis and Martin Brannigan. The group released an album, The Wind Will Change Tomorrow , in 1970, and in the early 1970s played a residency in Las Vegas and performed at Carnegie Hall . Popular with both Catholics and Protestants , the Miami Showband regularly played to audiences on both sides of
756-455: The Belfast Pogrom . Banbridge had three major bombings during the Troubles . On 15 March 1982, a Provisional IRA bomb on Bridge Street killed a schoolboy and injured 36 people. On 4 April 1991, another IRA bomb of 1,000 lb of explosives caused widespread damage and injured a police officer outside Banbridge Courthouse. There was also a dissident republican bombing on 1 August 1998 after
810-573: The Castle Ballroom , where the band had played on the evening prior to the UVF ambush. In an interview granted to the press prior to this gig, saxophonist Des Lea stated: "It will be a very fitting close in Banbridge; it's going to be a very emotional evening as we're back in the town where the massacre occurred. It's emotional and heart-wrenching, but I know Fran, Brian and Tony would be very proud." A monument at Parnell Square North, Dublin, dedicated to
864-588: The Irish Republican Army (IRA) assassinated British colonel Gerald Smyth in Cork . He had ordered police officers to shoot civilians if they did not immediately obey orders. In a 17 June 1920 speech at the Listowel , County Kerry Royal Irish Constabulary station Smyth is quoted as saying: "The more you shoot, the better I will like you, and I assure you no policeman will get into trouble for shooting any man." Smyth
918-479: The Irish border throughout the Troubles and were known to some as the "Irish Beatles ." The band's saxophonist , Des Lee, would later recollect: "We entertained everybody. Didn't matter what colour, what creed , or where we were playing, whether it was north or south at that terrible time in Northern Ireland. We looked upon it as giving two hours of fun to people to get away from the Troubles." In 1972,
972-569: The Republic of Ireland in an attack initially intended to convince the United Kingdom the band had been involved in smuggling explosives across the Irish border . The band reformed in 1976, but would disband in 1982, later reuniting and reforming. The Miami Showband played their final gig in 2015. The band was established in Dublin in 1962 by impresario Tom Doherty. He recruited an existing group,
1026-453: The civil parish of Seapatrick and the historic barony of Iveagh Upper, Upper Half . The town began as a coaching stop on the road from Belfast to Dublin and thrived from Irish linen manufacturing. The town was home to the headquarters of the former Banbridge District Council . Following a reform of local government in Northern Ireland in 2015, Banbridge became part of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council . It had
1080-497: The linen industry, becoming the principal linen producing district in Ireland by 1772 with a total of 26 bleachgreens along the Bann. By 1820 the town was the centre of the 'Linen Homelands' and its prominence grew when it became a staging post on the mail coach route between Dublin and Belfast. A gift of £500 from the Marquis of Downshire around this time helped to alleviate some problems with
1134-646: The Downbeats Quartet, comprising Joe Tyrell (piano), Tony Bogan (drums), Clem Quinn (guitar), and Martin Phelan (saxophone), and augmented them with singer Jimmy Harte who at the time was a member of The Ambassadors Showband in Dublin, joined trumpeter Tommy O'Rourke, trombonist and vocalist Murty Quinn, and bass player Denis Murray. The group's first engagement was at the Palm Beach Ballroom in Portmarnock , and as
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#17328558847601188-531: The Irish Showband scene from the 1950s to the 1970s. The 55-cent stamp was designed with a 1967 publicity photograph of the band, fronted by Dickie Rock. Two of the band members killed in the massacre at Bushkill, Fran O'Toole and Brian McCoy, are also featured. = Features Dickie Rock – Features Clem Quinn – Features Murty Quinn – Features Des Lee – Features Fran O'Toole – Features Brian McCoy Irish showband The Irish Showband ( Irish : seó-bhanna )
1242-704: The King of the Showband era, not least of which was due to his powerful & fantastic voice, handsome good looks coupled with his energetic dance moves on stage. The Capitol Showband released the first showband L.P. record in 1962, 'Presenting Ireland's Premier Showband, Envoy Records, VOY 9144. The Freshmen from Ballymena, Antrim, led by Billy Brown and Derek Dean, combined to produce harmonies on their covers of hits by The Beach Boys and Jan and Dean . Dickie Rock performed mainly big ballads. First singing with Dublin's Strykers, Blackbirds, Echoes and Melochords, he became
1296-917: The North East, the Adelphi ballroom, owned by Dee O'Kane and Jimmy Hamilton in Dundalk, attracted audiences from both sides of the border. Summer dancing was held in marquee tents during parish carnivals throughout the country. Mineral Bars dispensed hot beverages and soft drinks. Ballrooms and dance halls did not sell alcoholic beverages. Alcohol sales remained the prerogative of the local pub, who then began to build extensions onto pubs and operate their own disco or cabaret show. Various internationally successful Irish singers and musicians began their careers in showbands, including Van Morrison , Henry McCullough , Mick Hanly , Rory Gallagher , Eric Bell , Eric Wrixon and Colm Wilkinson . The 1987 Roddy Doyle novel The Commitments
1350-527: The U.S. and Canadian Irish club circuit. Brendan Bowyer , Tom Dunphy and the Royal Showband from Waterford toured professionally around 1958, and became a crowd-drawing success. They were managed by the promoter T.J. Byrne and were the first such band to have a record enter the Irish charts, "Katie Daly", sung by Dunphy. Soon after, Brendan Bowyer had a hit with "Kiss Me Quick", a song taken from an Elvis Presley album. Many would consider Brendan Bowyer to be
1404-662: The US, Canada, and on the German nightclub circuit and U.S. military bases in Europe. In the 1940s and 1950s "orchestras" were popular in Ireland. These were dance bands usually with ten to fifteen musicians, and sometimes more. They wore dress suits and dickey bows . Often there would be a community brass band based in the town where the orchestra came from and the orchestra members would have learned to play instruments in this brass band. They sat down and read sheet music from stands. Instrumental music
1458-485: The amount depending on how popular the band were. It became riskier for ballroom operators to run dances and make a profit with falling attendances and increased fee demands from bands. In July 1975 members of the Ulster Volunteer Force murdered three members of The Miami Showband , Fran O'Toole, Tony Geraghty and Brian McCoy and wounded two others, Des McAlea and Stephen Travers. The killings, which occurred as
1512-548: The band was returning from a show in Banbridge in Northern Ireland , became known as the Miami Showband killings . Cross-border band touring dropped significantly as a result and this also hastened the decline of the showbands. Of the bands that did not break up entirely, many reduced their numbers and revamped into small outfits playing locally. The city ballrooms were often purpose built and lavish. Many rural dance halls, on
1566-435: The beat-groups scene. They young proponents of a rock , blues and soul style. These bands included The Dreams, The Real McCoy, The Arrows and The Chessmen. They were most popular in urban areas, while Country and Western leaning bands were generally more popular in the rural areas of the country. Johnny McEvoy and Danny Doyle started out as folk singers but changed to showbands in the 70's. They subsequently returned to
1620-525: The dead Miami Showband members, was unveiled at a ceremony on 10 December 2007 attended by Lee and Travers. The Taoiseach , Bertie Ahern , said of O'Toole, McCoy and Geraghty: "Their murder was an atrocity which had such a profound impact on everyone on this island. It is remembered with sadness to this very day....We remember the affection in which they were held by people the length and breadth of Ireland. Their popularity crossed all boundaries and all traditions. They simply wanted to entertain everyone who had
1674-484: The device exploded prematurely, killing both Boyle and Somerville and hurling the band's saxophonist, Des Lee, into a ditch. The remaining gunmen then opened fire on the band members, killing O'Toole (age 29), McCoy (age 32) and Geraghty (age 24) and wounding Travers. Lee escaped any further injury by feigning death. Two serving Ulster Defence Regiment soldiers and one former UDR soldier later received life sentences after having been found guilty of murder. The year after
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1728-511: The evening with his parents in Antrim . The remaining five members of the band travelled south by minibus back to Dublin . At approximately 2:30 a.m. on 31 July 1975, the band were stopped at a bogus military checkpoint by gunmen dressed in British Army uniform in the townland of Buskhill, outside of Newry . All were ordered to exit the vehicle and line up by the roadside, facing away from
1782-441: The folk scene after a relatively short period. By the mid-1970s the phenomenon had peaked, and was in decline. A number of factors contributed to their drop in popularity, including the advent of upscale discothèque , the opening of hotel music lounges and cabaret rooms with alcohol licenses, and changing musical tastes. The big bands started employing smaller bands, known as relief bands, to play before them. People often stayed in
1836-468: The group had another major change, when Dickie Rock left to front his own band. He was initially replaced in the Miami Showband at first by brothers Frankie and Johnny Simon and then, briefly, by Billy Mac (born Billy MacDonald). Following the sacking of Mick Roche (Billy Mac's replacement) in 1974, Fran O'Toole fronted the band, the group often being billed as "Fran O'Toole and the Miami". The album Miami Country
1890-587: The home of a republican family. The father fired on the mob, killing Protestant William Sterritt. A local Orange lodge was later named in his honour. Hundreds of Catholic factory workers were also forced from their jobs, and many Catholic families fled Banbridge. Calm was restored after the British Army were deployed in the town. In the summer of 1920 sectarian rioting occurred in several other towns/cities in east Ulster: Belfast , Dromore and Newtownards . This period of communal violence has been referred to as
1944-403: The killings, the Miami Showband regrouped and continued to perform. Des Lee fronted the band until leaving in 1978, later moving to South Africa. The group remained active until 1982, led by Charlie Chapman. They then split up and their management formed a new band, The New Miami, fronted by Caroline Allen. Another new band using the Miami name was formed in 1996, featuring Gerry Brown, brother of
1998-423: The manager of a struggling Irish showband in the mid-1960s. In 2010, Ireland's postal service, An Post , issued a set of four commemorative stamps depicting four of Ireland's biggest showbands: The Drifters , The Freshmen , The Miami Showband and The Royal Showband . An An Post spokesman said that the showbands "rocked Irish society from its postwar depression ". In March 2019, Ardal O'Hanlon presented
2052-452: The name because he wanted to indicate that their act incorporated both music and skits. Strabane's Clipper Carlton are credited with being the first to incorporate a 'show' in the middle of their act, 'Duke Box Saturday Night' where they imitated the hits and singers of the day. Fronted by Fergus O'Hagan, they were originally a touring Dance Orchestra. They later became popular in Britain and on
2106-411: The orchestras downsized and morphed into showbands, going from eight or ten brass down to three or four brass. The Maurice Mulcahy Orchestra went from fifteen members, five saxophones, four trumpets, one trombone, rhythm section and a singer in the early sixties to ten members in the early seventies, which included two singers but still held five brass, four saxophones and one trumpet, which would have been
2160-573: The other hand, were simple buildings at the edge of the town. Dance halls in smaller towns and villages would host a dance once or twice a month. The fans often travelled miles from the surrounding countryside to see their favourite band. A chain of venues in the midlands was operated by Albert Reynolds , who would later become Taoiseach of the Republic. Associated Ballrooms was owned by mining magnate Con Hynes. The Lucey brothers had large ballrooms in Cork. In
2214-408: The pub until the main band was about to come on stage. It got harder and harder to try and draw people out of the pubs and in to the ballrooms. Bands tried changing names and coming up with gimmicks to try to attract people. Some of the bigger bands started demanding a guaranteed fee no matter what the attendance would be. Some even demanded a percentage of the door takings from the ballroom operator,
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2268-589: The signing of the Good Friday Agreement (see 1998 Banbridge bombing ) when a bomb detonated outside a shoe shop in Newry Street. Like the rest of Ireland, the Banbridge area has long been divided into townlands , whose names mostly come from the Irish language . Banbridge sprang up in a townland called Ballyvally. Over time, the surrounding townlands have been built upon and they have lent their names to many streets, roads and housing estates. The following
2322-418: The singer Dana . In August 2005, Lee, Travers and Millar reunited on stage at a Miami Showband Memorial Concert in Dublin. Following from that, a tour was organised in 2008 with the trio being augmented by Gerry Brown, Johnny Fean (formerly of the band Horslips ), and Barry Woods. The Miami Showband played their final concert on 21 August 2015. The venue for this concert was a location in Banbridge, close to
2376-577: The steepness of the road and paid for significant improvements. This industry has now greatly diminished in prominence, but Banbridge still has three of the major producers in Ulster; Weavers, Thomas Ferguson & Co, and John England Irish Linen. In 1994, Banbridge was twinned with Ruelle-sur-Touvre in Nouvelle-Aquitaine , France . In 1920, Banbridge saw violence related to the ongoing Irish War of Independence and partition of Ireland . On 17 July,
2430-589: The top of the charts. They also appeared on British TV, on Sunday Night at the London Palladium and Thank Your Lucky Stars . In 1967, four members of the band—Murty Quinn, Tommy O'Rourke, Denis Murray and Martin Phelan—split away to form their own group, The Sands. They were replaced by songwriter and singer Fran O'Toole, Paul Ashford, Pat McCarthy, Des Lee (born Des McAlea) and Brian McCoy. The group's final number one came with " Simon Says " (a version of
2484-534: The town lie the ancient Lisnagade Fort , Legannany Dolmen , and the Loughbrickland Crannóg , constructed around the year 500 AD. The Old Town Hall in Banbridge was completed in 1834. In the centre of the town of Banbridge, a large 10.5 acre park, Solitude Park, which exists as a community centre. It is an urban park consisting of skateparks, rivers and grassland. Banbridge is on the A1 main road between Belfast and Newry . The nearest railway station
2538-571: The town of Palm Beach in Florida is near to Miami , they were named the Miami Showband. They rapidly became one of the top showbands in the country. For family reasons, and to finish his education in early 1963 Jimmy left the Miami, by now a very successful band, and a replacement, Dickie Rock (at the time, a member of another group, the Melochords) was found. in December 1963 the Miami had their first single,
2592-572: The vehicle with their hands on their heads as individuals they initially believed were members of the Ulster Defence Regiment searched their van for explosives or weaponry. In efforts to allay any fears or suspicions, one of these individuals jokingly asked the band members, "Which one of you is Dickie Rock ?" Upon hearing this, one of the Protestant band members, Brian McCoy, nudged bassist Stephen Travers' elbow with his own, reassuring him all
2646-718: Was a dance band format popular in Ireland from the 1950s to the 1980s, with its peak in the 1960s. These bands typically featured seven to ten members, including a rhythm section, a brass section with various combinations of trumpet , saxophone , and trombone , and were fronted by lead singers, sometimes engaging in comedy skits. Their repertoire spanned rock and roll , country and western , dixieland jazz , big band tunes, Irish Céilí dances, Latin, folk, and more. Showbands were noted for their live energy, chart-topping covers, and sometimes choreographed performances. Originally touring within Ireland, successful bands later performed in Britain,
2700-415: Was followed by the opening of the Banbridge, Lisburn and Belfast Junction Railway between Knockmore Junction and Banbridge on 13 July 1863, which gave Banbridge a more direct link via Lisburn with Belfast Great Victoria Street . Banbridge (BJR) railway station was closed in favour of the new Banbridge (BLBR) railway station . The Great Northern Railway took over both companies in 1877 and opened
2754-452: Was from a wealthy Banbridge family, and his large funeral was held there on 21 July. After Smyth's funeral, about 3,000 Protestant loyalists took to the streets of Banbridge and wreaked revenge on the Catholic community. Many Catholic homes and businesses were attacked, burned and looted, despite police being present. A large mob of loyalists, some of them armed, attacked and tried to break into
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#17328558847602808-550: Was released in 1973. Line-up changes continued, and by 1975 the last remaining member of the original line-up, Clem Quinn, had left. The group then comprised Des Lee, Brian McCoy, Tony Geraghty, Fran O'Toole, Steve Travers and Ray Millar. Four of the band hailed from Northern Ireland: two of whom were Catholic; and two Protestant. On 30 July 1975, the Miami Showband performed a gig at the Castle Ballroom in Banbridge , County Down , Northern Ireland. The band played live for an estimated 450 people before drummer Ray Millar left to spend
2862-520: Was to the fore providing the backdrop to a long night's dancing which could be up to five hours long or more (e.g., 9 PM to 2 AM). Amplification was limited in the early days, just one microphone was used so the vocalist could be heard above the large band. As technology improved and became more available, the bands started using it, using more microphones for each section alongside more powerful amplifiers and larger loudspeakers. As singing and singers became more popular and instrumental tunes less popular,
2916-476: Was well and of his belief the individuals were members of the British Army . Unbeknownst to the band members, the individuals were actually members of a loyalist paramilitary group, the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF). Two gunmen, Harris Boyle and Wesley Somerville, attempted to hide a time bomb on the minibus, with the intention for the device to explode upon the band's reaching the Irish Republic . However,
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