This outfit proved very popular in and around Manchester, and were instrumental in bringing Irish music and song to such varied venues as the Band on the Wall and Tameside Theatre. So successful was the first performance at the former that the bookers set up a short Irish season. Curragh started it, and a little know band, the Pogues, rounded off the short series. In 1985 the band split up, Caroline went to work for the BBC as a sound engineer, Eamonn to establish a career in radio and television as a presenter and producer, Angela and Paul to be founder members of top Irish rockers, Toss the Feathers. During these early days a young lad called Mick McGoldrick guested with the Curragh, aged about one, since those days he became BBC Trad oboy of the year and has played on many fine albums, including those of folk darling Kate Rusby.
Martin and Sean, by this time were writing and performing much of thier own material and they cotinued to play on and off for a few years in various guises. Perhaps their most notable gig as a duo the Peak Cavern gig in Castleton in 1987. One thousand people were seated in the main cavern in this concert to raise money for Derbyshire cave rescue. Also on the bill was wilderness photographer, John Beatty with his amazing Touch the Earth audio visual show.
By early 1988 Sean and Martin had teamed up with ace guitar man Kevin Hill, who was a mainstay of the Norman Beaker blues band and a regular guest with Jack Bruce. At this stage they ran an informal folk club at the Peels Arms pub in Padfield with landlord Denis Murray and his wife Viv (unfortunately Denis died in July 2001 and the pub has now changed hands). It was these nights that convinced them that they should get on the road again and by chance a young fiddle player, Paul Newland, had booked into the Peels for the night. Within a week they had played their first gig and within the month they played the Buxton Opera House as Banshee to an audience of over 1,200 people !
Things moved fast and so did the band playing accross the country. Kevin Hill left after several months and was replaced by the old rascal, Mick Coleman. Mick had the number one hit Matchstalk Men & Matchstalk Cats and Dogs. Mick played with Banshee through the various changes over the next ten years. The bands best venture into the recording studio resulted in "Down in the Dungeon" released to great acclaim in 1994.They also appeared on television and radio many times, as Ben Maguire famously said on a poster for his Bradford venue, "as seen on the Richard Whiteley show..more than once!". Paul left due to work commitments, but Banshee carried on with some great players including Shane, Colin and Paul Farrell, on banjo, fiddle and fiddle and Kevin Madden, world champion fiddle player, affectionately known as the pieman. The Farrels and the Pieman are all World Champions in their own right and it has to be said, that when any of them played with the band, the music rose to a different level. k here to add your text.
Five very successful years followed with the band playing all over the UK and Ireland and releasing three CD,s. At various times, Gordon Trunkfield stood in for Mike on guitar and vocals adding another dimension to the band with his amazing guitar playing, top guy, top player well loved by the audience.
The band were joined, towards the end of 2004, by local musician Paul "Wal" Walster on bass and in early 2005, Mike left the band to be replaced by Paul Higham on guitar and vocals to form the latest line up of the band. Young Higham was that keen to join that he learned 30 songs, yes 30, in three days.
In November `05, Paul left to form The Devils Right Hand with Mike Revell and Mark O`Neil replaced him on fiddle and vocals. Young Higham had to leave because of work, and up stepped the man, Gordon Trunkfield, who hasn`t missed a single gig since. For a short time, Mike Walters, a well known and talented musician in his own right, joined in with six or seven gigs, and he may well turn-out with the boys in the future.
During the late summer of 2006 something magical happened to the Curragh Sons. By accident they evolved into the Curraghboys Big Band. A band comprising, Sean, Vocals and Bodhran, Wal, Vocals and assorted bass guitars, mighty Steve Massey on drums, Young Higham in guitar and vocals, Phil the fiddle Mayers on fiddle and vocals, and of course the wonderful GordonTrunkfield on left handed Martin.
2008 saw yet more changes in the line up of the band. Towards the end of the summer Phil left the band to be replace by Paul Newland (yet again!) on fiddle, mandolin and vocals. Wal stepped down from regular appearances and was replaced by Butty (Paul Gerahty) on bass (and occasionally drums).The new line up gives the band
The Curragh Sons has always been a fluid outfit, and after thirty years on the road, any new album could sport a cover like Sgt Pepper’s with the different personnel taking over from Sonny Liston, Diana Dors and all the rest. Here’s a few to set the memories going...Eamonn O’Neal, Mick Coleman, Butty, Wal, Sean De Burca, Mike Revell, Phil the Fiddle, Martin Coult, Caroline, Angela and Paul Usher, Kevin Madden, Colin, Shane and Paul Farrell, Big Allan, Davy O’Dea, Mark O’Neal, Pete Wooley, Terry Foley etc etc.
There have obviously been ups and downs, and a few fall outs, but I’d like to think that overall, everyone has had a good time when they’ve pulled on the Curraghboy strip. From the early days when Martin and I waited patiently for our turn in local folk clubs to sing our own songs, to the heady days of Ben McGuires and the truly wonderful gigs in Kinvara as we entered the surreal world of the Cuckoo Fleadh. 2010 sees us back in this delightful village on Galway Bay for the tenth year, or maybe eleventh, or was it twelve, who knows? It also happens to be Paul’s 50th birthday on the Sunday. For more info on next year’s trip call Sean soon, as we are considering taking a coach. The dates are 30th April, 1st, 2nd and come back Bank Holiday 3rd May. Mobile 077361 75866
The one defining factor with the Curraghs, is that, we play with heart and enthusiasm, and have a deserved reputation for entertainment.
The latest to join the club is the all round good lad Dave Molyneux on acoustic bass and guitar...Dave had a number one hit in Japan last year with his eighties indie band Explained Emma and brings with him a wealth of experience.
