With Phil Murphy
There was a revolution in the Irish music scene in the 1960s and 70s. Ballad groups like the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem, The Dubliners, The Wolfe Tones and scores of ballad groups and hundreds of showbands like the Royal, The Miami, the Dixies, etc., and rockier performers like Thin Lizzie, Van Morrison and Rory Gallagher changed things forever.
The scene has endured a bit of a rollercoaster in the decades since, but live music is now probably in the healthiest position it has enjoyed since the Showband era ended. In the past ten years, there has been a remarkable resurgence in the live dancing and country and Irish music scene.
Some of the ‘old guard’ are still strutting their stuff, artistes, the likes of Red Hurley, Eileen Reid, Dickie Rock, Paddy Cole, Philomena Begley, Ray Lynam, Susan McCann, Johnny McEvoy, Brendan Shine, Foster and Allen and many others.
They have been joined by a new wave of young country and Irish singers who have attracted a whole new generation of younger Irish dancers and audiences to the pleasures of the live music scene.
Thousands of happy fans are dancing the nights away every week now to people like Robert Mizzell, Nathan Carter, Lisa McHugh, Luan Parle, Mike Denver, Michael English, Derek Ryan, Jimmy Buckley, John McNicholas, etc., etc.
Ireland’s Own has always had an affinity with the live Irish music scene and we have featured many individual performers and groups over the years.
We will continue to do that, and in our new monthly column, The Irish Music Scene, we will try to keep you up to date with some of the people and events making the news. Contact philmurphy1951@gmail.com with your news and views on the Irish Music Scene.
Featuring Darren Holden of The High Kings