June McDonnell chats music and politics with the popular Country and Irish star from Westmeath …

 

“It’s hard to believe that I’m in this game for 55 years, the time just flew!” I’m chatting to T.R. Dallas about his illustrious career as an entertainer.

Can you tell me a little bit about how it all began?
There was always music in the house growing up. In fact I sang in the church choir. I played with my brother Tony in a band called ‘The Prairie Boys’ and later in another band ‘The Nightrunners’. I suppose my professional career really started in 1970 when I joined ‘The Finnavons Showband’ from Co. Monaghan. We released a record, my first ever release called The Stranger’s Me. From there I joined ‘The Sailors Showband’ and in 1978 I was invited to join ‘The Mainliners’, Big Tom’s backing band, although he had left it at that time.” And in 1980 I formed my own band.

Had you any other jobs besides playing music?
I served my time as a motor mechanic and also as a car salesman. I did a bit of auctioneering at one time too. In 1999, I was elected as a Fianna Fáil Councillor for Westmeath where I served until 2014. I always had an interest in politics and enjoyed my time on the Council.
I still played a bit of music and did some charity gigs.

You’ve had a varied and interesting career but the big time was yet to come. Tell us about the song that not only gave you a stage name but launched your name on the worldwide stage?
You mean ‘Who Shot J.R’? That was a lucky break alright. Donie Cassidy got the song from a songwriter in Cork called Rocky Stone. The TV programme Dallas was huge. It was watched by the whole country and lo and behold wasn’t the main character J.R. Ewing shot dead.
Now, everyone wanted to know who shot J.R. It was the talk of the country. I released the song, got invited on the Late Late Show and as the saying goes “the rest is history”. The late Terry Wogan played it continually on his radio show and it was a big seller in U.K.
It was released on CMR Records here in Ireland and on the ‘Young Blood’ record label in London. ‘Young Blood’ suggested that to benefit from the publicity associated with the story and to be more authentic I should change my name to T.R. Dallas, get the Stenson and all the gear. So Tom Allen became T.R. Dallas nearly overnight.

Did you ever lose the hat? Is it difficult to pack when going on tour?
No, thankfully I never had any trouble with it. I put it in the hat box and pack it with the rest of the gear.

Did you ever meet Larry Hagman who played the role of J.R. Ewing?
I did. I met him twice, once in London and again some time later in the Phoenix Park, Dublin. He had come over to auction a horse for charity. We got talking and he was intrigued when I told him about the song Who Shot J.R.?
Recently too, I met Patrick Duffy. He played Bobby Ewing, J.R.’s brother in the series. He was in Ireland shooting a document about Irish Pubs. He came down to Moate and filmed in my son’s bar, ‘Don’s Bar’. So the ‘Allen’ family still have a strong connection with Dallas.

Continue reading in this week’s Ireland’s Own