Carlton Dance Band Feature (1938-1960)
Photo Gallery -
Band Lineups -
Discography
- Audio samples -
Where Are They Now?
The Story
Editor's note: Every care
has been taken to present only factual information in this story
based on newspaper articles and photographic
archives. If you can add anything or correct info in this story,
please email us and let us know.
The first mention we can find of
the Carlton Dance Band was in April, 1938, long before the start of
the showband era. Formed in Drogheda, the band was "conducted" (as
they were in those days) by Eddie Gargan. Back in those days dances
were often not "advertised" in advance, but "reported on" after the
fact in local papers. Following the Cairnes Athletics AFC Annual
dance on January 7th 1939, the Drogheda Independent newspaper
reported the event was a "huge success," and continued "The Carlton
Dance Band, who were in charge of the music, were positively
brilliant, and outshone all previous performances. Their latest
numbers and splendid rhythm were pleasing and appreciated by all."
In those days bands played
dances with several interesting features including "All Night Dances" and they ran from 9 pm until 3
or 4 am the next morning, and there were no relief bands or discos. Also
of interest (see below) was the fact that gents often paid more to
get in....3 schillings
and 6 pence (3s 6d), but ladies only paid 2s 6d. Around this period there were many
different "types" of dancing included: Hops, Cinderella dances,
Ceilidhe and Old Time, All Night Dances, and the halls stayed closed
during Lent usually have a great "Re-opening Dance" on Easter Sunday
night. Most dance halls at the time were pretty tiny outside of
Dublin. Most were either parochial halls, or buildings that doubled
as the local community centre, cinema, meeting and Bingo hall. By
the way, dances were usually advertised on the paper's front page as
well.
But back to the band itself. We
were able to piece together a version of the band's history from both
newspaper archives of dances at the time, along with information
culled from a court case in 1956 regarding a dispute about two bands
using the same name, but more about that later.
The Carlton Dance Band got its start in
the early 1930's when a Drogheda band called "Jo Hegarthy's Band"
was renamed when Miss Josephine Hegarty got married and they became
the "Eddie Gargan Band." Affidavits from the court case stated that
in 1937 that band then "ceased to exist." Four members of that
band, William Flynn, Patrick White, Peter Donnelly, and Williams
Shiels formed the "Carlton Dance Band." This is somewhat strange as
early adverts for the "Carlton" listed Eddie Gargan as the
"conductor" (see above).
Getting good info from newspaper
archives is difficult but in June, 1941 adverts for the band
proclaimed that they had nine performers (up from 6). Besides
Earnest Barber the only other musicians we have been able to
identify being with the band were Miss Kathleen Daly (vocals and
violin) and Eddie Gargan (unknown). In an advert for the band in
November 1942 it was called "Vin Barber's Carlton Dance Band."
In July 1943 we found an advert
for the Carlton Dance band based in Drogheda which initially led us
to believe their were two bands with the same names. However,
adverts for the Birr based band seemed to stop and then in December
1944, the band was playing in Banagher Hall (which it had done many
times while based in Birr) so we think perhaps the band moved, but
at this point we can't be sure.
In 1948 the band became the first
Irish band to fly to a gig, going to Limerick. By 1950, they would
be regularly referred to as the "Flying" Carlton dance band.
They were managed by Tommy Matthews.
In September, 1952, original
member William Sheilds left the band. In an unusual move, he took
out an advert in the newspaper announcing his departure and
that he had "severed all connections" with the band. In November,
1952, an article said the "current" members of the band included
original members Joe Leech (violin and bass) and Peter Donnelly
(drums) as well as Michael Munster (keyboards), Eddie Roy (MC and
alto sax), Paddy O'Connor (tenor sax), Willie Healy (trumpet) and
Bridie Geraghty (vocals).
Tom Leech
More to come.....
click on thumbnails for full image
