Cossacks Showband Feature (1963 - 1971, 1991)

Photo Gallery - Band Lineups - Discography - Audio samples - Where Are They Now?

The Story

The Cossacks Showband from Thurles in Co. Tipperary made their debut on October 13th, 1963 in the Palace Ballroom in Fermoy, Co. Cork. Initially, the band seemed to play strictly in Munster until their reputation grew. Also, as with many of the bands that hit the road in the early 1960's, it seems they were running more adverts in the Irish Examiner's Dance Band section than adverts for their gigs. Finally, we could find very little info available about who was in the band in the early days. Another hindrance to our research is that in 1964 a band (also called the Cossacks Showband) hit the road in the North based out of Ballymena.

An advert in the Irish Independent on July 22nd, 1964 listed the band's lineup which included Ber Diggins (guitar), Pat Diggins (bass), Mick Dwyer (drums), Phil Dwyer (guitar), Kevin Nevin (sax), and Tommy O'Dowd their "rock vocalist."

One of the band's adverts in August, 1965 (and most of their ads after that), mentioned the band featured Guy Byrne on lead vocals and that their first record release was imminent. The band also undertook annual English tours during Lent, another staple of showband life in its early days.    

In February, 1966 a report in the Tempo column of the Evening Herald mentioned the band in some detail including their line-up which was now Guy Byrne (vocals), Ber Diggins (guitar), Pat Diggins (bass), Martin Lanigan (trumpet), Kevin Nevin (sax), Dick Keogh (drums) and Donie Shanahan (guitar). The piece also mentioned the band was playing residencies in Kilkee and Ballybunion in the summer which may account for a lack of gig adverts. Unfortunately, we do not know if this was the same line-up from the start of whether the members had changed during the first three years they were on the road. Ber Diggins was the leader and manager of the band. 

In September, 1966, an interesting advert appeared in the Irish Independent newspaper (see below) placed by the previously mentioned Northern-based band of the same name. We have included this only as an example of some of the confusion which reigned in the early days of the era when bands (usually from north and south of the border) unknowingly shared the same name. It was only when one band or the other started to play beyond their normal geographic circuit that this became a real issue.

A few weeks later, an advert appeared in the Western People announcing the band was being managed by Eamon Hughes of Claremorris. The change in management seemed to help them spread their wings somewhat as they were soon playing gigs across Connacht as well as their former stronghold in the south.

In March 1967, it appears something happened with the band as in the same Dance Band section of the Irish Independent on April 1st, one advert was for the Cossacks (with Guy Byrne) while another was for booking Guy Byrne "late of the Cossacks Showband." Further research showed that Guy's name was no longer associated with the band in their adverts and by July of 1967, Ber Diggins was managing the band again. Making things even more confusing, later in 1967 the band was advertised several times as "Guy Byrne and the Cossacks Showband," but this may have been errors on the part of a promoters.

Despite these issues, the band continued to play the circuit and continued to do well, especially in the South. In summer of 1968, an advert in the Kerryman, listed the band as "Chris and the Cossacks Showband" and later adverts continued to list "Chris" as the new lead singer with the band. Adverts also listed the band as "Ireland's most progressive." Adverts for the band continued to appear in the Irish Independent Dance Band section in 1969, a practice that was growing less popular with other bands of the era. The band never made the record which had been promised on several occasions. 

The band would continue to play the circuit until 1971 when we found their last advert for a gig on Sunday, August 8th, 1971 at the Lismore Festival.

However, they weren't finished yet. In 1991, an article in the Evening Herald said they were to make a record and were back on the road. We're not sure whatever happened as there was only one gig advertised after that and no sign of a record being released, but we're sure they gave it one last hurrah.          

More to come.....

Photo Gallery

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Discography

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Where Are They Now?