Maurice Mulcahy Orchestra / Bandshow Feature (1952-1991)
Photo Gallery -
Band Lineups -
Discography
- Audio samples -
Where Are They Now?
The Story
When the Maurice Mulcahy Orchestra formed in late 1952 as an 8 piece
orchestra, the showband era was
still a long way off. The big coup for an orchestra in those early
days was to snag a residency in a major ballroom, usually by the
seaside where the summer season would have dancers hopping from June
through September. In June, 1957 the band took up its residency in
the Central Hotel/Ballroom in Ballybunion working for Matt Sullivan.
This move would serve them well as in 1970, Joe Mulcahy said that
the 1970 summer season in Ballybunion "was their fourteenth."
Sadly, in August, 1963 Maurice Mulcahy passed away
According to a Spotlight article in January 1970, the Maurice
Mulcahy Orchestra was formed in 1952 in Mitchelstown, Co. Cork.
Maurice formed the band, but sadly passed away in 1963 and his
brother Joe took over. By the time of the article, the band was a
kind of hybrid, neither orchestra or showband. They stood when they
played and moved a bit, but still read their music from music
stands. The band played a mixture of all kinds of music from country
to pop to Glen Miller. Although they made some singles, they had not
released one at that time. Said Joe, "it wouldn't be our scene
really."
Although the band traveled the
country from Cork to Donegal, they played their summers in
Ballybunion. In
1970 the band had shrunk to a ten piece, but they were a
fifteen piece a decade earlier. In late 1973 they were being managed
by Frank Daly from Charleville and announced they were changing
their name to the Maurice Mulcahy Superband. By 1974, we think the band was back
to an 11 piece, very large for the era as most bands by this time
were sporting 7-8 piece lineups at most.
More to come.....
click on thumbnails for full image
