;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;)As a dedicated showband  fan I could never understand why the showbands never made it in a big way in the uk,many bands were as good as if not better than their british counterparts!   I   know that Joe Dolan had a few hits but apart from that there was a reluctance for discjockeys to play showband records on the radio especially the Beeb! :) :) :)

I think that if the managers of Irish Showbands in the '60's & '70's had the passion, committment & business know - how of today, then perhaps more bands would have made an impact on the British music scene. The showbands lacked promotion in England. I wonder whether bands back then, would have been successful in England, had they have had managers like Louis Walsh behind them? I think it's a shame that the guys & gals who entertained us week after week didn't get the opportunity to showcase their talents elsewhere. The only way they did this was to travel  to America or Canada.

:) back in the glorious summer of 71 dickie rock  had i love melanie out, a fab song which could have charted outside ireland, not sure if it was an original , but the flip side was with another very good song, called we did it together, fab song, and i have  record since all those beautifull sunshine years of youth  ::) ::) ::)

:D :D :D :D There were some great songs and songwriters in Ireland,loved the song by the Times, "Looking Through The Eyes Of A  Beautiful Girl"in the early 1970's, I know they did some sessions for the Beeb,it should have charted! :) :) :) :)

::) yep  that was a very good song as was the real mc coys run joey run   i can remember watching  them perform song on the like now show , what a memory  ::)

:) :) :) :) :) :)Hi Eddy,Yes I remember  Quick Joey Small by the Real Mccoy it was a great song, was that before Tina joined the band?Have it on a Hawk compilation album along with Gloria,Lola and The Cotton Mill Boys,there were some great bands,great tracks weren' t they?Best Wishes,Pete aka celbrity

:) hi pete, not sure if tina sings on song,  but they were a couple of girls  singing on song if my memory  serves me right,   i have track on the showband double cd,

that could still be  a hit today, as some others from the past  

:) :) :) :)Hi everyone,yes it could be a hit again for the Real Mccoy,therewere some great showband records which could have been a hit.Regarding what Trisha said  many bands didn't have ambition but I met Mick Clerkin of Release,many showbands  recorded for release,he definitely wanted to crack the uk market,but there was opposition from the Beeb,I knew one of the girls at my local radio station persuaded her to play records by New Blues she was reluctant but played it,we got a good response from the people in Leicester,but did it as a favour to Carole who at the time was a close friend of mine.Best Wishes,Pete aka celebrity :) :) :) :) :)

In regards to the showbands lack of success in the UK, I think that the bands needed ambitious promoters & a good record label. Joe Dolan found fame over here when he was signed up by 'Pye International'. Apart from Joe, The Dubliners & some Eurovision winners, not many of the talented singers & bands from Ireland made it over here. The Beeb, I think, were biased in who they gave their air-time to.But, saying that, if the managers & promoters had done their job, then many more bands would & could have achieved International status that they deserved. Radio Luxembourg did play some Irish bands though.

:)  tony kenny  was with the sands , then  he went solo had  a power  play  on 208  with heart of stone , which became a hit outside of ireland as far as i know  

::) ::) ::) im looking for the  warm  sunshine  days  of summer  ::)

sorry i think you are wrong  Garry moore  van morison jimmy smith there are lots i my self am doing okin denmark with a cd coming out in decemberyou can be sure the showbands did there bit for the out side world best of luck yours truly fergie .dk