The largest digital showband archive in the world!
Based In Sligo, Ireland / email: showbands@gmsproductions.com

With thanks to Irish Newspaper Archives: https://irishnewsarchive.com

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Country and Western Band Photos (C) - 308 photos

Click on letters for sorted photos   A-B  C  D-H   I-L   M-P    Q-Z   Big Tom

On this page, we pay tribute to the hundreds of country bands that entertained Irish audiences back in the "good old days." After the steam ran out of the showband engine, bands generally disbanded or regrouped as either "pop" or "country." In the beginning, the bands played the same circuit as the ballrooms were large enough to accommodate alternating pop and country nights outfits without affecting attendance. However, as the ballroom crowds shrunk and more hotels got into the dance business, the gigs got more specialized, further increasing competition among the bands.

"Country music" nights became a regular feature of hotels and clubs around the country. Country acts also found it easier to move into the cabaret scene. While discos appealed to the young crowds, in the end, it was the country segment of the industry that survived the longest. Most likely, this was because of the broader appeal of country music to an aging audience.

One of the most unusual aspects of the Irish country scene was the "invention" of a new musical style particular to Ireland, dubbed "Country and Irish." With the success of artists like Big Tom, Margo, Larry Cunningham, Philomena Begley, and others, this new style of bastardized country music took the dancing public by storm, while also creating a divide between those that enjoyed the new music and those that preferred their country music on the "western" side. As American country music (on which the Irish model had been based) continued to morph through the seventies and eighties, the Irish version remain relatively unchanged, causing some critics to further deride the music as unoriginal and without merit.          

If anyone takes exception to having these photos exhibited on our website, please let us know and we'll remove them immediately. Thanks. By the way, if you know where any of these bands are today, please click here. 

Acknowledgements: Our special thanks to Shaun Magee, Dick Lynott, David Dwane, Anthony Grace, Francis Kennedy, Teddie Palmer, Jan Lynch, Kathleen Smith, Declan Colgan, Peter Kinsey, Joe Dodd, Brian "Shorty" O'Kane, Andy Monk, and Alan Carr for additional photos. All photos are identified with contributor's initials (see full details at bottom of page).

Click on a thumbnail photo to see a full size image and additional information.

Cotton Mill Boys - '78 Brian Coll of the Buckaroos Cronin Family Dan O'Hara and the Country Flavour Ian Corrigan & Country Style (DL)
Larry Cunningham Ian Corrigan & Country Style 1975 Ian Corrigan John McGrenra & Choice (JM) Cotton Mill Boys - TV Series Photo
Cotton Mill Boys - 1973 Canvas Wagon - 1973 Country People - 1973 Cotton Mill Boys - 1974 Cotton Mill Boys (DD)
Ian Corrigan of Country Style - 1973 Philomena Begley & Country Flavour - 1973 Ian Corrigan & Country Style - 1973 California Brakemen - 1974 Tommy Fee & the Cajun Sound - 1973
Cotton Mill Boys (JD)

Brendan Quinn & Cades County (KS)

Tommy Fee and the Cajun Sound (KS)

Larry Cunningham's Country Blue Boys (KS)

Cotton Mill Boys (JM)
Country Flavour (KS) Cotton Mill Boys (JD) Brian Coll (DD) Ian Corrigan (KS) Cotton Mill Boys (JD)
Brian Coll (LR) Margo & The Country Folk (DL)

Brian Coll (KS)

Cottons - 1983 (JM) Larry Cunningham (KS)
Joe Cuddy - 1973 Brendan Quinn & Cades County (LR) Cotton Mill Boys-1979 Cotton Mill Boys - 1983
(JM)
Cotton Mill Boys-1979
Cotton Mill Boys-1979 Cotton Mill Boys - 1979
(JM)
Frank McCaffrey &
The Country Folk
Country Style (PH) Cotton Mills Boys - '71 (KS)
Ian Corrigan & Rosaleen (PH) Billy Donegan & The Country Hillsiders (LR) The Cowboys (JB) Cottons - 1983 (JM) Cottons - 1983 (JM)
Cotton Mill Boys - 1969 Coolgreaney Jazz Band (LR) Ian Corrigan & Country Style (BW) Brian Coll - 1978 (PH) Cotton Mill Boys - 1970
Margo & the Country Folk - 1971 Cascades Brian Coll (KS) Country Folk (KS) Larry Cunningham & Country Blue Boys (KS)
Larry Cunningham (LR) Coasters - 1972 (NC) Cottons-early 80's (JM) Cotton Mil Boys - 1976 Brian Coll (KS)
Margo & the Country Folk - 1971 (KS) Big Tom & Larry 1969 Big Tom & Larry 1969 Cowboys (KS) Cottons - 1972 (KM)
Cottons - 1970

Brian Coll - 1970

Country Blue Boys-1971

 Country Blue Boys-1969

Country Blue Boys-1971

Country Blue Boys-1970

Country Blue Boys-1970

Country Blue Boys-1970

Country Blue Boys-1970

Cottons - 1971
Cottons - 1969 Cottons - 1970 Cottons - 1970 Cottons - 1970 Cottons - 1970
Cottons - 1972

Brian Coll - 1971

Brian Coll - 1973

Brian Coll - 1972

Brian Coll - 1971

Brian Coll - 1973

Brian Coll - 1972

Brian Coll - 1972

Brian Coll - 1972

Brian Coll - 1974

Brian Coll - 1971

Brian Coll - 1970

Brian Coll - 1970

Brian Coll - 1969

Brian Coll - 1969

Cottons - 1971

Country Blue Boys-1974

Country Blue Boys-1973

Country Blue Boys-1971

Cottons - 1971
Cottons - 1971 Cottons - 1974 Cottons - 1973 Cottons - 1972 Cottons - 1976
Cottons - 1971 Cotton Mill Boys (RF) Cades County (RF) Cades County (RF) Cades County (RF)
Cades County (RF) Cades County (RF) Cades County (RF) Cajun Sound (RF) Cajun Sound (RF)
Cajun Sound (RF) Cajun Sound (RF) Cajun Sound (RF) Cajun Sound (RF) Cajun Sound (RF)
Cajun Sound (RF) Cajun Sound (RF) Cajun Sound (RF) Cajun Sound (RF) Country Folk - 1975
Country Folk - 1975 Country Folk - 1970 Country Folk - 1972 Country Folk - 1971 Country Folk - 1970
Country Folk - 1970 Country Folk - 1970 Country Folk - 1975 Cheatin' Hearts (RF)x 2nd Sound - 1972
Colorado Fever (RF) Cotton Mill Boys (RF) Cotton Mill Boys (RF) Cotton Mill Boys (RF) Cotton Mill Boys (RF)
Cotton Mill Boys (RF) Cotton Mill Boys (RF) Cotton Mill Boys (RF) Cotton Mill Boys (RF) Cotton Mill Boys (RF)
Cotton Mill Boys (RF) Cotton Mill Boys (RF) Cotton Mill Boys (RF) Cotton Mill Boys (RF) Cotton Mill Boys (RF)
Cotton Mill Boys (RF) Cotton Mill Boys (RF) Cotton Mill Boys (RF) Cotton Mill Boys (RF) Cotton Mill Boys (RF)
Cotton Mill Boys (RF) Cotton Mill Boys (RF) Cotton Mill Boys (RF) Cotton Mill Boys (RF) Cotton Mill Boys (RF)
Cotton Mill Boys (RF) Cotton Mill Boys (RF) Cotton Mill Boys (RF) Cotton Mill Boys (RF) Cotton Mill Boys (RF)
Cotton Mill Boys (RF) Cotton Mill Boys (RF) Cotton Mill Boys (RF) Cotton Mill Boys (RF) Cotton Mill Boys (RF)
Cotton Mill Boys (RF) Cotton Mill Boys (RF) Cotton Mill Boys (RF) Cotton Mill Boys (RF) Cotton Mill Boys (RF)
Cotton Mill Boys (RF) Cotton Mill Boys (RF) Cotton Mill Boys (RF) Cotton Mill Boys (RF) Cotton Mill Boys (RF)
Cotton Mill Boys (RF) Cotton Mill Boys (RF) Country Hillsiders (RF) Cotton Mill Boys (RF) Cotton Mill Boys (RF)
Cotton Pickers (RF) Country Blue Boys (RF) Country Blue Boys (RF) Country Blue Boys (RF) Country Blue Boys (RF)
Country Blue Boys (RF) Country Blue Boys (RF) Country Blue Boys (RF) Country Blue Boys (RF) Country Blue Boys (RF)
Country Blue Boys (RF) Country Blue Boys (RF) Country Blue Boys (RF) Country Blue Boys (RF) Country Blue Boys (RF)
Country Blue Boys (RF) Country Blue Boys (RF) Country Blue Boys (RF) Country Blue Boys (RF) Country Blue Boys (RF)
Country Blue Boys (RF) Country Blue Boys (RF) Country Blue Boys (RF) Country Blue Boys (RF) Country Flavour (RF)
Country Flavour (RF) Country Flavour (RF) Country Flavour (RF) Country Flavour (RF) Country Flavour (RF)
Country Flavour (RF) Country Flavour (RF) Country Flavour (RF) Country Flavour (RF) Country Flavour (RF)
Country Flavour (RF) Country Flavour (RF) Country Flavour (RF) Country Flavour (RF) Country Flavour (RF)
Country Flavour (RF) Country Folk (RF) Country Folk (RF) Country Folk (RF) Country Folk (RF)
Country Folk (RF) Country Folk (RF) Country Folk (RF) Country Folk (RF) Country Folk (RF)
Country Folk (RF) Country Folk (RF) Country Folk (RF) Country Folk (RF) Country Folk (RF)
Country Folk (RF) Country Folk (RF) Country Folk (RF) Country Gifts (RF) Country Gifts (RF)
California Brakemen (RF) Country Blue Boys (RF) Country Hillsiders (RF)xx Country Pride (RF) Country Pride (RF)
Country Pride (RF) Country Pride (RF) Country Pride (RF) Countrymen-Clara (RF) Countrymen-Clara (RF)
Countrymen-Clara (RF) Countrymen-Clara (RF) Countrymen-Clara (RF) Countrymen-Clara (RF) Countrymen-Clara (RF)
Countrymen-Clara (RF) Countrymen-Clara (RF) Countrymen-Clara (RF) Countrymen (RF) Countrymen (RF)
Cowboys (RF) Cowboys (RF) Cowboys (RF) Cowboys (RF) Cowboys (RF)
Cowboys (RF) Cowboys (RF) Cowboys (RF) Cronins (RF) California Brakemen - 1971
California Brakemen - 1971 California Brakemen - 1971 California Brakemen - 1971 California Brakemen - 1971 California Brakemen - 1971

California Brakemen - 1971 California Brakemen - 1972 California Brakemen - 1972 California Brakemen - 1973

Country Folk (RF)

Country Folk (RF)

Country Folk (RF)

Ian Corrigan (RF) Ian Corrigan (RF) Ian Corrigan (RF)
Ian Corrigan (RF) Ian Corrigan (RF) Ian Corrigan (RF) Ian Corrigan (RF) Ian Corrigan (RF)
Ian Corrigan (RF) Ian Corrigan (RF) Ian Corrigan (RF) Country Flavour - 1972 Country Flavour - 1976
   
Country Flavour - 1974 Country Flavour - 1975 Country Flavour - 1975 Coming Soon Coming Soon
         
Coming Soon Coming Soon Coming Soon Coming Soon Coming Soon
         
Coming Soon Coming Soon Coming Soon Coming Soon Coming Soon
         
Coming Soon Coming Soon Coming Soon Coming Soon Coming Soon
         
Coming Soon Coming Soon Coming Soon Coming Soon Coming Soon

Additional Photo Credits:

(AG) - Photos contributed by Anthony Grace
(SM) - Photos contributed by Shaun Magee
(FK) - Photos contributed by Francis Kennedy
(TP) - Photos contributed by Teddie Palmer
(DD) - Photos contributed by David Dwane
(DL) - Photos contributed by Dick Lynott
(JM) - Photos contributed by John McGrenra
(JD) - Photos contributed by Joe Dodd
(AL) - Photos contributed by Anne Lynch
(JL) - Photos contributed by Jan Lynch
(KS) - Photos contributed by Kathleen Smith
(FM) - Photos contributed by Frankie McGirr 
(JG) - Photos contributed by Johnny Gallagher 
(JB) - Photos contributed by John Baird
(KE) - Photos contributed by Kevin Erwin
(BW) - Photos contributed by Brian Wynne
(PH) - Photos contributed by Peter Harkin  
(NC) - Photos contributed by Noel Cunningham  
(RM) - Photos contributed by Rod McAuley
(KM) - Photos contributed by Ken McGregor  
 


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In Loving Memory of Grant Gallagher: Sept. 21, 1990 - Nov. 18, 2006