THE FOXROCK FOLK CLUB PROJECT

THE FOXROCK FOLK CLUB

As Luke Kelly remarked when he played the club in December 1972, a folk club in the suburb of Foxrock was a somewhat unlikely combination. Probably even more unlikely was the fact it was organised and run by teenagers and managed to attract to Foxrock some of the biggest names on the Irish music scene (see Folk Club History & "Local and Visiting Artists").

The aim of the Foxrock Folk Club Project is to (1) research the history of the club (2) develop a club archive and (3) create a space in which people who played at the club or attended some of the sessions can share their memories of what was an unique musical and cultural experience.

Contact: jeremy.kearney40@gmail.com

Thursday, 21 May 2009

THE BIG GIG - JUNE 14

Here's the great line-up for the Foxrock Folk Club anniversary session. It looks like it's going to be a fantastic combination of Woodstock (but no rain), Isle of Wight 1970 (but no Tiny Tim or riots), Glastonbury (but no mud) and Lisdoonvarna (with plenty of choc ices).
It will be like a year's folk club sessions rolled into one night with musicians and artists not only recalling their legendary groups of 40 years ago but also illustrating examples of their work from more recent times. All the artists featured are still playing regularly, many of them around Dublin.
Even though I am now an exile in Newcastle, in the last few years I have heard Louis Stewart, Myles Drennan, Rock Fox, Leo O'Kelly, Ed Deane and Alison O'Donnell play at venues in Dublin city and environs. For many of the artists examples of their music, and often live performances, can be seen and heard on MySpace, YouTube and their own web sites.

As always the Folk Club (despite its name) will present a wide diversity of music and performance.

Jazz
Louis Stewart, Myles Drennan, Rock Fox (Butler Fox Jazz Band), Melanie O'Reilly

Traditional & Folk (in all its guises)
Tir na nOg (Leo O'Kelly & Sonny Condell), Al O'Donnell, Alison O'Donnell (Mellow Candle)

Blues
Ed Deane & Dermot Stokes (Blueshouse), Johnny Norris & Jerry Doyle (Dirty Dozens)

Poetry
Peter Fallon (Tara Telephone)

There will of course be the usual minerals for sale - club orange, club lemon and cidona.

Don't miss it - Tickets selling fast!

Monday, 11 May 2009

Publicity Poster with Concert Line-Up

This is the publicity poster for the 40th Anniversary Concert that is now being distributed. Feel free to print off copies to display in suitable locations.
(If anyone knows why it appears as two shades of blue on the blog, rather than the original orange and yellow, please explain.....)

Friday, 8 May 2009

More Additions to the Artists Playing on the 14th June

Rock Fox has been playing, arranging and composing jazz since the 1960s and for many years he was joint leader of one of the finest traditional jazz bands in Ireland, The Butler Fox Jazz Band.
The bands' sessions at the club were always very well received by audience and were appreciated as much for Rock's laconic and informative introductions to the tunes, as well as the very fine music played by the band.

Jerry Doyle, like Johnny Norris a guitarist with the blues band Dirty Dozens, will be playing with Johnny at the concert.

Wednesday, 29 April 2009

RADIO ALERT! - RTE RADIO 1 THURSDAY 30TH APRIL 9PM

The third and final programme on the Folk Club presented by Melanie O'Reilly is broadcast tomorrow (Thursday 30th April) at 9.00pm on RTE Radio 1.
This programme will feature tracks from The Chieftains, Al O'Donnell, Horslips, Johnny Norris, Louis Stewart, Brendan Kennelly, Sonny Condell, Jim McCann, Supply, Demand & Curve, Kulivant Sedhev and Ronnie Drew. Not a bad line-up!

The previous two programmes can still be heard on the RTE web site at:
http://www.rte.ie/radio1/musiccloseup/1265325.html

MORE ADDITIONS TO 40TH CONCERT LINE-UP

Alison O'Donnell was one of the two lead singer-songwriters of the unique Irish progressive folk rock band, Mellow Candle. The band's 1972 album 'Swaddling Songs' is now a rare classic, highly prized by collectors. Alison has been involved in a variety of different musical groups since then and released the acclaimed album 'Mise agus Ise' in 2006 with Isabel Ni Chuireain. Mellow Candle played the club in 1972.

Johnny Norris was one of the lead guitarists with the legendary Dublin blues band, Dirty Dozens, and a acclaimed solo performed as well. He was one of the most regular and popular performers at the club.

Sunday, 26 April 2009

LATEST ADDITIONS TO THE CONCERT GUEST LIST!

LOUIS STEWART IS NOW CONFIRMED AS A SPECIAL GUEST FOR THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT ON 14TH JUNE.
One of Europe's finest jazz guitarists for over 40 years, Louis played the folk club regularly and anyone who was there will remember the storming sessions that he played with his band.

MYLES DRENNAN has been a key figure on the Irish jazz scene since the early nineties, both as a pianist and drummer. He has a long association with Louis Stewart and performs every Thursday with the band, Isotope, at J.J. Smyth's, famous as Dublin's longest running jazz residency. Club goers will remember Myles's father, the late Tony Drennan, one of Ireland's finest jazz piano players (particularly of stride and boogie-woogie styles) who was a great friend of the club and the club organisers.

Thursday, 23 April 2009

Cassidy's 'Playroom'

G'day from Melbourne Australia,

A normal Folk Club day started with meeting at "the play room" in Cassidy's around 2.0pm. The usual suspects were Lar Cassidy, Rick Cullen, Nial O' Farrell, Gus, Rene, Clodagh O'Reilly, Pete Sheehan, myself and others.

Initially MR Cassidy was transport for the sound system, lights, ETC but then Noffer got a car and he took over the role. Occasionally when there was no transport we would carry it all up from Cassidy's and back again around 1.00pm after the show.

We would set up the stage, lights,chairs ETC to be ready for a 7.30pm start. (Occassional trips were made to "The Magic Carpet" for essential supplies.)

I used to be on the door and general crowd control ETC while also watching the show which would usually run until 11.30pm.

We would then pull it all down, pack up, and head back to Cassidy's.

We would sit around talking, playing music, raiding Cassidy's kitchen all night. I would go home in the morning to get my school bag and head to school for a rest!

It's a great idea to organise a reunion. It has brought back a lot of good memories looking at the website. It all seems a world away, well actually it is!

Paul Ryan

'LIVE AT FOXROCK FOLK CLUB' CD

'Live at Foxrock Folk Club: the Parish Hall Tapes 1970-72'
A double CD with 36 tracks and 16 page booklet.

For the first time a selection of unique recordings from Foxrock Folk Club are now being made available on CD.
They include:
- rare, and in some cases, previously unreleased recordings by traditional and folk musicians like Luke Kelly, Andy Irvine, Ronnie Drew, Al O'Donnell, Sonny Condell and Dónal Lunny
- live recordings of legendary Dublin blues artists like Red Peters, Brian Fry, Johnny Norris and the acoustic band, the Dirty Dozens
- tracks by one of Ireland's finest traditional and mainstream jazz bands, the Butler Fox Jazz Band, led by Rock Fox and Phil Butler
- the unique Irish progressive group, Supply Demand and Curve
- and highly popular musicians and groups like We 4, Danny Doyle and The Gingermen.

These recordings from the 1970s are now available worldwide and can now be purchased in Ireland from:

HMV / Tower Records / Claddagh Records / Freebird Records / Mojo Records

And in the UK and worldwide from:

birnamcdshop.com/ www.amazon.co.uk / www.amazon.com / iTunes

DO YOU REMEMBER?

The Foxrock Folk Club ran from 1969 to 1973 in the Parish Hall in Cornelscourt (see Folk Club History).
Did you play there? Were you in the audience?
As a member of the original folk club committee I am trying to gather as much information as possible about the club, the artists who played there and the people who attended the sessions.
The section on "Local & Visiting Artists" lists the names of many of the artists and groups who played at the club and the dates of their appearances. While some of the names are now well known, both nationally and internationally, I would be very interested to hear more details of some of the lesser know participants, and also of any names that are missing.
As this is the 40th anniversary of the Foxrock Folk Club, there are going to be a number of events to commemorate the club and its activities (see Latest News).
Join in the blog and post your memories and stories.

Jeremy Kearney
('joint treasurer' - Foxrock Folk Club).

FOLK CLUB HISTORY

The Foxrock Folk Club was established in 1969 by a group of young people, all in their teens, who lived in the local area of Foxrock in South County Dublin. They were all interested in music and involved in various community and social activities. There are different accounts of how the club actually took shape but what is clear is that the first session in April 1969 in the village hall in Cornelscourt. The club then ran for nearly four years presenting a wide variety of different musicians and artists.
The first session was a fairly relaxed affair that involved a variety of different local and visiting acts and was attended by an audience between 50 to 60 young people from the local community, the majority still at school and none aged over 20. Also the system for advertising sessions was suitably parochial as it involved producing tickets, which were then circulated around the schools. Hand drawn posters were also put up on lampposts around the local area. Although none of the organisers had ever been in a folk club in real life, the club grew quickly from small beginnings to encompass folk, traditional and jazz music and poetry and theatre.
It ran consistently on Sunday nights every two weeks between October and May for the next three and half years. From somewhat amateurish beginnings it developed rapidly and was soon presenting some of the most important names on the Irish music and arts scene. These included sessions by such now legendary performers as the Chieftains, Luke Kelly & Ronnie Drew of the Dubliners, Donal Lunny & Andy Irvine, two of the founder members of Planxty, Al O'Donnell, Horslips, Louis Stewart, poets like Roger McGough, Brendan Kennelly, Peter Fallon and Pearse Hutchinson and actors such as Niall Tobin and the Abbey theatre group.

Therefore, this year (2009) will be the fortieth anniversary of the start of the club and a number of the people who were part of the orgainising committee are planning a commemorative 40th session in June. Many of the original artists who played the club are now well known, and have expressed an interest in participating. There is a good deal of memorabilia available on the club, including admission tickets, posters, photographs, the artists book, the finance book, and over 20 hours of tapes of the artists performances. It is hoped to have an exhibition of this material at the same time as the 40th anniversary concert.

'Local & Visiting Artists'

A
Abbey Theatre-in-Education Group 16.4.72
Aura 24.10.71
B
Paul Barrett 17.1.71
Battle of Clontarf 4.10.70
Bitter Green 19.3.72
Burnt Norton 25.4.71
Butler Fox Jazz Band 26.4.70 / 6.2.72
C
Eamonn Carr 30.11.69
Lar Cassidy 9.5.71
Casterbridge Union 21.12.69
Ian Caulder 17.1.71
Chieftains 9.5.71 / 19.12.71 / 17.12.72
Eoin Clancy 5.12.71 / 8.10.72
Clawhammer 14.5.72
Neil Coll 23.1.72
Sonny Condell 1.3.70 / 14.5.72
Richard Cullen 9.5.71
Currach Folk 29.4.69
D
Danny Doyle 19.12.71
Ed Deane 29.4.69
Charlie Delaney 4.10.70 / 25.4.71 / 6.2.72
Fran Dempsey 10.10.71
Dickensia 25.5.69
Dim Reflection 26.4.70 / 5.12.71
Dirty Dozens 18.10.70 / 20.12.70 / 28.3.71 / 21.11.71
Down County String Ticklers 26.4.70
Tony Drennan 21.12.69 / 30.1.71
Ronnie Drew 6.2.72
Brian Dunning 14.5.72
E
Elisah Drut 9.1.72
F
Peter Fallon 4.10.70 / 28.3.71 / 24.10.71
Fenian Men 18.1.70 / 28.3.71 / 21.11.71
Tom Frisby 30.1.71
Brian Fry 17.1.71 / 30.1.71 / 14.2.71 / 14..3.71 / 28.3.71 / 9.5.71 / 10.10.71 / 19.12.71 / 16.4.72
G
Ben Gibney 2.4.72
Gingermen 29.2.71
Noel V. Ginnity 19.12.71
Pat Gormley 9.5.71
H
Hamilton Band 20.2.72
Michael Hartnett 11.4.71 / 9.1.72
Honor Heffernan 14.5.72
Larry Hogan 15.3.70
Horslips 6.2.72
Pearse Hutchinson 11.4.71
I
Instantaneous Mood 27.4.69
Andy Irvine 1.3.70 / 14.3.71 / 11.4.71
J
Jacobites 13.12.70 / 17.1.71
Jazzbag 2.4.72 / 14.5.72
Jolly Beggarmen 5.3.72
Julie and Tom 27.4.69
K
Luke Kelly 17.12.72
Paul Kennan 14.2.71 / 9.5.71 / 9.1.72
Brendan Kennelly 26.4.70 / 29.2.71 / 25.4.71
Peter Kieran 9.5.71
L
Loose Rainbow 24.10.71
Donal Lunny 21.11.71
Michael Lynch 14.2.71 / 23.1.72 / 19.3.72
Mc
Jim McCann 9.5.71
Joe McCarroll 18.1.70 / 18.10.70 / 25.4.71
Justin McCarty 15.11.70
Roger McGough 13.12.70
McKennas 9.1.72
John McQuaid 15.11.70 / 14.2.72 / 25.4.71
Diarmaid McQuaid 24.4.71
M
Chris Meehan 15.11.70 / 5.12.71
Mellow Candle 20.2.72
Pete Morgan 18.1.70
Johnny Moynihan 17.1.71
Paul Murphy 15.2.70
N
Mike Nolan 19.12.71
Johnny Norris 4.10.70 / 5.12.70 / 24.10.71 / 23.1.72 / 8.10.72 / 17.12.72
O
O’Connors 27.4.69
Al O’Donnell 14.3.71 / 11.4.71 / 21.11.71 / 23.1.72 / 8.10.72 / 17.12.72
Leo O’Kelly 30.11.69 / 21.12.69 / 15..2.70
Dan O’Reardon 14.3.71
Clodagh O’Reilly 14.2.71
O’Sullivan’s 1.11.70
Peter O’Toole 27.4.69
P
Pavees 29.2.71 / 19.3.72
Plad Cat 9.1.72
Eugene Platt 15.3.70
R
Sheila Roche 14.2.71
Leon Rowsome 5.3.72 / 8.10.72
Vijek Rupora 20.2.72 / 5.3.72
S
Kulivant Sedhev 14.3.71
St. Sepulchre’s Consort 2.4.72
Killian Skay 20.2.72 / 16.4.72
Somertons 4.10.70
Louis Stewart 20.12.70 / 11.4.71 / 19.12.71
Dermot Stokes 27.4.69 / 18.10.70
Supply, Demand and Curve 29.2.71 / 5.12.71 / 2.4.72
Dick Tapiteau 14.3.71 / 28.3.71
Tara Telephone 19.10.69 / 20.12.70
Niall Tobin 14.5.72
Twangmen 1.11.70 / 10.10.71
V
Velvet Poetry 1.11.70
W
Wax Impression 15.3.70
We 4 18.10.70 / 9.5.71
Colm Wilkinson 5.12.71
Wrinkled String 15.11.70 / 5.3.72

THE FOXROCK FOLK CLUB PROJECT

Cornelscourt Parish Hall