Clamdiggers performed by Stocktons Wing 1987. Mike Hanrahan - Guitar, Kieran Hanrahan - Banjo, Maurice Lennon - Fiddle, Paul Roche - Flute, John Walsh - Bass, Robbie Casserley - Drums Peter Keenan - Keyboards.
For more information see www.stocktonswinglive.com.
The music of Stockton's Wing has evolved into an exciting blend of traditional and contemporary Irish music and song, performed with power and precision by some of the finest musicians in Ireland. Back in 1977, in Ennis, Co. Clare, the five member group including all-Ireland champions, Paul Roche, Maurice Lennon, Kieran Hanrahan and Tommy Hayes with Tony Callinan won the traditional section of a Guinness sponsored talent competition in Limerick (the rock section was won by a little known group from Mount Temple School, called U2). As a result of this competition they secured a recording contract with Tara Records and released their debut album, Stockton's Wing.
Singer/songwriter, Mike Hanrahan, replaced Tony Callinan in 1979 and in the spring of 1980 they released their second album on Tara "Take a Chance." The album featured some original music and marked the arrival of a progressive force into the world of Irish music. Following the success of the album, they toured extensively, creating a storm of enthusiasm at major Folk Festivals across Europe.
At Ballisodare Folk Festival in the west of Ireland, they met with Australian, Steve Cooney, who joined forces shortly afterwards, playing bass guitar and didgeridoo. In 1982, the Band released their third album "Light in the Western Sky" - a highly polished album which represented a significant shift in their musical direction, focusing more on the band's creative original material. The album featured two hit singles "Beautiful Affair" and "Walk Away." It also featured a haunting composition "The Golden Stud" a combination of Aboriginal and Irish music.
Percussionist, Tommy Hayes, left the band in 1983 and was replaced by Fran Breen on drums and Peter Keenan on keyboards. After listening to the band, a critic for the New York Times wrote "they were eclectic, electric, passionate, personal, innovative and powerful." In 1985, a live album "Stockton's Wing Live - Take One" was recorded in Galway and Dublin capturing that 'eclectic, electric' sound and enjoyed major success This album will be re-released on CD in the coming months on the Tara Music label.
Tours of America, Canada, Europe and Australia kept the band away from the recording studios until the autumn of 1986 when they recorded their fifth album "Full Flight." The album contained no less than four hit singles - "Why wait until tomorrow", "Avondale", "New Clare Revival" and "So many miles." The group's sixth album, produced by Steve Cooney, received critical acclaim in America where the group headlined major music festivals in Chicago, Boston and New York.
In the summer of 1988 they shared the stage with Michael Jackson in Cork. The following year they made a guest appearance with Sammy Davis Jnr. in Dublin as part of his world tour with Frank Sinatra and Liza Minnelli. In 1990 Stockton's Wing went on location to take part in the Noel Pearson/Jim Sheridan film production of the John B. Keane play "The Field" which featured Oscar nominee Richard Harris and John Hurt.
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16 videos
Class banjo at the beginning
Dectheboner 4 months ago
I was there Ptarmi, The old ground was the name of the hotel !
jw4421 3 years ago
Lovely...
~Natural~
NaturalRealm 3 years ago
Later that night I sat outside the Old hotel in Ennis as Ciaran & Maurice met up & charged with their All Ireland success, they both played some fantastic music by the old monument there. Great memories!
Ptarmi 3 years ago
I was at the All Ireland Banjo comp in 1977 & actually watched Kieran Hanrahan win his medal. I had the best seat of anyone there that day. It was very warm & I was sitting outside on a grass bank, looking straight in the open windows & over the judges shoulders! So unlike the back view that everyone else had, it was like they were playing to me.
Ptarmi 3 years ago