This Weekend I’ll Mostly Be Listening to… Fianna Fail Singers and Bandmembers July 15, 2017
Posted by irishelectionliterature in This Weekend I'll Mostly Be Listening to..., Uncategorized.trackback
“It’s showtime” was the phrase PJ Mara used at the launch of the 2002 General Election Campaign. That and the recent publicity for Fianna Fail Councillor Trevor Gilligans ep release got me looking in the direction of Fianna Fail links with the music industry.
So if you were starting out in the music business FF might be the party for you!
Former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds was at one stage the owner of a number of dance halls, Donie Cassidy was involved in everything from Management (Foster and Allen), Playing the saxphone (with Jim Tobin and the Firehouse) , owning record shops, record labels and so on. Former Senator Paschal Mooney could play the tunes on his RTE radio show. Indeed the late Liam Ó Murchú (who ran for FF in Feb 1982) could do the TV presenting for the music shows.
If you were looking for a bit of Traditional music and entertainment, former Senator Labhrás Ó Murchú of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann might be the very man to ask.
Now you also need promoters and managers. Former TD Denis Foley was a promoter and in that neck of the woods former Senator Dan Kiely had a ballroom in Ballybunion.
The late Tony Loughman who aside from being a Castleblaney Councillor promoted a vast array of venues and managed among many famous names Susan McCann, Paddy Cole and Philomena Begley.
So a selection of Fianna Fail politicians below.
Who did I miss?
Any suggestions for other parties?
Long time Fianna Fail Councillor Tom Allen (aka TR Dallas)
Fianna Fail Clondalkin Councillor Trevor Gilligan
Onetime Fianna Fail candidate Sonny Knowles
Jim Tobin and the Firehouse (Donie Cassidy on tambourine)
Art Supple who spent many years as a Fianna Fail Councillor in Cork.
The Cedar Lounge Revolution 
Wondering if we might get some new FF covers in the coming years:
1. Money, Money, Money
2. The Property Game (using the tune from the Patriot Game)
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Board games are making a come-back and FF have a few ideas for the next GE:
3. Snakes and Property Ladders
4. Local Monopoly (where every you land on is a public service or goods you can choose to privatize)
5. The Game of Pro-Life (the first to millionaire’s mansion gets to tell the other players what to do with their counters)
6. Snap! (two decks – one of FF policies and positions, the other FG policies and positions)
More to follow…
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I had the impression some around Comhaltas were actually Sinn Féin/Official inclined in the late 60s early 70s just from talking to a few.
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Labhras O’Murchu is all over the place politically.On good terms with FF,SF and the sticks!
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A lot of career Senators would be on good terms with all sorts on the Political Spectrum
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Eugene Murphy, Roscommon TD was previously producer /DJ on Shannonside FM.
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Albert Reynolds once made the mistake of singing “he’ll have to go” on a TV programme and RTE used it years later on its news bulletins
the night he was ousted!
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Bill Loughnane, FF TD for Clare 1969-82, was a famous fiddle player and a member of the Tulla Ceili Band in its glory days.
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