Lough Lurgan
Céili Band

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Related: The Raindrops, The Wild Breed

Back, from left: Tommy Coen, Paddy Farrell, Micheál O'hEidhin, Tom Mulhaire, Michael Hession.
Front, from left:  Brendan Mulhaire, Eddie Maloney, Eamonn Ryan, Jimmy Commins
Photo courtesy of Frankie Gavin and Tom Kenny

Banna Ceol Loch Lurgain played all over County Galway and when they appeared in the city it was usually in the Astaire, the Hangar or the Commercial. Tommy Coen composed the Christmas Eve Reel, known for a long time as Tommy Coen's Reel. Tom Mulhaire and his son Martin also composed a lot of tunes, but did not always write them down, or give them titles. They were known in the business as 'Mulhaire No. 1' or number 2 or 3 etc. (courtesy of Tom Kenny, kennys.ie). Brendan Mulhaire went on to lead The Raindrops, with whom he played lead guitar and accordion. He won the Comhaltas Ceóltóiri Eireann All-Ireland senior accordion title in 1961. Jimmy Commins' son, Eamonn, played lead guitar with The Wild Breed and The Bermuda Showband.

Town/Village/County: Galway