Formed around some members of Earl Gill’s Orchestra, which in the late 1950s was resident band in Dublin’s Metropole Hotel, and a group called the Royal Olympics, the Pacific Showband became one of Ireland’s top showbands during the 1960s.

Trombonist and lead singer Seán Fagan along with saxophonist and vocalist Sonny Knowles, regularly had songs in the record charts, and the bright red blazers, smart white slacks and red and white striped ties became very well-known on stages throughout Ireland. Guitarist Jimmy Dumpleton also came from Earl Gill’s band, and the line-up was completed by Cork trumpeter Freddie Martin, bassist Harry Parker, Shay Curran on keyboards/trombone and drummer Martin Fanning.

From 1964 to 1966, the Pacific scored a number of chart hits including “She Wears My Ring” and “Distant Drums” featuring Seán Fagan, “No One Will Ever Know” and “No One Knows” featuring Sonny Knowles and a duet “I Only Came To Dance With You”. Fagan recorded songs in Irish for Gael Linn, including “An Tiún Agus Tú” and “Féirín Nollag” and Knowles sang a song called “The Menace From Ennis” in the National Song Contest. Managed by Mick Quinn, they launched a major marketing campaign in Britain in 1964, and were featured on the cover of New Musical Express along with the Capitol Showband in November of that year. They appeared on RTE’s “Showband Show” and were voted in the top ten Irish showbands in the 1965 “Spotlight” readers’ poll. The band have a unique place in Irish recording history as they are the only showband who are on record backing a singing nun! They provided the backing for Sister Mary Gertrude on her single “My Auld Killarney Hat” in 1965.

In the late 1960s, like most showbands, there were changes in the band. Sonny Knowles left to join Dermot O’Brien’s band, Peter Law (Lawlor) from Naas came in as lead singer and the band decided to emigrate to Canada and changed their name to Dublin Corporation. Sonny Knowles went on to become a successful cabaret entertainer where he was known as “The Window Cleaner” because of his habit of moving his hand while he sang! He was resident singer on the popular RTE series “Live At Three” for a number of years. Seán Fagan is happily settled in Canada. Dermot Woodfull (formerly of Sugarshack and brother of John and Brian of The Casino/Indians) died in a motor accident in Canada. Peter Law passed away in 2016.

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