Old Friends, Opportunity Knocks, Late Late Show and the Teddy Boys of Ballyshannon

To those living in south Donegal in those last halcyon years of the 1980s and early nineties, the Teddy Boys were a popular local band. 

They had their origins in a local Ballyshannon school band, made up of talented young musicians from secondary schools on both sides of the River Erne.

1990 was a momentous year for them for not only did they win the junior section of the extremely popular musical competition, Opportunity Knocks they also got an audition and even an appearance on the RTE Late Late Show (LLS) when it was hosted by Gay Byrne. 

Ostensibly a yearly fundraiser for the local De La Salle College in Ballyshannon, its fame came through its links with the LLS  with the likes of Maura Connolly and Frank McNamara acting as adjudicators. 

By 1990, it had already been in existence and in terms of north west talent shows, it was up there with the original ITV Opportunity Knocks which had cult status at the time and a yokey bob called a ‘clapometer’. 

Sean Gibbons and the Teddy Boys gigging at RTÉ People in Need Telethon of 1990

In Ballyshannon's case, the winner or even those that showed particular talent very often got the chance to audition and on many occasions, were able to appear on the biggest watched Show on Irish television.

In March of 1990, when they appeared on the Show and still only teenagers 

Sean Gibbons from the Knather recalls:

“Myself and Barry (Sweeny) started playing music 35 years ago in that wee school band and then we had the Teddy Boys. There was also the talented Dallas O’Connor and Richard Matthews.  

“Opportunity Knocks junior success led to the Late Late Show. It was all very quick. We were in Opportunity Knocks on the Saturday and then on the Late Late the following Friday, as far as I recall.

"I was 14 and the boys were 15. In my case, it lit the lifelong passion for music and off the back of that we were gigging every weekend. We even got a couple of gigs in Galway. We were on good money as cubs, not sure what the story would be today. 

“The catalyst of that appearance led onto many things and we stuck at that until Barry's first year in college. 

“We probably had up to five good years. We both ended up in Belfast, Barry in Arts and myself in business and finance, but we have played together many times in the years since.

“Opportunity Knocks was amazing for people of all talents and skills. 

“I think we came first and second one year and there were associated groups which involved us in Celtic Spirals and a band called New Era. It was the most exciting time of our lives in many ways.    

And their fame spread far and wide, they even got a call to perform at the RTÉ People in Need Telethon of 1990 at the Abbey Hotel in Donegal Town.

The Democrat singing the praises of the Teddy Boys performance on RTE's Late Late Show in March of 1990

Part of the letter to Sean Gibbons received, confirming their live performance read: “On production of this letter, at garda checkpoints you will have clearance to the car parking facilities reserved for you.”

And in terms of cutting it fine they were told to be there “at least 35 minutes before your performance”.

He added: “Growing up you had your role models and there was such a wonderful well of talent, that you always ended up getting involved with something either creative or musical. Opportunity Knocks was amazing in a time when they weren’t stage schools or the like. Going on stage gave people confidence, especially younger people and gave them confidence to go on stage again. 

“It was great character building and lots of fun. A bustling nearby Bundoran was also a haven for encouraging young musicians to cast their net a little further. They were really great and memorable days.”

New era, another cracking Celtic Band that also included some of the lads when younger 

The Commitments and Brylcreem

Cllr Barry Sweeny was far from having political aspirations at the time and was another of the Teddy Boys fame. 

In the end it was Donegal County Council rather than emulating U2 that called, but it was an amazing part of their young lives.   

He told the Democrat: “It was a very, very exciting time for us all. Getting a chance to appear in the Late Late Show was the big prize. Maureen Connolly and Frank McNamara liked us on the Saturday night, I think we had a wee audition on the Sunday afternoon.

“We were all teenagers and the school band had been going since we were about 13.The Abbey cinema during Opportunity Knocks was ‘the’ big gig of the year. 

“There was great excitement and the buzz, when we were playing at that time, was unbelievable. We felt like rockstars and we had landed in Ballyshannon.”

Barry remembers coming off stage at one time and coming out through the old steps at the Abbey, before the extension was built and people looking for their autographs. 

It was their Beatles moment as well, with some of the younger audiences “leppin up and down on their seats”.       

After the appearance on TV, they were playing in venues from Murray’s in Sligo, to the Foresters Hall in Killybegs, the Blue Haven, Gurns in Manorhamilton and closer to home, Sean Ogs and other local venues.  

Ballyshannon lads Sean Cháirde - Sean Gibbons and Cllr Barry Sweeny who entertained at recent birthday party

in Dom's Pier One Donegal Town and maybe a wee practice run in advance of next weekend's gig

Photo: Siobhan McGowan

As the lads got older and by the time they got to college, life was moving on and paths were diverging. Music was a good part time gig, but not a full time career for most.

One of the clear memories after their success was tossing the coin, if they were going to audition for the great Irish movie of that era, ‘The Commitments’. 

Barry recalls De La Salle teacher Barbara McLynn from Sligo suggesting that they ‘go for it’. 

In the end they never did, as was a plan to use the lads in a Brylcreem television advert after the company reached out to them, after their Late Late Show success.

“We would have been the perfect showcase for the Brylcreem, but we were at that age when big decisions were having to be made and so we moved on or moved onto college. But it was some of the most exciting times of our lives.”  

He also reflects on the musical talent and stage talent that existed then in the area, like the Marley Byrds (Johnny Gallagher, Senan Brennan), Young Blood (Brian Sweeney, Alan Sweeney and Mo McWeeney and Kenny Lee), Georgia, the Pender sisters, David Meade,, Michael Christie, Sean Kane, Eddie McFarlane, Jason Kelly, the Ghost of an American Airman from Enniskillen direction are just a host of some of the names that he recalls offhand.   

One thing that Barry is passionate about today is young people engaging with the process as he references those old school bands, musical societies and drama societies. 

Barry Sweeny is now also a member of Donegal County Council and as well as been the Chair of the Donegal Municipal District, he served as Chair of the Donegal ETB last year

He reflected: “The good thing about Opportunity Knocks is that it had all sorts of variety and shows. There was local teacher Margaret McGinley, mother of actor Sean McGinley who had people playing the tin whistle or recitation, cabaret type groups and even those that were not musicians, getting up and doing their ‘party pieces’.

“There was great learning, even if you never won a competition but lost the fear of appearing on stage and in front of a crowd.

“I find that kind of thing is lost now and is one of my ‘council type ideas’. There are too many people out there now that learn how to play an instrument on YouTube, they are sitting in and recording it on their iphones in their bedrooms, pouting that work our again on social media channels but they are not engaging with people directly, not jamming, not engaging in the direct social discourse that is so important in giving them confidence, in collegially playing a few tunes. 

“It can be a lonely place being a musician nowadays but in those days, you could jam in the pub or hall as well as learning an awful lot how other people play, learning about yours and their mistakes, things like timing and not having to be perfect, just getting the feeling of the music. That is what a lot of people are missing today.

All roads of nostalgia leading to the Sean Chairde concert

“And that is why I want to get some local buildings used as creative hubs where this can happen, to get back out of the bedrooms and into a performance space.”         

And this all leads up to the special ‘Sean Cháirde’ concert organised by the two lads which will now take place on Saturday, January 21 2023, although it initially had been pencilled in for December.  

Old Friends, Sean and Barry will present the special Abbey Arts Centre concert and they will be joined by many guest friends in what will surely tickle the buds of many.

It may even include some of the old Teddy Boys band and a few other distinguished guests, so definitely one not to be missed with Jamesie McNamee on fiddle, the terrific Trudy O’Donnell on flute and the deadly Dallas O'Connor on percussion and vocals.

McHugh's Miscellany: The first bradán caught on the Drowes River has become a yearly institution

No doubt, it will be the perfect event to banish the January Blues and for perking up the smelling salts of nostalgia that will follow the festivities and slumbers of the next month.

‘A few others heads’ including Dallas and so much part of these people’s young lives in the late 80s and early 90s can be revisited for this special event. 

Check out www.abbeycentre.ie for details and bookings.