Showbiz friends of Carrick-on-Suir singer Liam O'Dwyer pay fitting tribute to his memory

Caption for picture above: Singer Richie Nugent who performed Joe Dolan hits at the Liam O’Dwyer Memorial Concert. The Marveltones Showband members performing with him are from left: Pat O’Callaghan on saxophone, Billy Byrne on trumpet, Ger Cornally on drums and Tony Egan on keyboard. Also performing are guitarists James Moran and Tony Forde. Pictures Anne Marie Magorrian

The late Liam O’Dwyer’s voice brought joy to many during his life so a concert in his hometown of Carrick-on-Suir, organised by his friends in the music business, was a most fitting tribute to his life.

More than 200 friends, fans and family members of the former showbands frontman gathered in the ballroom of the Carraig Hotel to celebrate his life and musical legacy at the Liam O’Dwyer Memorial Concert.

Liam from Ard Mhuire, Carrrick-on-Suir, who also served as an Independent councillor for his hometown for 30 years, passed away last December.

A group of his showbusiness friends led by keyboard player Tony Egan, who played with Liam for many years, hosted the concert and performed in it too. The audience was treated to an eclectic mix of pop, rock, country and folk hits from the past 50 years.

Carrick-on-Suir musicians Gaye Brazel and Martin Murray opened the show by performing some traditional music. Maria O’Shea-Enright took over from Martin to join Gaye in perform songs ranging from Strawberry Fields and the Saw Doctors’ N17 to Sweet Home Alabama.

They were followed by a rousing mix of country and classic pop hits from a band comprising singer John O’Connor, bass guitarist Stephen Travers, guitarists Shamie O’Brien and James Moran, Pat O’Driscoll on keyboard and Ger Cornally on drums. They got people out dancing songs such as Tina Turner’s Rolling On The River, Living Next Door to Alice, Country Roads and Rhinestone Cowboy.

A break in the concert was filled by the screening of a video created by Willie Hartery, showing footage of Liam singing at a show in the Carraig Hotel a number of years ago and at gigs in Carrick-on-Suir and New Ross in the 1980s and 1990s.

It also featured photos and footage of Liam representing his hometown as chairman of the former Carrick-on-Suir Urban District Council.

At the conclusion of the video, Stephen Travers, a survivor of the Miami Showband massacre in county Down in 1975, paid a touching tribute filled with humour and fond memories to his great friend.

He said there was never a cross word or disagreement between him and Liam in the 50 years they knew each other and he valued his friendship very much.
“He was singing all his life and you can see how happy he was when he was singing. All problems melted away.”

Stephen said Liam first sang professionally in 1967 when he was co-opted into a band Paddy Carroll was playing in.

“He was brought in as the young fellow who could introduce the pop songs. He was brought in to sing Puppet on a String by Sandy Shaw. He learned from the very best, the Carrolls and also Harry Doherty, who was a great mentor to all of us.”

With the help of some anecdotes, the Carrick native took the audience through other showbands Liam was involved in during his career. Stephen and Liam set up The Sinners in 1973 and he remembered the great fun they had gigging in venues like the Kickham Inn in Carrick and Mansfields in Mothel.

They performed together in The Movies Showbands later in the 1970s.

He said Liam had “amazing charisma” on stage. “He owned the stage and owned the audience. You couldn’t take your eyes off him. He broke all the rules but he had this amazing knack of picking a hit song. He knew it instinctively before anyone elses knew it.”

Stephen also remembered how Liam was one of the first to visit him in hospital in Newry after the UVF attack on the Miama Showband.

He spoke of how Liam gave him the confidence and inspiration to do what he wanted to do. “He was way ahead of his time and I don’t think we will see the likes of him again.”

Liam was renowned for his interpretation of Joe Dolan songs and Rathgormack singer Richie Nugent packed the dance floor by performing a set of the Mullingar star’s greatest hits accompanied by The Marveltones Showband including singer Gerry Walsh, guitarists James Moran, Tony Forde, Tony Egan on keyboard, former head of the Garda Band Billy Byrne on trumpet, Pat O’Callaghan on saxophone and Ger Cornally on drums.

Following the raffle, the concert crowd danced the night away to the music of The Marveltones.

The concert raised more than €2,400, half of which has been donated to Carrick Day Care Centre and the other half donated to the Clonmel branch of Family Carers Ireland for its work with people who have dementia.

Michael Hassett, Ber Walsh, Alice Walsh, Shirley Quann and guitarist Stephen Travers, a great friend of Liam’s who was one of the concert's organisers and performing musicians

Check out more photos from the Liam O'Dwyer Memorial Concert published in this week's edition of The Nationalist now on sale in local shops.