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Bio:
Too Many People On Stage syndrome?
Actually the D11 Runners are reputed to be the inspiration for Roddy Doyle's north
Dublin soul revival band The Commitments. The Runners didn't plays 60s soul though,
they planed modern dance pop/funk.
The D11 Runners were formed by twin brothers George and Joe Fitzgerald in 1986.
Their younger brother Pat was also in the band as was George's future wife Sharon.
George and Joe were successful boxers throughout their teenage years before turning
their attention to music.
In his book 'Somebody Up There Likes Me Too', George describes them deciding to
form a band after a UB40 concert in Dublin before any of them even had any
instruments. By 1988 they'd become a popular club act. Christy Dignam
recorded some of their early demos. In 1990 they self-released their debut single
which entered the Irish charts.
This led to two singles on Cascade Records in 1990-91, both of which charted
in Ireland. Louis Walsh took over as manager and the band turned it's focus on the UK.
For whatever reason, they failed to break through in the UK and had split by the mid-90s.
Joe Kennedy went solo as Joseph. He later contracted Motor Neurone Disease and passed
away in 2012. George Kennedy became an author and documenrary film maker. His first book
'Someone Up There Likes Me Too' is highly recommended.
There are many more recordings: Love Letters, Give Me Back My Love, a cover of the Stone's
Satisfaction, etc.
We need your help to correct and/or complete this entry. If you can provide more information about this band, have scans, photos or any other memorabilia we can use, or spare copies of any releases, then please get in touch.