Shamrog

• Colm Mooney - bodhran, vocals
• John Ralph - banjo, mandolin
• Paddy Whelan - guitar, vocals
• Roddy Monks - guitar, vocals, whistle, bones

Bio:

From the liner notes of the debut LP: "One of the finest of the new ballad groups to emerge in Ireland in the last year or two. They have been acclaimed not only on a national basis, but also by the visitors who have seen them in Doyles Irish Cabaret. They are most competent musicians, fine vocalists with a very entertaining repertoire but what endears them even more to their audiences is that they the winning warmth and charm of the Irish Bards of old".

One of many ballad groups that emerged in the '70s in Ireland offering the same repertoire performed in the same format. Doyle's Irish Cabaret is a long running cabaret show hosted at the Burlington Hotel in Dublin (comparable to Jury's Irish Cabaret). The group sold the LP after the cabaret which is why so many copies are autographed.

Three more albums appeared on the Olympic and Lunar labels, followed by a fourth released under the name Cruishkeen. Colm Mooney was replaced by John Madden (fiddle) and later by Liam Cavanagh (fiddle/viola) and later Austin McPartlin (guitar/vocals) joined as Paddy Whelan moved to bass and Roddy Monks to keyboards. The current line up is John Madden, Paddy Whelan and John Ralph.

Colm Mooney re-emerged in Moonshine, a Dublin ballad group active in the mid-80s (Jury's Irish Cabaret, etc). They released at least one album on Heritage circa 1985.

 

 

side one:
Whisky In The Jar
Fiddlers Green
Green Fields of France
Sackos-Whelans (jigs)
Carnlough Bay
Limerick Rake
Black And Tans

side two:
Lonesome Boatman
Hot Ashfelt (sic)
Crooked Jack
O'Neill's March
Nightingale
Bold Fenian Men
Final Selection

Notes: Recorded live on location by Klan Communications Mobile Unit (nothing to do with the KKK!). Produced by Tony Greham, O'Dea Irish Productions. The lovely textured cover was printed by West Brothers Printers of London.