30 June 2014

Imor before the Sackville String Band

Readers who are interested in the early days of bluegrass in Ireland and have been following the comments that have built up on the BIB post for 29 Dec. 2010 will join us in a warm 'Thanks!' to Jane Bell, who writes:

This is a wee sketch I did of Imor Byrne which dates from around 1970 in Dublin. As you can see he was a young guy then, probably in his early 20s - if even that. This is about the time of the Dandylion Market and busking at the Green. Imor was playing with Hairy, Clive Collins, and Patsy Whelan at the time and we were all living in a flat in Fitzwilliam St. or Upper Pembroke St. (I can't remember) - It was about the time of the bankers' strike and Clive started squatting in a bank worker's flat who'd gone to London for work, and wearing the guy's clothes. They were mostly playing bluegrass with the occasional traditional tune thrown in, but Imor was mad for bluegrass and Woody Guthrie, 'Pretty Boy Floyd', etc.

I would be interested to hear from anyone who remembered this? I noticed that you had a message on the blog from Imor's niece [Caoimhe] and thought that she might like to have it.

Any reader who recalls those times can contact Jane by e-mail. Comment on this post will also be appreciated.

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