The death occurred of Jimmy Owens of Kent, England, and formerly of Chaffpool, Tubbercurry. He was a brother of the late Johnny Owens of Chaffpool and Basta Ltd. He was returned home and reposed in Coen’s Funeral Home, Tubbercurry, with removal to St. Patrick’s Church, Moylough, where Solemn Requiem Mass was held on January 11, followed by burial in Rhue Cemetery. Deepest sympathy is extended to his sister-in-law, Veronica Owens, and her family and to all his relatives and friends.
ADVICE SERVICE
REO are offering a weekly service to the people of the area who need information and guidance on a range of training, education and employment opportunities. They also offer assistance in filling out application forms and preparing CVs. The service is free and confidential, open to all. The Tubbercurry Office is open Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 3.30 p.m.
ALL-STAR NIGHT
All GAA fans will have a very special night to celebrate with Eamon O’Hara, the latest Sligo All-Star, at a great night in the Downhill Hotel, Ballina, on Friday, January 31, commencing at 8 p.m. At this function the guest speaker will be the new President of the GAA, Sean Kelly. Music is by the new singing star from Gurteen, Patrick Feeney, who fronts the Johnny Laughrey band.
CARDS
All card players are requested to take part in the Annual Monster 25 Card Drive, held in St. Brigid’s Hall, Tubbercurry, on Sunday, February 9 at 9 p.m. It is run in aid of North West Hospice and the South Sligo Support Group will be out door-to-door to raise funds by selling tickets for this worthy cause.
OLD FAIR DAY
Bring back the Old Fair Day, is a cry in the community. One leading politician in the town has echoed this call and wants a public meeting to sort out problems of two years ago that caused it to be called off. It is now open to the powers that be to take up this issue and see what can be done with regard to its revival after a 15-year run.
SHOWBAND MEMORIES
A large photograph appeared in the ‘Western People’ two weeks ago of the first ever showband in Sligo. They were the Clefonaires Showband and many memories were jogged. Back in the mid-1950s, Lonnie Donegan was rocking the world with the latest fad around, ‘Skiffle music’, which took the world by storm. In Tubbercurry, a group of young lads started a ‘skiffle group’ with mouth-organs, acoustic guitars and a broom handle to fill in for a double bass, an essential in such groups back then. The lads played at several gigs along the way, but it got more serious when they decided to start a showband. Along came Bernie Brennan, a nice fiddle player, who also played alto sax, and his brother, Eddie, who had a flair for drumming. Two other brothers, Peader and Pierce Leonard, had musical talents on the guitar and piano and it was in their home behind the post-office that rehearsals took place and the Cleftonaires were formed. Carl Neilsen, a multi-talented man from Denmark, played trumpet, bass and accordion and he was signed up. Pauric Patten worked in Gillespie’s Drapery and was a great mouth-organ player, who soon took up the clarinet and tenor sax with some style. Sean Hunt from Ballyhaunis who worked in Gowna, filled in on bass guitar. Mickey Brennan took up the biggest brass instrument, the trombone, and soon mastered that art. Sean Maran was an accordion player who could tackle the traditional music and he also learned the saxophone. For a crooner, they chose the very talented man-about-town, the late Tony Doyle.
Rehearsals went on each Saturday night in Leonard’s, when Jack and Josephine (R.I.P.) had to vacate the house. The band got bookings in Cloonacool, Aclare and all the local halls and went down well in St. Brigid’s Hall. However the ‘Show Dance’ was one dance they could not get booked for. The Show Dance usually drew big bands like the ‘Melody Aces’, but in 1959 all that changed when the Clefonaires were booked, attracting the biggest crowd ever at a show dance. They played at all the top nights, such as St. Stephen’s night etc. with a 10-piece band. More travel took is toll on daytime jobs and the band were reduced to just a 7-piece and a name change to the Clefs Combo. Finally, after a great run of several years, they broke up. Mickey Brennan went with Pauric Patten to Jack Ruane’s showband and Victor’s Showband, in turn. Carl Neilsen, Mickey and Pauric formed the band that is still playing, “The Jazz Lads”.
That is the history of the Clefonaires Showband, who were the most popular band in the 1950s and 1960s. They came a long way from a skiffle group to a big name band for those ‘trend-setters’ who played to so many happy dancers way back then.
GREYHOUND SUCCESS
Congratulations to Charlie Faul who has taken top honours yet again in his native Tubbercurry at the coursing meeting last week at the local coursing grounds. He won the Bitch Trial Stake with ‘Garbally Dove’ and has qualified for the National Coursing Meeting in Clonmel. Charlie now resides in Co. Westmeath where greyhounds are his daily pleasure. Good luck Charlie.
SOUTH SLIGO
WALK
John Gillespie is on the lookout for walkers to take part in the Annual South Sligo Sponsored 14k Walk in aid of North West Hospice and the local support group in South Sligo. It is scheduled for the May Bank Holiday, Sunday, May 4th in Tubbercurry.