Lir - Dave McGuinness

bazza

Hey, I see Dave McGuinness (ex-Lir) is playing the Phantom gig this week - anyone know if hes working with a new band - or is he gonna get together with Colm Quearney on the night?

Bazza

DerekD Goldfish

I think he is with Bigwig now but I think he is doing a solo set for the phantom thingy.

Could be wrong though

bazza

Again - thanks D.

Did a search on this forum and found a few references to Bigwig alright. Must look out for them.

Also saw that Ronan Byrne (ex-Lir) is back playing with David "Hoppo" Hopkins (ex-Lir) - now that would be a superb comeback if they made a go of it.

Bazza (still a Lir fan....)

DerekD Goldfish

Heard about lir a lot but the only song I have is some folk are trully evil off that phutloose compilation.

What album would you recomend and are they as difficult to get hold of as most Irish bands from a few years ago?

bazza

Funnily enough, I only heard "Some Folk..." for the first time the other day!

Lir were incredible - always going to be the next big thing (just like Something Happens), but it never really happened for them. And thats a damn shame.

They are/were the best live band I've ever seen. No-one could match their energy when performing live, especially in their favourite haunt, Whelans. Dave was amazing live, he'd be in the middle of one of their numbers and all of a sudden Ronan would start with all this funky guitar and Dave would launch into a bit of Jamiriquoi effortlessly. Bonzo on bass was stunning and was always the reliable backbone of the operation (no wonder David Gray snapped him up). Colm Quearney was a later addition to the band after Dragonfly split, and Colm was equally as good as Ronan was and they had a great understanding on stage.

Their best release was probably the album 'Nest'. Though that said they had a couple of EPs after that - '7000 apes 600' I think was one, and that was excellent. They also did a track for the Irish movie of a few years ago "I Went Down". Their first album was "Magico Magico" and was pretty good, but Nest was more polished.

Seeing them do a 10 minute version of their mostly accoustic version of 'Railroad' (which is on Nest) was just the best thing ever.

The thing about Lir was you could see they really enjoyed what they were doing.

Bazza

bazza

By the way, Amazon UK have both Nest and Magico Magico on sale.

DerekD Goldfish

Thanks may invest in one of them soon

knobbles

cool tune ("some folks are truly evil"), kinda simon & garfunk.
met their drummer last week and he was sayin the bassist
was great alright(must be frustrating jammin with david gray)

also heard it on phutloose.com compo "it's all good".
which ain't bad(as it suggests) but some is better than good
....lir, pugwash, dot creek, duncan maitland, subrosa,
damien dempsey - "it's all good" is class, love those chords

the66electric

Nest is a ****ing cracker.

Arch

Totally, LiR were the business. And yet another Donaghmede-formed band, right? What is it with Donaghmede that produces so many musicians?

Bazza - great to hear that someone else remembers Dragonfly. Their 'Theme Tune' was a thing to behold.

...Christ, I feel like an old fogey.

Wilbert

What other bands came from Donaghmede? I grew up there and I am struggling to think of one.
I know Dave (used to live down the street from me when we were kids) and the rest of the boys from Lir (except Colm and their last drummer). I still remember the day that Dave deservedly won 1st prize in the dancing competition in the St. Donaghs Road Community week Dance Competition with a stirring rendition of Beat It by Michael Jackson.
Top chaps one and all.

bazza

The Spontaneous Frogs also came from Donaghmede - but they were just LiR in disguise!!

This Burning Effigy started near to Donaghmede - in Foxhill if you know it.

As for Dragonfly - yeah, there were pretty damn cool. Saw them support LiR a few times (possibly in the Tivoli as I recall).

Colm Quearneys solo album is well worth a listen if you haven't already got it.

Arch

I will check out Colm Quearneys album so. Also from Donaghmede were Mr North, Magnum Opus & Duffle - there's your good self Wilbert, and isn't there a 66 Electric Donaghmede connection?

I don't know any where I come from - any Dublin 15 bands out there?

(Someone from Donaghmede will probably know 10 bands from Clonsilla).

roxy

wanna talk donaghmede? yes, there is something in the water, as I was reminded recently.

Well yes, there's Damien Dempsey, King Sativa

Dave McG and his brother Noel aren't quite donaghmede if you're talking housing estates! theyre certainly dublin 13! but noel and ed kelly (also in bigwig) used be in a band called The Nude which was another donaghmede band in effect. emm, whipping boy were kilbarrack, weren't they, which for those who dont know is a neighbouring area. polar are bayside as are jessica insane. ginseng are pretty much raheny. saville are coolock. there must be more from the 1 mile radius but I can't think now. but I can't think now.

Also, I just found out there's a Nina Hynes living across the road from me and there can't be that many nina hyneseses. If it is in fact her, then add her to the list too! coz it's, well backing onto donaghmede.


Who else? ooh sure let's not forget Keith Duffy and Shane Lynch! They're from Donaghmede. Oh but we're talking musicians aren't we....


Roxy

Wilbert

Dave and Noel are from Saint Donaghs road which is a narrow wilderness strip between Kilbarrack and Donaghmede. Technically, it is Donaghmede.
I am one fifth of Settler and I come from St. Donaghs Road and another fifth of Settler comes from Kilbarrack (although we are not exactly what you would call 'famous'!).
Also there was an awful band from Donaghmede called Les Enfants who had one hit and played Self-Aid.
I don't remember Dragonfly.
One or two of Whipping Boy were from Kilbarrack too.
That Dublin 13 is quite the hotbed of activity.
I was rather hoping that Donaghmedes Boyzone connection would remain a secret.

roxy

okay well I was referring to where they're parents live now - rathvale.

this is freaky and a bit personal . sorry if any mcguinnesses read this!

but yeah, a hotbed is the word