Reliving the magic of Kildare's Shamrock Star Céili band in aid of cancer centre

“There is nothing to show for it. We never had a recording, after all the years of performing,” Dinny Moran sadly remarked to Margaret Brereton.

The Blackwood native, who now lives in Moods, Robertstown, agreed with Dinny, who played with her late father Christy in The Shamrock Star Céili band. The music of the band remained only in the memories of those who heard them play.

Formed in the late 1950s in the Robertstown area by Christy Brereton, Denis (Dinny) Moran and Paddy (Ducks) Moran, the Kildare band were renowned for lively ceili sessions, enthralling dancers on the floor for The Walls of Limerick, The Siege of Ennis, The Waves of Tory and The Siamsa Beirte with instrumental and vocal old time waltzes in between.

The main line up was: Christy on the accordion, fiddle and saxophone; Dinny, Ducks, Mick Lenehan and Paddy Dowling on accordion, Willie Aungier on fiddle, Jimmy (Goosey) Farrell and Dick Lenehan on drums, Jack O’Brien and Tommy Lube on piano, and Peter Gordon/Nessa O’Brien provided vocals.

Several other musicians also joined the ensemble over the years including Vincent Donoghue whose accordion skills were recognised at a very young age.

Some time after that conversation with Dinny, Margaret, who admits to being a bit of a hoarder, found something in a drawer which sparked her attention.

“During the lockdown, I was doing a bit of a declutter, as many people were doing at the time, and I came across an old cassette. It had The Shamrock Star Céili band written on it. I had kept a lot of my father’s stuff and it was probably just thrown in a drawer and forgotten about, as you do,”she explained.

She played it for her 92-year-old mother, Nancy who recognised the last three tracks on the tape were from the band. Margaret was delighted.

The band had reunited back in 1994.

“We had a surprise 75th birthday party for my father in Dag Weld’s when he was 75. We had a tribute night and we got the members of the band reunite. My father nearly died with shock. Dessie Boland had made a video of it,” she said.

Armed with the video tape and the cassette, Margaret made contact with her nephew Darren Brereton, who is also well known in the music business. He was able to take the tracks from the tape and the music from the surprise night and put them together on a CD.

Late band member Willie Aungier’s son Declan, who is also a musician, then came on board to help with the project. He sent away for the CDs to be made.

“When the CDs came back and I opened up the box, I was overwhelmed. They were fantastic,” declared Margaret.

They presented the three surviving members of the band, Duck, Dinny and Peter with a copy of the CD.

“They were delighted with it.”

Margaret remembers the band coming to practice at her kitchen in Blackwood when she was just a child.

She told the Allen Eye; “I was filled with excitement all evening and looking forward to them arriving into the yard on their bicycles with their instruments strapped to their back, or on the carrier of their bicycle. During rehearsals the sound of the music was so lively and upbeat, it was rather difficult to keep quiet. I would jump and jig around and would get nasty looks from Dad for distracting them while they were trying to perfect a tune.”

She recalls how her mother would try to keep the younger children quiet while making tea and sandwiches for the visitors. She pointed out the musicians had natural talent and learned tunes from other players and by ear. Under the management of Tom Moore, the band developed a large following in the North Leinster area and was a big attraction in the dance halls of the region, often featuring in the prestigious AOH and Irish Club ballrooms in Parnell Square in Dublin.

On the CD sleeve, Declan Aungier outlines: “As the mid 60s rolled on, the demand for ceili dancing declined with the rise in popularity of the showbands and the band slowly disbanded.

“However several members went on to have successful careers of their own, no doubt helped by the experience gained by playing with The Shamrock Star.”

The CD features a mixture of old recordings from the 1960’s, some from the reunion and tunes from individual members.

“It might help to rekindle fond memories of a simpler time when ceili dancing was a huge part of Irish entertainment,” said Declan.

All proceeds from the sale of this CD will go to Little Way Cancer Support Centre.

“I am a director of the centre in Clane and our founder, Evelyn McKee died recently. We are trying to keep it open. We offer all our cancer support services for free. It’s a very worthy cause,” said Margaret.

The CDs cost €10. They can be purchased from Margaret on 087 272 4366 and Declan on 086 263 2060. The band’s musical talents have been passed on to the next generation, with Declan Aungier, Darren Brereton and Zak Moran earning their own success. Capturing forgotten moments, the CD is a tribute to the gifted musicians of The Shamrock Star Céili band who brought joy to the dancehalls.

The original band line up

Paddy ’Ducks’ Moran (left) and Dinny Moran (right), members of the original Shamrock Star Céilí Band, are joined by Declan Aungier and Dinny’s grandson Zak Moran, for a tune in Robertstown on Thursday afternoon at the CD presentation of the  Shamrock Star Céilí Band.            Photos: Tony Keane.