From the archives: Mayo's Brose Walsh Orchestra conquered London

By Tom Gillespie

SEVENTY years ago, in the October 11, 1952, edition of The Connaught Telegraph, extensive coverage was given to the ‘most successful and memorable’ 10-day English tour of the Brose Walsh Orchestra from Castlebar.

The report read: On Sunday night, September 28, exiles from all over Ireland rocked to a grand farewell dance in the Buffalo Club, London, as a special tribute to this outstanding combination of 10 musicians.

Enthusiastic scenes marked the close of the function, the thunderous applause of itself, not to speak of the cheering, etc., being an eloquent but deserved tribute to the ‘Men of the West’.

Interviewed on arrival back home, the popular manager-vocalist, Joe Chambers, said the band had a ‘remarkably successful’ tour - it was hectic both on and off the stage.

The attendance at each of the many dances at which they played was a true reflection of the great popularity of the band and of how the music went down not only with the Irish exiles but with people of every nationality.

Apart from the grand success which attended their efforts in the ballrooms, what impresses them most and will long live in their memory, said Joe, was the hospitality offered by everyone they met.

In fact Irish exiles actually vied with each other in inviting members of the band to their homes.

Continuing, Joe said it would be impossible to mention the names of all the old friends from Castlebar whom they met, as well as those from Mayo and from every county in Ireland. They had to thank them for all the hospitality and kindness. They made things easy, too easy, for the band.

They had to thank especially Mr. Bill Fuller, organiser of the tour; Miss Pat Allen (secretary); Mr. Jack McAuliffe, manager, and his staff.

Others to whom they were greatly indebted included the famous wrestling family, the Caseys of Kerry; the Gannon brothers (Michael and Eugene), of Newport, Co. Mayo, who are big noises in show business in London, and members of their staff; also Pat O’Donovan (saxophonist), whose brother Johnny is a member of the band; Bill Monaghan, Ballina; Tom Melody, do., and Mr. B. Nagle, partner of the Gannon brothers.

Among the famous people the band met and who invited them to the renowned Tin-Pan Alley Club were Tommy Jack, ex-manager Henry Hall; Hubert W. David, representative of ‘The Melody Maker’ publication; Michael Carr, composer of such hits as ‘Did Your Mother come from Ireland’, A Little Dash of Dublin’, ‘Hometown’, ‘Red Sails in the Sunset’, etc., who is working on yet another song with an Irish flavour which may also become the rage throughout the world.

Yet another famous personality who received the band very kindly was Leo Towers, composer of ‘Sally’ for Gracie Fields.

Others whom they met included Denny Denvirs, Jack White, Harry Leader, Joe Loss, Jack Hilton and, believe it or not, the one and only Charles Chaplin; Oswald Foot, BBC, agent, who was very interested in a broadcast of the band at a date to be arranged.

But here, as in numerous other instances, the only regret of the tour was having to refuse bookings owing to engagements at home which had to be fulfilled.

One of the highlights of the tour was that of playing the Irish National Anthem at the conclusion of each dance in the Empire Ballroom.

“As to our exiles in England, they all, without exception, were happy, very happy. They were well clothed and obviously well fed. In fact they are all a credit to the old land, and quite rightly, we felt very proud of them. They made a grand turn-out.”

They gave members of the band greetings to convey to families and friends from all over Ireland.

When the band was entertaining at Euston Station, Monday, September 29, in addition to their legion of friends, a representative of each of the 32 counties was present to give them a lusty send-off - a send-off that affected them so much that long after they left London behind they could still hear the cries ringing in their ears: ‘You were really wonderful’, ‘Goodbye, God Bless’.

“I’m not ashamed to admit,” concluded Joe, “that Brose and I were moved to tears, or something very like that, as the old train chugged out of the station and we sat in silence, lonely silence, after 10 glorious days and nights in the biggest and most hospitable city in the world.”

We quote the following from the Times Pictorial’s of October 4, with the headline 'Brose introduces Phelim Brady to London'.

The article read: From Camden Town to the City of Westminster, and from Ealing to Bayswater, dancers are singing to the strains of the ‘Old Homing Waltz’, the ‘Bard of Armagh’ in one of the most successful tours yet undertaken by an Irish band in England. Castlebar’s own Brose Walsh and his boys have joined their troubadour, Joe Chambers, in plugging the Irish song that hit the top in the Top Twenty, and looks like staying there for some time to come.

And back home at his desk in Dublin, Dancalot grins in defeat. I’d no idea that Brose would take me up on the suggestion that he educate our English cousins to the big world that starts where Tin-Pan Alley stops.

But he did. First night in the heart of the good Empire, Brose raised his baton; Joe stepped forward to the microphone and the dancers swung into what they thought was the ‘Old Homing Waltz’.

It was then they heard Joe’s voice come over with: “Oh, list to the lay of a poor Irish harper, and scorn not the strands from his old withered hand …”

The crowd didn’t roar (the English reserve you know); they sang, and by the time the melody ended ‘bould Phelin Brady’ was the most popular man at the dance in Bill Fuller’s Buffalo Club.

Probably the most delighted man (apart from Brose) was the club’s resident band leader, exile Gerry Dogherty. Gerry has been keeping the old flag flying over London town, not to mention his own flag of popularity which is always high.

“After tonight,” said Gerry, indicating to Brose and his men on the bandstand, “history will be repeating itself. The English will become more Irish than the Irish themselves.”

And he was correct. A colleague who later visited a West End ‘hoppery’ tells me that the words of the ‘Old Homing Waltz’ are no longer considered ‘chic’ by sophisticated West End dancers.

“One just sings it the Irish way or doesn’t sing it at all, my dear,” is the remark he quotes for authority.

Thanks, Brose, I didn’t think you’d really do it.