Mayo band La Salle left musical mark

By Tom Gillespie

IN May 1971 Castlebar group La Salle released their first single record, ‘Marianne’, on the Rose Label, a subsidiary company of Pye International.

The teenagers - four boys and a girl - later that year went on to be selected as the winning entry at the Castlebar International Song Contest, but more about that anon.

On May 27, The Connaught Telegraph carried a two-page feature on the record launch.

La Salle were first formed by De La Salle Brother Pius, F.S.C. (pictured below), for a school concert in March 1968. The group then consisted of John Donegan (Newport Road), John Dunford (Marian Row), Brendan Fahy (Ellison Street) and Fintan Murphy (The Mall). And even though they were quite a hit at the concert the group later disbanded.

In summer they reformed and played in local hotels. At Christmas that year the talented Mary Heverin from Marian Row joined the group.

A big breakthrough came for La Salle in February 1969, when they were featured on a radio programme, The Young Entertainers. That summer they played in local hotels and also at concerts throughout the county.

That October they sang the entry ‘What Will They Do’, which was transmitted on radio, into fourth place in the Castlebar International Song Contest.

During the Christmas holidays their time was taken up mainly appearing at charity concerts and extending their repertoire.

In summer 1970 the five talented teenagers performed to audiences all over Connaught and during the Castlebar International Song Contest in October they appeared as guest artists.

That song contest guest spot will be remembered by the group forever, because it was there they were ‘discovered’ by Mrs. Joan McCauley, director of the Donegal-based Rose Organisation.

Mrs. McCauley was so overcome by their high standard of harmony, their excellent voices and the variety of their instrumentation that she immediately offered them a recording contract to her ‘Junior Division’, which catered for young artists of 18 years and under.

Early in January 1971, La Salle travelled to the new Rose recording studios at Raphoe to tape their first release in the country and western style, entitled ‘Marianne’. This was an original number with lyrics and music by Brendan Fahy and Fintan Murphy, and a mutual friend Shay Kavanagh (The Curragh).

The ‘B’ side of the record - ‘The World You’ve Left Behind’ - which was also an original, was written and composed by Michael Murphy, brother of Fintan, and who later became a newsreader with RTÉ.

‘Marianne’ featured on a New Releases show on Radio Éireann in mid-May 1971 and was reviewed by Val Joyce and also on Music on the Move by Gay Byrne, who commented: “This is an excellent number with beautiful harmony. It’s much better that some of the imported country music we hear so much of today. I’m sure it will sell very well for La Salle and is an excellent debut record.”

The Connaught Telegraph commented: “There is no doubt whatever that ‘Marianne’ will prove to be the most successful record for these very talented 16-year-olds from Castlebar, and that in the future, everybody will be hearing quite a lot about La Salle.”

Included in the two-page feature were messages of good wishes from all groups in Castlebar, in addition to one from Brose Walsh and the Rockaways Showband, on which The Connaught Telegraph commented: “This, to me, is a splendid gesture on behalf of a band who have made dancing a pleasure for millions of patrons over the past number of years. It goes to show the goodwill and support La Salle have received from their musical colleagues in the Castlebar district.

“La Salle should become not alone nationally but internationally famous. They will bring honour and glory to Castlebar and Mayo and to their parents as well as their founder, Brother Pius.”

As well as Brose Walsh, good wishes were also forthcoming from the following local bands - Crystals, Aztecs (Ballyheane), Nan and the Jetsam Gliders, and The Kadetces.

The other businesses in Castlebar who congratulated La Salle were: Irwin’s Fashions; Gerard’s Hairdressing, The Mall; Gift Shop; Kay’s Beauty Salon; Val Donegan; Song Contest; Welcome Inn Hotel; McDermot’s Furnishers; Henaghan’s Chemist; Bests Stores; Cafolla's; Rose Studios; Travellers Friend Hotel; Lavelle’s Bakery; Mellotte Motors; Wimpy Bar; Breaffy House Hotel; Horkan’s VG; Newell’s Car Hire; Cathal Duffy; Western Hats; Mandel’s; Dermot Fahy, Parsons; Josie Bourke and Son, Fiona’s and the Wool Boutique.

In October 1971 the group sang the winning entry, ‘Feeling I Got it Made’, at the Castlebar International Song Contest, which was written by Michael Murphy, older brother of Fintan.

Author Paddy McGuinness, in his book on the history of the Castlebar International Song Contest, quoted a write-up from the entertainment magazine, Spotlight: A song written by local man Michael Murphy and sung by La Salle, a group of which his younger brother Fintan is a member, won the Pop Section and the premier award at the Castlebar International Song Contest.

The number was described by the 24-year-old songwriting university student as the best of about 30 that he had composed.

Studying in Nancy in France, he writes in his spare time and has recently signed a publishing contract for six of his numbers.