Letter: Mayo memories on a significant music anniversary

Sir,

Last Tuesday, October 1, marked the 62nd anniversary of the broadcasting of Ireland's first top 10 music chart.

The date fell on a Monday that year.

The historic broadcast aired at 6.45 p.m. in Radio Éireann and was presented by Harry Thuillier, a most popular voice on radio at the time, in particular through the many sponsored programmes he shared with his loyal listeners weekly.

His top 10 was compiled by memory man Jimmy Magee, which was no surprise as he was widely renowned for his encyclopedic knowledge of music in general as well as sport.

Magee was born in New York to Co. Louth parents on January 31, 1935. He would always refer to himself as a 'Wee County' man. Incidentally, Elvis Presley arrived three weeks earlier!

The very first top 10 listing in Ireland was as follows:

1 Elvis Presley - 'She's Not You'

2 Roy Charles - 'You Don't Know Me'

3 Bobby Darin - 'Things'

4 Claude King - 'Wolverton Mountain'

5 Mark Wyner - 'Venus In Blue Jeans'

6 Tommy Roe - 'Sheila'

7 Ronnie Carroll - 'Roses are Red'

8 Jim Reeves - 'Adios Amigo'

9 Jimmy Justice - 'Spanish Harlem'

10: Cliff Richard - 'It'll Be Me'

The first Irish record to featured in the top 10 chart was in September 1963. The history makers were The Royal Showband, Waterford, with Brendan Boyer on vocals doing an Elvis Presley cover song, 'Kiss Me Quick'. It stayed at number one for seven weeks.

Brendan's first five singles all reached the top spot – a record he proudly held for several decades.

Yours sincerely,

Michael O'Connor,

Music Historian,

Parke,

Castlebar,

Co. Mayo.