Mayo's Brose Walsh Band to feature on SKY TV

By Tom Gillespie

THE legendary Brose Walsh Band, Ireland’s longest established dance and showband, who celebrate their 87th anniversary this year, will feature on SKY TV this Tuesday night.

Henry McGlade of TV Ireland has compiled a special documentary on the band when they celebrated 86 years on the road last year with a once-off exhibition in the Linenhall Arts Centre in Castlebar.

It featured old black-and-white photographs of the band over the years as well as audio clips of the band on stage.

The feature will air on SKY 588 - Faith World TV - at 8.30 p.m. on Tuesday.

Henry spoke to Fr. Brian Darcy and he secured footage of the band performing in the old dance halls during the 1950s and ’60s.

The Brose Walsh Band have the notable accolade of an unbroken family tradition of musicians playing together, stretching back over eight decades and three generations.

The success story started when the late Brose made his debut in the Horseshoe Ballroom at Frenchill in 1937, and they haven’t stopped since.

Brose’s sons, Tomás, James, John Noel, and John Noel’s son, Colin, are carrying on the proud musical tradition and in recognition of their three decades of being the resident band at the Mayo People of the Year Awards on Friday night in Breaffy House Hotel, they were presented with a special award to mark the occasion.