Museum of Country Life
Showband Era Remembered
By Bernie Byron
7, Feb 2007 - 08:40

SHOWBAND ERA REMEMBERED AT

THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF IRELAND - COUNTRY LIFE

A striking new exhibition, which will undoubtedly strike a chord with many people, will open in March at the National Museum of Ireland - Country Life, Turlough Park, Castlebar, Co. Mayo.

Hucklebuck Time - A Celebration Of The Generation That Danced Their Way Into History will run from 15 March until June 2007 and will concentrate on the showbands scene in the 1960s and 1970s.

The exhibition, which will run in association with the TF Royal Hotel and Theatre , Castlebar features hundreds of contemporary photographs of the showband stars on stage and many pieces of memorabilia including a Royal Showband jacket from the 1960s and the saxophone used by the leader of the Royal Showband, Michael Coppinger, in the now famous 1965 recording of their smash hit ‘The Hucklebuck’.

 “This exhibition is a must-see for those who enjoyed the excitement of the showband era. The 1960s in Ireland was a decade marked by emigration and a poor economy. The glitter-ball  of the dancehall added a touch of sparkle and glamour to young peoples’ lives and it was in these Ballrooms of Romance that many people met their match”. Clodagh Doyle, Curator, Irish Folklife Division, National Museum of Ireland.

This exhibition on social and music history is the work of Waterford Treasures Museum where it was on display last summer. Waterford Treasures has kindly agreed to loan it to the National Museum of Ireland - Country Life. In return, the exhibition Down Memory Lane - Childhood in the 1950’s will travel on loan from the National Museum of Ireland - Country Life to Waterford for display this summer.

Admission to the exhibition is free.
Opening times: Tues- Saturday: 10am - 5pm. Sunday: 2-5pm. Closed Monday

To coincide with this exhibition, the much heralded showband musical, Dancehall Q’s and Hucklebuck Shoes , will give a special St Patrick’s Day performance at the Royal Theatre, Castlebar on Saturday 17th March. Dancehall Q’s and Hucklebuck Shows will endeavour to recreate the ultimate unique showband sound and will recapture the singing styles of those first Irish Superstars, the showband singers that topped the Irish charts almost on a weekly basis. The show promises to relive this incredible era in Irish entertainment taking a trip back in time and back down memory lane. Tickets for the show are €25 and may purchased from the Royal Theatre Box Office on 0818 300000, online www.royaltheatre.ie  and all usual outlets.

Further information:
Bernie Byron, Marketing Executive, National Museum of Ireland - Country Life
Turlough Park, Castlebar, Co. Mayo
Tel: 094 90 31755 Fax: 094 90 31628; Email: bbyron@museum.ie   www.museum.ie