Linenhall to celebrate legendary Mayo band

The legendary Brose Walsh Band, Ireland’s longest-established dance and show bands, will be celebrated with a series of events in the Linenhall Arts Centre throughout September and October.

The band will perform two exclusive concerts on Friday and Saturday, September 15 and 16, in the theatre, along with the premiere of a short documentary film, The Brose Walsh Band: A Mayo Music Legacy, which tells the story of the band and how these Mayo musicians shaped and contributed to the showband era in Ireland and abroad. Both evenings will include a drinks reception and some guest appearances.

A retrospective exhibition of photography and archive material documenting the band’s 86 years in entertainment will also be launched in the foyer on September 15 and will be on show until October 10. This exhibition is a lifetime’s worth of memorabilia celebrating one of the greatest Irish dance bands and includes photos, letters, posters, and advertisements going back to the 1940s.

The Brose Walsh Band has 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 Brose made his debut in the Horseshoe Ballroom at Frenchill in 1937 and they haven’t stopped since. The band was always very proud of its Mayo roots and acted as ambassadors for the county as they toured all over the world and became a symbol of a particular time in Irish history.

This series of events in the Linenhall offers a glimpse into an important part of Mayo’s creative and music heritage, and the great sense of collective camaraderie and shared identity of Mayo people. For younger generations, it may be a first insight into this part of our cultural history and for those of an older vintage, it will be a wonderful waltz, jive and a jump down memory lane.

Tickets for the concerts are available online at www.thelinenhall.com.