Hi Peter.

After trawling through various websites all morning  looking for info for another project altogether, I came across your website of Thin Lizzy,tours, dates of 1970. I must say I found it very refreshing indeed. Furthermore it brought back many memories for me.

So here is some info that you may find interesting:
I am from Swords and I done the booking for Cloghran National School along with two guys called Jimmy and Tony, Skid Row played there as well.
Phil and Brush also Played in Swords National School which l booked as well.... after that night Phil and the boys came back  for something to eat at my parents house

I think Smiley may have been there as well... 

14th July 1970
I promoted the Progressive Concert at St Aidans School that you refer to...  it was astounding success. (incidentally "White Magic" were the best band of the night)

4th September 1970
Finally On September the 3rd 1970  two guys from N.Ireland and myself promoted The Mungo Jerry Open Air Concert in Richmond Park Inchicore( best bands Grannies and T/L...they saved the day.)

Personally for the short time I spent with Phil it was not in pubs but in various halls, school and in particular a special needs school called St John of Gods in Islandbridge where Phil and many more like him gave their service free on a regular basis for these special people . May he and Ollie Byrne rest in peace. 

Please say hello to Mrs. Lynott and Smiley for me...if he remembers me??
Thanks for the memories Phil.

Kind regards
Michael Grimes.

Dear Peter.

Considerable thanks for all your efforts.
I would not know where to start, to attempt to explain what a great time it was in those days,

Re: Ollie Byrne R.I.P...Ollie and Terry use to hang out together. Ollie managed many bands including  a band from Belfast called "TAXI"...great band! he also ran a club and book other bands.
I managed a band called "Vintage" from Belfast ...I done the same as Ollie I ran a sports club for 13 seasons booking various  bands including Ollie's bands...Skid Row included.

The Orphanage played St John of Gods about twice a month  Phil played with Orphanage on them ocassions.... they had a manager whose name I cant remember..he  was a lovely guy.

The guy who ran St John of Gods was John Walsh brother of Maurice Walsh drummer of a pop band called the Bye laws. 

Brian Tuite had a sound hire shop and a guy called Fran Quigley worked for Brian Tuite, Fran is the brother of Pat Quigley of the Movement.

Fran subsequently bought the sound Hire business from Brian Tuite and still has it to this day.

The lead dinger of the Movement was John Farrell who went on to front a showband called The "DREAMS" this was typical situation where the big guns in management would encourage the good groups to compromise their  beliefs to go and play in showbands doing cover material.,

But who could blame them at long last they were able to earn some decent money for a change! 

Re: White Magic they were fronted by Ditch Cassidy this band was so far ahead of its time that it is unbelievable!!!!!!!!!  and not for the reason because John Ryan( Whiskey AGo-Go Club) and myself managed them. Ditch and I meet up now and then... 

St Aidens was sold out I think over Six Hundred...but I could be wrong. 

Hope all this is of interest?.

Regards Michael.

Hi Peter,
Nice to hear from you - not only did the Purple Pussycat play with Lizzy, there was a battle of the bands a good few years earlier when Phil was in a group called the Black Eagles and the Purple Pussycat was called the Dead Centre (a few small changes in line-up) in a club in Dublin called the Flamingo on O'Connell Street (Ray Gunning was the guy who ran it) It was on a Sunday afternoon and unfortunately we lost out to Phil (Brian Downey was also in the band at the time) We were all around 16 years of age! You might like to read a few bits and pieces on this page. http://barrymccabe.com/newspotlightmagazine/
Nice to hear from

Dave Murphy

Hi Peter,
I listened to the interview with Eric Bell and it brought back memories - the funny thing was that when I was in the Purple Pussycat (1966-1969) we played with Skid Row and Phil was the singer. I left to play with a band in Canada and got a letter from the guys to say that they had a new guy in the band - there was also a clipping from a magazine with a photo of the group with the name Dave Murphy but the guy was black! At that time, there were only a few black people in Dublin and I thought that there was a misprint in the paper - but it was for real. I got a good laugh out of it and when I came home to Dublin in the mid-seventies I got to know the other Dave Murphy quite well. It's a funny world!!
Good luck.

Dave Murphy