Event Celebrating the Iconic Band’s First Ever Gig in Ringsend
By Thomas Gregg
In 1977 The Blades played their first ever gig as a then six-piece band at the teenage disco run by the residents association. The line up that night was the late and sadly missed Laurence Cleary, his brother Paul Cleary, Pat Larkin, Johnny Burke, Joe Donnelly and Liam Fagan.
On Saturday 23rd November @ 7pm, the Ringsend and Districts Historical Society will be hosting a plaque unveiling and a celebratory evening to commemorate that first and only gig The Blades ever played in Ringsend. That evening we are putting together an event pretty much saying thank you to those then six young teenagers who unbeknown to themselves on that night set in motion the quite incredible roller coaster ride that saw The Blades put Ringsend on the map both musically and socially over the next few years.
Their set that first night consisted of covers of Beatles, Who, Dave Edmunds, The Stooges numbers and a few other songs which none of the lads can really remember as it was forty seven years ago.
That night as a fifteen-year-old I was in the CYMS front hall playing snooker when in walked these six lads carrying their instruments ready to take on the world – the rock and roll world that was – all suitably attired in long coats, possibly CIE overcoats, and I’ve since learned one fur coat which Joe borrowed from his mother. This to me was the first punk statement in our town and what an impression it made on me that night.
Local lads in a band, WOW. I stuck my head in the disco door later on as The Blades tentatively went about playing that first gig but all I remember is barely seeing them on the tiny stage and I cannot recall what songs they played.
It’s so important as a community to commemorate the occasion of that first gig and the subsequent impression this band made on Ireland’s music history, as less than two years later, and with the band now a trio of Paul, Pat and Lar, they literally conquered the local music scene with their classic but so relevant pop tunes.
As a fellow Ringsender I still cherish those nights in the Magnet as an awe struck fan seeing these local lads literally have the dance floor on wheels as infectious tune after tune just blew me away. Proudly walking back home over the iron bridge from Pearse Street into the safety of Ringsend’s grasp I would still have those classic tunes reverberating through my head.
For that fleeting time period they were the next band likely to make it, or so the smart money said – headlining with U2 or supporting them and being at times the dominant band with their three minute pop classics. Even now listening to HOT FOR YOU just gives you that urge to get up and dance. Not forgetting the brilliant THE BRIDE WORE WHITE still such a catchy tune but back then addressing the ignominy of getting pregnant possibly from a one night stand and been forced to get married, yet not for love. GHOST OF A CHANCE, THE REUNION, MUSCLE MEN, ANIMATION, THE RULES OF LOVE, all thankfully were recorded, but some classic songs from the early Magnet days like SO, ITS OVER and LETS GO DOWN TO THE DANCE were top songs too.
Our evening hopes to bring alive and recreate in a small way that first gig and the early years of The Blades until Pat and Lar left. We will have music, video and guest speakers all doing one thing alone and that is paying tribute and honouring the Ringsend Blades.
It’s not a reunion of the original band musically as unfortunately Lar passed a few years back so on the night no members of the Blades will be playing but early Blades songs will be performed.
Tickets are free for the event and we are in the process of setting up the Eventbrite ticket platform. Keep an eye on the Ringsend and Districts Historical Society Facebook page for this to go live. Tickets are on a first-come first-served basis.
Thank you to Google for sponsoring this event.
Thank you to DCC for the sponsorship of the plaque.
Refreshments served on the night too.
