MikeHanrahan.com

Stocktons Wing

Traditional/Folk

Stockton’s Wing review from Gerry Quinn at The Irish Examiner

West County, Ennis

Saturday January 31st 2008

Four stars ****

The enormous drawing power of 70’s/80’s traditional group Stockton’s Wing was confirmed on Saturday night last, with 1,500 devotees showing up in the band’s home-town for a once-off, rollicking romp through their eclectic back catalogue. Minus the talents of the Wing’s regular banjo/mandolin player Kieran Hanrahan for the night, his absence was more than made up for by a sterling display from stand-in Enda Scahill. The Galway man’s ornate mandolin began the show with ‘Drops of Brandy’, as Maurice Lennon’s compelling fiddle soared over and gradually cajoled the other group members into the icebreaker - laying down a definite marker for a rambunctious and utterly compelling performance.

‘Miss McLeod’s Reel’ affords the basic footing for Mike Hanrahan’s ‘Beneath The Shade’, with Paul Roche’s lilting whistle lifting the song
to lofty and lark-like heights. The introduction of guests, Tony Molloy (bass), Steve Flaherty (electric guitar) and Danny Byrt (drums), generated
an upsurge in intensity, particularly on ‘Walk Away’, with Flaherty’s searing solo adding an extra dimension to the popular song. Guest singer, Eleanor Shanley rendered a rousing version of Stephen Foster’s ‘Hard Times’, while an innovative bodhrán solo by the peerless Tommy Hayes added to the diverse and entertaining nature of the overall presentation.

The low-key, banjo/jaw’s harp introduction from Scahill/Hayes to ‘The Maid Behind The Bar’, signalled a calm-before-the-storm approach, culminating in a manic and uninhibited version of the old reel. With a fiddle/flute/banjo axis, underpinned by Byrt’s Ceili band style drumming,
an explosive Chicago Reel extracted gasps and howls of approval from the large and frivolous audience. Though hindered somewhat by an obdurate room, sound-wise and pockets of boisterous revellers in the throng, Stockton’s Wing magnificently soared above perceived adversity to produce a memorable and satisfying recital that hopefully will re-emerge again, in the not too distant future. Gerry Quinn

Gig to be announced for Jan 2009 Stay tuned

July 07 look out for a show in December in Ennis this year. Its looking good.

There may be some shows this year. Its possible that the lads will get together for the Legends of Folk series of gigs in Dublin and Cork.

Meanwhile...............

Beautiful Affair Archive video from Self Aid Concert, Dublin 1985

Listen to Stockton's Wing on Internet Radio

BEAUTIFUL AFFAIR VOTED NO 7 in TODAY FM POLL OF BEST 25 SONGS IN THE LAST 25 YEARS. Magnificent result. Thanks to all who voted. Check out Mikes News Page for comments.

MIKE HANRAHAN HOME PAGE

STOCKTON'S WING REUNION GIG

VICAR STREET WAS A MAJOR SUCCESS AND THE LADS HOPE TO GET TOGETHER FOR A FEW GIGS IN 2005. WE WILL KEEP YOU UPDATED ON ANY DEVELOPMENTS.

If you wish to contact in relation to the Wing Reunion please e-mail

wing@mikehanrahan.com

Stocktons Wing "light in The Western Sky reunion"

at Vicar Street, Dublin May 15th 2004

RONNIE DREW AND SEAN KEANE (Chieftains) were special guests on the evening.

STOCKTONS WING
In 1982 Stocktons Wing made their seminal recording 'Light in the Western Sky' featuring band members Kieran Hanrahan (Banjo and Mandolin), Mike Hanrahan (Guitar and vocals), Maurice Lennon (Fiddle and Viola), Paul Roche (Flute and Whistles) and Tommy Hayes (Bodhran, spoons and percussion)
Remember..... Beautiful Affair, Walk Away, The Belltable, The Golden Stud...The line up that gave you this innovative and exciting music are delighted to return to the stage in their home town of Ennis in Co.Clare.
In the early eighties the band toured their unique blend of Traditional and Contemporary Irish music the length and breath of the globe entertaining audiences wherever they performed. It is almost twenty years since this particular line shared the stage and in the intervening years each of the lads have continued to carve out successful individual careers in the music industry. The great success of a recent Charity gig in Ennis prompted the notion of a Dublin show.
" It's twenty years since Mike, Maurice, Paul, Tommy and I played together on stage. We're very excited about the gig at Vicar Street and we're looking forward to a great night " Kieran Hanrahan . Kieran is the presenter of RTE Radio's flagship traditional music programme Ceili House
" It will be a special night for the band and our fans who constantly request the return of this particular line up" Mike Hanrahan. Mike has a successful solo career with two CD releases, performs and records with Ronnie Drew and is currently Chairman of IMRO Irish Music Rights Organisation.

The Band recently came together for the first time in twenty years to play a benefit gig in Ennis. Here are some of the comments:

" I recorded with the lads many years ago and I have always loved their style of music, honest and straightforward and never afraid to take the odd chance. They have not lost any of the fire and if anything only got much better. It was an amazing performance" Ronnie Drew

A more passionate and powerful gig has not been witnessed in the Clare town in recent times. "Light in the Western Sky" probably the group's finest album provided a satisfying source for some of the finer moments of this excellent concert. Instrumentals like "The Belltable" and "The Golden Stud" showcased their highly innovative approach to arranging and presenting traditional tunes, while songs like "Walk Away" and "Beautiful Affair" reaffirmed the reason why Stockton's Wing crossed over successfully into a more pop/folk market at the time.
Gerry Quinn, Irish Examiner

"what an extraordinary, amazing, mind-blowing concert the Wing delivered last night. I'm still spinning from it. It was TRIUMPHANT!..no other word for it....such an incredible turn-out....and the music and the vibe made it a NIGHT TO REMEMBER!!! It rates as one of the top gigs of the decade for me..."
PJ CURTIS, Broadcaster, writer and Producer

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NOVEMBER 2003 Reunion gig

Thanks to all who supported the re union gig.We are delighted to report that it was the most memorable of occasions. A full house who cheered the great talent that is Ronnie Drew and welcomed the return of Stockton's Wing to the stage after so many years. We had an extra guest, thirteen year old fiddle player Tara Breen, whose talent is quite special.

Orla Platten and Footsteps Downs Syndrome (Clare) were the main beneficiaries but 1400 music fans, Ronnie Drew, Tara Breen, Kieran Hanrahan, Paul Roche, Mike Hanrahan, Maurice Lennon and Tommy Hayes have all added a new room to their memory and it is filled with Jigs, reels, songs, stories, the incredible audience reaction and participation and an amazing buzz that filled the room to make this event a "should have been there gig"
As PJ Curtis put it:

"what an extraordinary, amazing, mind-blowing concert the Wing delivered last night. I'm still spinning from it. It was TRIUMPHANT!..no other word for it....such an incredible turn-out....and the music and the vibe (Ronnie too...who was pure magic as usual) made it a NIGHT TO REMEMBER!!! It rates as one of the top gigs of the decade for me..."

And so say all of us at mikehanrahan.com, Stocktons Wing, Footsteps Downs Syndrome (Clare) and Orla Platten.

SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL OF YOU WHO HELPED IN SO MANY WAYS TO ENSURE A GREAT SUCCESS

Gig Review

By Gerry Quinn
Irish Examiner Tue Dec 2nd 2003.

gquinn.ennis@eircom.net

A palpable drone of expectation gathered around Ennis' West County Hotel's function room prior to the appearance of Stockton's Wing for a once-off benefit concert in aid of Down Syndrome Awareness, and in particular the plight of 4 year old Orla Platten who suffers from atlanto-axial subluxation. Twenty years had passed since this assemblage of Kieran Hanrahan, Tommy Hayes, Paul Roche, Maurice Lennon and Mike Hanrahan played on stage together and now 1400 fans eagerly awaited
the sound of fiery traditional music, the hallmark of a group who blazed a trail around the world in the late seventies and right throughout the eighties.

Though varying ensembles have traded under the moniker in the interim, this was the Stockton's Wing line-up that many saw as being the most creative and distinctive in the band's long career. The large audience shoe-horned into the venue were not disappointed. A more passionate
and powerful gig has not been witnessed in the Clare town in recent times. Given the fact that little Orla is the niece of the Hanrahan siblings,
and Ennis was the birthplace of the "Wing" back in 1977, it was clear that
the regrouped quintet were always going to be faced with a partisan welcome. Yet the boys did not rest on their laurels and produced a balanced set of instrumental virtuosity interspersed with plaintiff and melodic vocals.

"Light in the Western Sky" probably the group's finest album provided
a satisfying source for some of the finer moments of this excellent concert. Instrumentals like "The Belltable" and "The Golden Stud" showcased their highly innovative approach to arranging and presenting traditional tunes, while songs like "Walk Away" and "Beautiful Affair" reaffirmed the reason why Stockton's Wing crossed over successfully into a more pop/folk market at the time.

The addition of "Dervish" members Tom Morrow on fiddle and Shane Mitchell on accordion for two sets of tunes, added to the frantic nature of the gig, but it was Ronnie Drew's collaboration that drew the bulk of approval from the ecstatic attendance. Earlier in the night the Dubliner had performed a potent set to a capricious and vacillating congregation, but on this occasion in the company of the home-town heroes, the hirsuted legend delivering "Now I'm Easy" and Mike Hanrahan's "We Had It All", had the large crowd spell-bound.

Other highlights included percussionist Tommy Hayes' spoon playing, while Paul Roche paid special tribute to the late Micho Russell with a fantastic rendition of "The Boy in the Gap" on the whistle. Good-natured fun, coupled with intense and passionate playing elevated this gig to that of epic proportions. The meritorious cause benefited immensely from the band's laudable and dynamic musical efforts, and the uproarious audience reaction added to the incredible buzz generated.

As a footnote, the fiddle playing of thirteen year old Tara Breen who opened the show, emphasised the fact that the conveyor-belt of traditional
talent that exhibits prodigious Clare musicians, is as productive as ever: definitely one for the future.

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