The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #42069   Message #4062326
Posted By: GUEST,Susan Lowe
01-Jul-20 - 03:39 PM
Thread Name: need info on this band: The Irish Brigade (US)
Subject: RE: need info on this band: The Irish Brigade (US)
I'm from Columbus and I saw them locally many times. I know they made at least one vinyl album. I happened to be in Denver and checked Ebay for any of their music. I bought it immediately. It was in perfect shape and had been autographed by all four guys. The oddest thing was it was sold to me by someone who lived in Denver. I sent a message asking how he got it but he didn't respond.

I'm not sure what kind of information you're looking for. They did do tours throughout the midwest but I don't remember exactly where they performed except in the Pittsburgh area.

The musicians were Dave Murphy. He was the bearded front man who played the bodhran, the Celtic drum, and othe percussive instruments. He also had an advertising business. All of them had day jobs. Greg Hankins (guitar, banjo?) had a music store that, I believe, specialized in selling and repairing guitars, as well as teaching guitar. Pat Mogan, the tenor, had a job in a town south of Columbus. I don't recall what he did. I believe he played the fiddle as well. The fourth was Dennis Smith. I don't remember what he played. I believe he played the drums. He was working on his PhD in Nutrition or something like that, at OSU. I remember that he got a job in North Carolina and left the band.

All of them sang occasionally, although Greg didn't sing as often as the others. They slowed down at one point, possibly after Dennis left, and I lost track of when they were playing.

I dated Dave Murphy in 1986-87 but we didn't socialize with the band members. It was my impression that they were the equivalent of"work" friends." Several years after Dave and I stopped seeing one another, he remarried a nice woman who had a teenage daughter.
Not that long after he died of cancer at about 53. I got that information from a friend who was a piper who was involved in the music scene.

I just googled the band, which is how I came across this page. Pat and Greg are still appearing with another guy, calling themselves the Olde Irish Brigade. They have a local appearance scheduled in early September here in Columbus but, of course, everything's still up in the air here because our COVID-19 cases are rising.

May I ask why you're interested in the band. My e-mail is susan5096@yahoo.com