The Circle - Pop Group from West Belfast!

[REP1]

Noel Connelly, was lead singer when the Bus Stop ended and became Flight.
The Bass player/postman was Andy McShowell. Lead Guitar was Eddie McErlane, Drums Jimmy Bonner.

[Bicycle Bill]

Hi all
 Does anyone remember Frankie Connollywho sang with a few bands, and replaced the late great Sam Mahood in the big soul band,    I know he went to Canada. But I think he may be home.

[Mitcher]

Was that the Circle that played in Clonard Hall on Saturday nights in the early seventies with Damien Reel, Trish and Ann and Billy on Drums?  If it was they were brilliant and they played at my wedding

[Jim B]

The Circle where a good band. My fav band on the club scene around that time was Dirty Work.

[TremTed1]

For anyone with interest in bands & groups

www.irish-showbands.com    there is a beat group section as well

www.irishshowbands.net       also a big beat group section

and the love to get info, pics etc on any groups or bands you know/knew !

[pussy-galore]

Hi all it is Kieran Ward again!  You will be able to see that I started this thread on the 30th April 2009 at 12:48:14 am and when I looked at the thread a few days later – I couldn’t understand how ‘Al Capone’ was able to post the first comment at a time before my initial posting at 11:31:28am, but maybe that discussion is for another day.

‘Al Capone’ asked that year: I started the group with my last brother Oliver (Ward) and his friend Sean Fitzpatrick in 1967.  Sean later went on to be a founding member of the folk band ‘Blackthorn’.

‘Gerrymac‘ recalls that ‘Big Liam’ was a guitar player with the group.  Liam was I believe the third Bass Player we had and that was about 1971 when he was in the group. Liam went on to play in several other groups in the cabaret circuit.  I can’t recall the names of these bands now.

A word of thanks to ‘Olelad’ for your kind comment – we tried our very best to be good at what we done on stage.  You commented on the group not playing country and western – yes, we did but only when we played venues where country and western songs were required.  The type of country we done was what would be now called ‘new country’.

‘Muckermcd’ Yes Davy Hughes did go with a girl called Lillian at one time but unfortunately, I don’t recall much about your sister.  Davy had more girl friends that I have had hot dinners.  Can I correct one thing in your comments: in the early days of Davy’s involvement with the group c. 1970, he played keyboards, rhythm guitar and saxophone.  After the lead guitarist, John Craig left the group Davy moved to playing lead guitar and in some numbers, he also played piano.  His brother Colin who joined the group about that time became the keyboards player, he also played mandolin and I’m sure you will recall the group playing ‘Horslips’s’ ‘King of the Fairies’.  That was Colin on mandolin.

‘Muckermcd’ in your second posting you recall ‘The Star jets’ and Terry Sharpe and Liam L’Estrange. - Liam played a very short time with the Circle also.  The Star jets did have some chart success and were also known as ‘Tango Brigade’ the outfit is now known as The Adventures.  I hear some of their tracks being played on the radio these days.

‘Rathbone’ I’m sorry I don’t recall ant group playing ‘Saint Paul’s’ called The Tycoons’.  Can I take it that it is St Paul’s on Shaw’s Road you are talking about and not St Paul’s Parish Hall that was in Hawthorn Street? 

For the Tycoons to have practiced around about the Springfield area – I didn’t know them so I don’t know where they practiced.

‘Old Wallion’ the group you speak of was called ‘Paddy and the Bus Stop’ and the Paddy was Louis Small’s brother.  I think the ‘Noel’ you talk about was the bass player who worked as a ‘postman’ at one time.  I don’t recall the group being called Noel and Bus Stop but I may be wrong.  I do remember a group called ‘Flight’.

If anyone wishes to contact me directly – my email address is: [email protected]

Hi Kieran    I think you'll find that Al posted his comment later that morning - AFTER yours. 

[AL CAPONE]

Terry sharpe is playing on friday nights in The Whitefort on the A/town rd.

[pussy-galore]

Is that an invitation, Al 

Don't forget the white rose and the latest edition of Andersonstown News     

[Willie]

Anyone remember Livin'Thing who played in the clubs in late 70's ?

[AL CAPONE]

Is that an invitation, Al 

Don't forget the white rose and the latest edition of Andersonstown News     

Anytime Pussy 

[Bosbert]

Hi Kieran, just spotted your post about local band The Circle, I used to go and see the Circle a lot around the early 80s when my cousin Colm Maguire was playing with the band. Colm would have been very young at the time perhaps as young as 17 or 18 but my god what a talent ( no bias there then!). I used to pester Colm and the band to play Horslips numbers as i was huge fan, still am as it happens,and they would oblige with Trouble(with a capital T) Dearg Doom etc. Great memories of Iveagh community centre, Mica Drive community centre etc.Colm as im sure you are aware went on to be a stalwart of the local music scene in bands such as the Teddy Palmer Showband later to become the TP band when Teddy I presume retired and also along with his brother David who played drums with The James Peake Experience. Colm and David obviously inherited their talent from their father Pat who is a veteran of the local music scene and as far as i know still going strong.

[gerrymac]

Pat Maguire is a great singer, I remember him starting his singing career in The Donegal Celtic with a great band called The Flint, they packed the place out every night.
Slan Gerry Mac

[ned]

Great group with a great sound. seen them many times. 

[Geraldine Gilmore-White]

aahh The Circle remember them well, especially Liam, who worked in Atkinsons and played at my wedding.
 

[Herb]

Hi Kieran

I just came across this article-i was a regular at the green briar and loved the circle great band-i also used to work with you at the milestone supermarket on the shaws rd and did a stint for a few weeks in downpatrick-if iam not mistaken you had a sister work there also think her name was Theresa-if you see this reply back-I livein Galway now and before that was in Canada