Ian Gallagher Home Page

 

The Hilton Showband
Newry
Hughie Kimmons (drums) Luke Burke (trumpet)
Bobby Campbell (trombone) Dommie Donnelly (saxophone)
Jimmy McGivern (Rythm guitar) Mickey Doran (Lead guitar)
Tommy Tohill (Bass guitar) and vocalists Patricia O, Kelly,
and Ricky McVeigh.

The roots of  The Hilton Showband who began  in January 1962
came from a Band  called The Rhythm Aces
Musicians who played in the Band at one time or another were
Tommy Tohill (Bass) , Jimmy "Fingers" McGivern (Guitar),Luke Burke Trumpet
Hughie Kimmins (Drums), Bobby Campbell (Trombone)
and Dee Dee Donelly (Saxophone) Vocalists Ricky McVeigh
John Hughes (Trombone) from Grafton Showband and Vocalist/

Mickey Doran
(Guitar) Clippertones.

Guitarist Gerry Black
(Finnavons Showband,  Gerry Black and the Seasons, Big Valley
Pat Savage (Drums) and Vocalists Patricia O'Kelly, Peter Cowan and Briege Jordan.
and Eleanor Toner , She became the wife of
Northern Ireland and Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper

Pat Jennings.

Recordings  "Carlingford Bay / Yesterday's Gone"
 "Why, Bobby Kennedy, Why? / It Keeps Right On A- Hurtin"'

Although I only played for a couple of years with the Hilton, I believe that
they formed in early - mid-sixties, and as far as I know they are still
playing. They played very typical "Showband Material" and released a few
records (thoough not in my time with them). One unique fearure was that they
often had 3 lead singers Ricky McVey, Peter Cownn and Patricia McGrattan.
None of these played an instrument. There was the usual Guitar, Bass,
Drums,Trombone, Trumpet and Sax.
The leader was Bass player Tommy Tohill

Sean Boden
sean@bodenschoolofmotoring.com

The Hilton Showband (Newry)
   I wonder how many of you readers and soccer fans know the connection between former Arsenal and N. Ireland goalkeeper Pat Jennings and the Hilton Showband ?. I won,t tell you now but  I will wait till the end of the story of the Hilton which began in Newry, Co. Down in the late 1950.s.
A young band in Newry , the Rhythm Aces ( Yes, we had a Rhythm Aces too in Convoy!), asked a local dancehall promoter Malachy O'Neill to manage them . He agreed but on the condition that they augment their line up with some more well known local musicians.

        Tommy Tohill, Jimmy McGivern, Hugh Kimmins, D.D,Donnelly, Bobby Campbell,
Mickey Doran, Luke Burke and vocalists Ricky Mc Veigh and Eleanor Toner played their first dance as the Hilton Showband on an Easter Sunday night 1962 , playing a two band session with the popular
Pat Mc Geegan and the Big Four. Like many other bands at that time, as their popularity grew  the pressure was on them to go full time professional , and they took this massive step in 1963 .
Some members however opted out of the full time life on the road  and these two members were replaced by Trombonist John Hughes and a well known vocalist /guitarist from Co. Armagh,
Gerry Black.

         The Hilton were a popular band with dancers,and with their advantage of having both male and female lead Vocalists they could cover many of the current pop numbers at that time especially duets. The toured extensively and appeared on RTE,s Showband Show  and the Gay Byrne hosted programme “ The Seventeen Club”. They were frequent visitors to Donegal dancehalls and could always “ pull in the punters” making them popular with dancehall promoters. When Eleanor Toner left the band , she was replaced by Patricia O, Kelly, and other new members to feature with the band through the years were Peter Cowan, Breige Jordan and Pat Savage.

      The band recorded a couple of singles featuring Patricia O, Kelly with “ Carlingford Bay / Yesterday,s Gone “ in 1966 and Ricky McVeigh recorded “ Why Bobby Kennedy Why”/
It keeps right on a Hurtin” in 1968. Unlike many of the other showbands we have documented in these articles, the Hilton kept together well into the 70,s and Tommy Tohill, Ricky McVeigh, Mickey Doran all original members, together with necomers Donal Bracken and Nigel Simmons  continue to play on the local circuit around Co. Down.

     And the answer to our teaser regarding Pat Jennings! He married original female vocalist
Eleanor Toner and the rest they say “Is history!”
John Baird