The Scarlet  Seven Showband
was one of three semi-professional bands in the Ballina area during the early 1960s.
The other two semi-professional bands were The Dominos and the George B Jordan Showband.
While members of these bands carried on in their own business or some were working in apprenticeships,
the bands did employ full-time members: even so,
they played as many as 3 or four times per week all over the country.

The Scarlet Seven was formed and managed by Phil Munnelly who has a business in Crossmolina.
Phil can be seen at the back in both photos and he played Alto Saxophone in the band.
Marty Walsh, who played the trumpet can be seen on the left in the first photo and is on the right in the second.
He was joined by his younger brother, Arthur, who played Trombone.
The late Johnny Crean and Pat Garvey both played with the George B Jordan Showband in 1963.
Johnny joined the Scarlet 7 in late 1963 and was followed into the band by Pat Garvey, from Sligo, who was a fully professional member of the band.  During Lent of 1964, when the band was stood down, Phil brought them to Sligo every Monday evening to rehearse in the storeroom above Greenes’ furniture shop, which was next to the old Priory in the High Street. This was prior to Pat officially joining the band. Johnny played drums and later left the Scarlet Seven to join Jack Ruane’s Band which was Ballina’s fully professional showband.
Pat Garvey played Lead and Rhythm Guitar.
Francis was the lead singer and I think his surname was Corcoran, but I can’ be sure.
He is standing next to Phil in the first photo. Gerry (unfortunately I cannot remember his surname either and that is not with any disrespect to both of them, but it was more than 40 years ago) played Bass Guitar.
The background to the second photo is that it was taken on the steps of Belleek Manor in 1964 prior to the band’s eventful tour of England.  The tour was eventful not only for its music, but the Volkswagen minibus engine packed up just as the band was near to Mullingar. Therefore, they had to proceed without the Bus and with help, I believe, from Joe Dolan, who assisted in getting transport to take the band and equipment to the North Wall in time for the all-night crossing to Liverpool.  The equipment was simply laid out on the deck of the boat and then transferred to Manchester for the first engagement to a packed, mainly Irish, audience.  The Bus arrived in Liverpool next day and the band headed to Coventry for the next engagement.  After Coventry, there were three or four engagements in London, I recall specifically the La Bamba, in Kilburn, the Blarney Club in Tottenham Court Road and the Four Provinces near Manor House. On the way to London, just before joining the M1 past Coventry, the windscreen was shattered by a stone and Johnny, who shared driving duties, told Phil that the minimum speed was 60 mph.  So, the sleepless, near frozen band members were relieved when the Bus pulled into a garage for repairs.  Not all aspects of showband life were glamorous.
Later in 1964 or early 1965, Phil Munnelly married and decided to concentrate on his business
bringing The Scarlet Seven to an end.

Pat Garvey
p.garvey@blueyonder.co.uk

From John Bairds collection
bairdart@iol.ie
 

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