I’m hoping to write a piece on the history of reggae in Dublin, similar to what I’ve done so far on the Mod scene in Dublin and the Rockabilly scene.
From anecdotal evidence, I’ve heard the first places to play reggae in Dublin was Mothers nightclub on Mary Street and the Osibisa on King Street South both in the early to mid 1970s. (The Cimarons playing Cork in c. 1978/9 was the gig that really put reggae on the map in Ireland. Probably similar enough to what it did for punk in the city when The Clash played the exam hall in TCD in 1978.)
There was of course Zebra, Ireland’s first reggae band, and their 1979 single Repression.
Does anyone have any more information on these clubs, the DJs, the people who went or anything else on the history of reggae in the city? Please email me directly at matchgrams(at)gmail.com
Mothers poster (C.Fisher, personal collection)
Click on the book for more.
Click on the book for more.
I’m afraid I don’t, but I’m in the process of putting together a syllabus on ‘global reggae,’ and I’m curious if there’s been any good writing about reggae in Ireland at all. So much has been written about reggae in the UK, but I’ve seen little about Ireland.
Hi Wayneandwax,
Nothing comes to mind except this piece (http://cheebah.typepad.com/cheebah_hip_hop_reggae_fu/2005/12/sin_an_reggae.html) from our friends at Cheebah.
Hopefully my post above can perhaps kick start some interviews and research into the history of reggae in Dublin (and Ireland).
Hows it goin, there was a great reggae scene in dublin in the late 70’s. we used to go to the TV club in harcourt street almost on a monthly basis to watch reggae bands like General Saint, Denis Bovell, etc. Dj’s always played reggae before punk bands came on as well.
bitzy
great article by Cheeba, sin é an reggae,
maybe John Pubic from BlackEchoes on Dublin City Fm
could be a mine…
http://dublincityfm.ie/programmes/music/roots-traditional-world/black-echoes/
Thanks for the tip. I’ve just dropped a mail to John Public.
love the poster in the post!
Good stuff … and as well as the TV club (which also hosted Aswad) there were a good few reggae bands playing the Sat. night slot at UCD … of course Bob hit town in 1980 ….
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=234399603288056
Ska, reggae, rocksteady tunes every tuesday night and every friday with The Bionic Rats ska/reggae band.
Free in,drink promos(3,50 euro a pint Guiness, 10euro a pitcher lager from sunday to wednesday)
See you all there!!
Hello Jay, I am also writing a history of reggae but not just in Dublin but the whole of Ireland. I wonder how far you have got with the project? Maybe we could swap notes or even combine our efforts as it would be half the work. let me know
hi mick, i am looking for sound systems in ireland for a collaboration with jamaican artists , we are putting up a talent show in jamaica ..my mail is: gingerheart24@gmail.com, i am a reggae activist living in jamaica and i want to know about the reggae dancehall scene in ireland..
Listening to Peter Curtin’s great createcrawling collection “Buntús Rince: Explorations in Irish Jazz, Fusion & Folk 1969-81” I notice he has Silent Partner by Zebra on there. It made me think…does anyone know was there another similarly-named Dublin reggae band operating in the 80s? Zera-I mean anything to anyone?