The Good Mixer Band
The Good Mixer pub under governor Michael Hurley was
a regular haunt for player Henry Benagh, Waterford piper
Tommy Keane and Clare mandola player Mick McGarry.
When Michael Hynes returned to live in Clare he was
replaced by Marcus Hernon of Galway who had just moved
to London. Mayo bouzouki player Noel O’Grady replaced
Mick McGarry around the same time. This line-up continued
for a number of years and had a loyal following every week.
John Carty stepped in when Tommy Keane returned to
Ireland in 1987. Henry, Marcus, Noel and Tommy all now
live in the West of Ireland and meet occasionally to play.
Tommy Keane
Tommy Keane, from Waterford, began on whistle before
learning pipes from local piper Tommy Kearney. He
attended the Willie Clancy Summer School, receiving
tuition from pipers Pat Mitchell and Liam O’Flynn. In
the 1980s, Tommy spent seven years in London playing
with legends like Tommy McCarthy, Bobby Casey and
Roger Sherlock. He also provided music for the National
Theatre and Rambert Ballet companies, and worked with
Elvis Costello on The Pogues album – Rum, Sodomy and
the Lash. Tommy has toured the U.S. with Liam Clancy
and Russia with Shaskeen, and worked with Alec Finn of
De Dannan on Alec’s first solo album Blue Shamrock.
Marcus Hernon
Marcus Hernon comes
from Connemara,
county Galway. He
traces his music back to
his Granduncle, Peaitín
Connelly, in Feenish
Island off the coast of
Ruisín na Mainíoch.
Marcus’ mother Nora
Hernon was from the
island and used to visit frequently, providing the main source
of Marcus’ music. Marcus was lucky – his older brother, P.J.
Hernon, played the button accordion and could help Marcus
through the tricky tunes. These days, Marcus plays mostly in
the Connemara area with melodeon player Johnny Connolly.
He also plays with Fíghnis – a band which consists of himself,
his brother P.J. and Don Stiffe – and the ‘Tribes Céilí Band’.
www.marcushernon.com
Henry Benagh
Tennessee fiddle
player Henry Benagh
moved to Cork in
the 1970s and played
with many traditional
musicians there, in
particular piper Eoin
Ó Riabhaigh. He
spent time in London
in the 1980s during
which he played
with the other members of the Good Mixer Band and
recorded with the Pogues. Married to Bernadette of the
London/Clare McCarthy family, he now lives in Miltown
Malbay, Co. Clare and plays regularly with Jackie Daly.
Noel O’Grady
Noel O’Grady hails from county
Mayo on the west coast of Ireland
and has long been regarded as
one of the top bouzouki players
in traditional Irish music circles.
After a spell living and playing
in London, he returned to his
native Mayo where he has been
kept busy appearing live and in
the studio backing some of the
genre’s top soloists including Matt
Molloy, Charlie Lennon, Maighread & Triona Ní Dhomhnaill
as well as an appearance with Liam O’Flynn’s ‘Given Note
Band’. Noel appeared at RtCT Festival in 2004 with Beginnish.