With A Little Help From His Friends

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From The Boulder Band to The Bunko Brothers, whilst taking in an early version of Bagatelle and hooking up with the love of his life, Bree Harris, Paul Fairclough has been there, played this, and rocked the shit out of that.

It would be fair to say that the musical landscape of his hometown, Bray, would be a very different one without this man’s presence over the last 40 years.

Of course, Paul Fairclough was always destined for a life in music, having snuck onstage at The Metropole in Dublin – hiding in his dad’s big bass drum, no less – and getting to play with headliner Louis Armstrong after he was discovered. “Not bad, kid,” the legendary Satchmo said to the 10-year-old Fairclough. “You’re going to make it someday…”

The lad has played with many a sinner and the very occasional saint over the ensuing decades, much of his recent years taken up alongside Greystones’ very own Eoin Woods as the notorious Bunko Brothers. It’s with his good lady wife that Paul makes his sweetest music, of course, the two having first met in the US in the late ’70s. Despite the fact that he was making a very comfortable living playing six nights a week with The Cotton Mill Boys, the moment Paul heard Bree sing, he handed in his notice. After a simple, “Sorry, lads, I’m off!“, the two star-struck lovers proved inseparable, getting married in 2004 in sunny San Diego.

And now, with Paul suffering a major blow to his health, all the many friends they’ve made down through the years are coming together for one special night. Alongside headliners Bagatelle, there’s also Sonny Condell & Robbie Overson, Brian Meakin, Anto Drennan & Donal Kirk, Ger Doyle and friends, plus, of course, the bould Woodsy and the even boulder Bree.

Taking place at The Royal Hotel in Bray on Wednesday, October 17th, tickets are just €10, and can either be bought at reception or by calling 012862935. Oh, and just like that, it’s sold out! But, hey, you can donate directly right about here.