Clancy brothers and tommy makem

"In the 1950’s, two Irish brothers were trying to earn a living in Greenwich Village, New York. After hard days working, their relaxation time was usually spent in the back room of a pub called the White Horse, having a few beers accompanied by renditions of many Irish ballads. They were eventually joined by a younger brother and his friend. The evenings in the backroom of that pub were full of the songs of these fellows and the German owner tried to discourage the lively and loud variety of performances but the customers were delighted with the entertainment, so it continued. The group were becoming known and asked to perform at various venues. The folk song revival was growing apace and the four fellows were in the right place at the right time. They sang the old Irish ballads to the community of Greenwich Village, a mixum-gatherum of nationalities – specially these who gathered nightly at the White Horse and slowly but surely they began to become known. Paddy Clancy performed at benefit concerts to gather funds to help the declining Woodie Guthrie in his final years. And one evening, there was a talent scout in the audience who was looking for new faces to be on the Ed Sullivan Show, broadcast every Sunday night on National Television in the United States. The motley crew of the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem made their television debut on that program and life changed utterly and wonderfully for them. In the early summer of 1963, my husband Paddy Clancy and I were travelling to County Mayo to visit with my parents. We stopped off in Spiddal, County Galway, to visit the famous shop of Standuns and look at the stock of Irish clothing, and maybe find a new sweater or two for the exciting new life as folk singers these fellows were recently enjoying in America. Paddy was surprised at the warm exuberant welcome extended to him, it was very exciting for the owner to have one of this new group in the flesh, wandering around his shop floor, they had not yet performed in Ireland. We looked at the luscious merchandise, Paddy picked out a beautifully knitted polo neck jumper in the genuine Aran wool. It was his favourite sweater, he had many sweaters over the years, this one travelled many thousands of miles with him. He was tall and slim and the lines and patterning of the delicate knitting suited his trim frame. Sweaters had a tendence to become "lost or mislaid" on tour, he was lucky to have his favorite of all resting in retirement in his Irish home. "