When Will Leahy at RTÉ Radio 1 was organising a documentary about music managers in Ireland, the first man on his call list was Seamus Casey. The Mullingar man is one of the most respected managers working in the Irish music – and also the longest serving, having guided Joe Dolan for almost 50 years.
‘Someone to Watch over me’ which aired on bank holiday Monday looked at the role of the unseen music manager witnessing history from the backstage.
The other local Manager interviewed was Justin Moffatt, who was the manager of The Blizzards in recent decades.
Seamus Casey gave up a permanent teaching job in 1962 to manage a singer for the next 45 years. That singer was Joe Dolan. “I was interested in music. Ben Dolan, Joe’s brother, had started a band with Joe and I was friendly with them. As a teacher we used to hold dances out in Castletown Geoghehan and I became interested . All young people of my age went to dances and we watched the bands and one of things I used to do try and talk to some of the band members, I don’t know why,” he laughed.
“Ben and Joe had this band called The Drifters and asked me would I run a few dances so we ran some in Edenderry in small halls. Then Ben asked, I would be able to get a few gigs for them and I said I’d work part-time for them and I think he said he would be pay me £5 a week,” he recalled.
As Seamus secured more and more gigs and people suddenly started talking about the band they decided to go professional in 1963. “I found myself disappearing every weekend with the band and I realised that I didn’t want to teach anymore and wanted this new life. It was incredibly exciting. “
It was long before The Drifters were playing several nights a week. “My job was to collect the money at the door and the money was divided among the lads and the band. Ben used to hide the wad of dough down the saxophone after a gig! I really wanted to be in the Showband scene. I lived with my mother and she thought I was mad, but I just went and did it. I was never sorry; suddenly a whole new world opened,” he said. Seamus said Joe was keen to do some original material and out of the blue he was approached by a woman, Joy Nichols from Shaftesbury Music, with a a number of new songs. The songs included ‘Make me an Island’ and Such a ‘Good-looking Woman’ and neither Seamus or Joe were overly impressed.
“We went over to a studio in London and released ‘Make me an Island’ in England and within four weeks Joe was on Top of the Pops. I was more excited than him. He was the most extraordinary person, he was so very relaxed.”
Both Justin Moffatt and Seamus Casey recalled the highs and lows of band management over the course of the entertaining hour-long documentary. Working with Joe was a dream for Seamus, who spoke about how grounded Joe was in the 1970’s and 1980’s when, away from home in a raft of South American, European and other countries, he was selling millions of records. In a few short years, he went from small parish halls to Top of the Pops to outselling mega acts like ABBA, Rod Stewart and even Elvis Presley in South Africa. Seamus was with Joe until the latter’s much lamented death on St. Stephen’s Day in 2007.
He recalled many adventures with Joe on the international stage, and spoke candidly of their relationship. Joe was known to be volatile after a few drinks and, if he was in the wrong company, would end up calling Seamus and his own brother Ben Dolan in the middle of the night to fire them both, but the pair always remained best of friends.
The Blizzards
Will also interviewed Justin Moffatt who began managing The Blizzards in 2004. “I had made a very clear decision that I was going to manage a band and I was looking for one. I trawled Dublin and Galway and went to new band nights and things like that. My wife Marion who was friends with Bressie’s sister Julie said that Niall had put a band together and I should go along and see them. I remember as clear as day going to see them for the first time. It was in a pub called The Ennell in Mullingar on a Thursday night.
Two verses and chorus into the first song, I knew I was going to manage them and that was it.”
“The lads recorded an EP in Mullingar and we were delighted with the result. “It was such a great recording. We agreed that anything we got would go back into the business. I often refer to this system as The Elves and The Shoemaker- €60 divided between 6 people is €10 each which doesn’t do a whole lot. but as €60 you can do a lot more with it.”
The boys went on to Glasgow to record their first single ‘First Girl to Leave Town’ which became an instant hit. “As a manager you never forget your first band’s national radio play. It was Good Friday and Anne-Marie Kelly was on TodayFM filling in for Ray D’ Arcy. All of this went to the band’s exposure rising and rising then a record company sees this and asking, ‘Who are these guys who have sold 900 copies of their single and are filling gigs and selling tickets.” We signed domestically to Universal Records which lead to the band becoming the household name the are today.”
Justin Moffat said as well as being manager to The Blizzards he was a counsellor, driver, hairdresser and more besides. Life on the road was often tough for The Blizzards. Justin recalled their journey from the backroom to the former Ennell Bar (Bambricks) and The Stables to playing for tens of thousands, before going right back to playing for a handful of fans as they tried to crack England. The band split for a number of years and Justin went onto look after a number of other acts.
‘Someone to Watch over me’ can be listened to online via the RTÉ Radio player and associated RTÉ apps.
