THE MCSWEENEY BROTHERS
MCSWEENEY BROTHERS IRISH BAND
THE MCSWEENEY BROTHERS
Est 1995 NZ’s Leading Irish Band ...
In March 1995 - Phil McSweeney and Paddy Hallissey started a duo. A little later in May 1995 Peter Williams joined them playing Bass.
The band was hired to put the Irish back into Kitty O’Brien’s Irish Pub. In January 1996 - fiddle player, Marian Burns joined.
In June 1998 - Phil McSweeney left for London and was replaced by Eddie McIntyre from Twisty Willow. In May 2006, Peter Williams moved to England. and Alastair Dougal (ex Al Hunter Band and Feck) replaced him on bass.
The Band in 2016 consisted of: Marian Burns on the Fiddle, Guitar, Vocals and Bodhran. Eddie McIntyre on Guitar, Mandolin, Harmonica and Vocals, Alastair Dougal on Bass and Paddy Hallissey on Drums, Guitar and Vocals.
The McSweeney Brothers have established themselves as one of Auckland’s leading performing Irish bands. Formed in 1996, they were invited to ‘put the Irish back’ into Auckland’s then famous Kitty O’Briens Hotel. During their residency at Kitty's, they were asked to open for such prestigious acts as ‘Shaylee Wilde’ from Australia and NZ’s own ex- pats ‘The Hooligans’ (formerly Irish Heartbeat).
In 1997, they were joined by NZ’s Top Country Fiddle Player, Marian Burns, also winner of the Viewers’ Final in TV One’s Showcase 1997. The McSweeney Brothers then went on to play at ‘The Colleen of the Year’ function, various St Patrick’s Day functions, The Immigrant Hotel and both the Pre & Post Dinners of The Riverdance Show throughout its season in Auckland. This has been supplemented by a wide number of outside appearances, ranging from The Mud Brick Café on Waiheke Island to The Grace Hill Vineyard in Kumeu Auckland.
PAST AND PRESENT VENUES:
Kitty O’Brien’s, The Claddagh, The Immigrant, O’Hagans (Pakaranga), O’Hagans (Viaduct Basin), Muldoon’s (Orewa), Finnegan’s (formerly The Poe, Takapuna), The Cheshire Cat, Finnegans (Royal Oak), The Horse and Trap, The Muddy Farmer, Mad Dogs and Englishmen (Wairau Park), The Prospect (Howick), The Bunker (Devonport), Danny Doolans (Viaduct Basin), Doolan Brothers (Ellerslie). Numerous private and corporate functions.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Sky City (St Patrick’s week, 6 years), Jazz and Blues Festival (5 years), Asian Food Festival (3 years), Good Morning Breakfast Show (Mary Lambie, T.V. One), Tongan Tour (December 2003). Completing ‘Landmark’ / Airplay on Jim Sutton’s ‘Nostalgia’ on 1ZB. Many St Patrick’s Day Parades and performances in Aotea Square and the Viaduct Basin. After match functions for the Riverdance performances. ASB Lounge, Eden Park before and after matches against Ireland, Australia and England. The annual Ambury Park Festival and The Waipu Celtic Music Festival 2009 and 2016.
OUR MOTIVATION:
is to share the ‘craic’ (loosely translated from the Gaelic meaning ... The fun, the enjoyment) of Irish music with as many people as possible. To help people ‘escape’ for three hours
NICE THINGS PEOPLE SAY ABOUT THEM:
... ‘They play Irish music the way you’d hear it in Ireland!’ - Dave McDermott, Bar Manager, The Claddagh
… ‘Varied vocal lines and gritty fiddle playing that take these tunes somewhere else’ - Mike Moroney on “Landmark”
… ‘Fantastic Irish soul music ..... make mine a Kilkenny!’ - Brent Cardy - Real Groove Magazine, 2001
… ‘Oi .... Oi .... Oi ....!’ - Adrian’s Army, O’Hagan’s, Pakuranga
… ‘They’re great. But I don’t like them spending all that time in pubs and getting home late’ - Mum (Mrs D. McSweeney)
DISCOGRAPHY:
Live at the Claddagh - 1998
Any Other Sunday - Live at O’Hagans - 2000
Landmark - 2004
The 'Line Up' over the years:
1995 - Phill McSweeney: Vocals and Guitar,
1995 - Paddy Hallissey: Drums, Vocals and Guitar
1995 - Peter Williams: Electric Bass and Vocals
1997 - Marian Burns: Vocal and Fiddle -
1998 - Eddie McIntyre: Vocals, Mandolin, Rhythm Guitar, Harmonica
2020 - Reggie Thompson: Vocals and Electric Lead Guitar.
BAND PHOTOS
McSweeney Brothers Viaduct Auckland
McSweeney Brothers Art Gallery Auckland
McSweeney Brothers with Eamonn McIntyre
McSweeney Brothers at the Bunker 2019
Marian Burns and Eddie McIntyre - O'Hagans at the Viaduct 2017
McSweeney Brothers in Danny Doolans 2108
McSweeney Brothers - with Keith McIntyre and Michaela Snyman 2016
Halloween McSweeneys -Hakaru RSA 2018
McSweeney Brothers - Waipu Games 2018
McSweeney Brothers - The Bunker - Queen's Birthday Weekend
The McSweeneys Brothers - Greylynn RSC with guest, Sel Nash
McSweeney Brothers - St Patrick's Day O'Hagans Viaduct 2020
McSweeney Brothers - with Gordon Joll on drums - Hamilton Workingmen's Club 2016
Early O'Hagans Days - Pakaranga Highway
St Patrick's Day 2020
McSweeney Brothers - Hibiscus Coast RSA with Ian Thompson on Drums
O'hagans St Patrick's Day 2019
McSweeney Brothers - The Prospect 2014
McSweeney Brothers - Paeroa Highland Games and Tattoo 2019
McSweeney Brothers -
McSweeney Brothers - 2012
McSweeney Brothers - VAC Meet and Greet March 2019 - with Karl Perigo and Suzanne Lynch
McSweeney Brothers - House Concert 2017
McSweeneys at the Bunker with The Late Roger Giles
McSweeney Brothers with Glynn filling in - The Howick Club 2017
McSweeneney Brothers - Hobsonville RSA 2017
McSweeney Brothers in the Bunker - Peter Williams on Bass 2014
McSweeney Brothers - Chinese New Year - Peter Williams on Bass
McSweeney Berothers - The Prospect - Howick 2017
McSweeney Brothers in Tonga -
Alastair Dougal - Bass Player with the McSweeney Brothers
Eddie Mac - Lead Vocalist, Harmonica, Rhythm Guitar and Mandolin player for The McSweeney Brothers
Paddy Hallissey - Drummer and Vocalist for the McSweeney Brothers
Reggie Thompson - Lead Guitarist, vocalist with The McSweeney Brothers
McSweeney Brothers - Rock The Hithe 2020 with John Scott on Drums
McSweeney Brothers - O'Hagans 2020
McSweeney Brothers - with Reggie Thompson - Warkworth 2020
McSweeney Brothers - with Reggie Thompson - Warkworth 2020
McSweeney Brothers - Hobbiton - with Mike Abbott
St Patrick's Parade 2016
McSweeney Brothers - Viaduct - O'Hagans 2021
McSweeney Brothers - Warkworth RSA 2021
Danny Doolans 2022
McSweeney Brothers - Danny Doolans 2022
Eddie Mac and Marian
Marian and Eddie Mac
Eddie Mac and Marian Burns
ST PATRICK’S DAY - AUCKLAND CITY
2022 - The Viaduct Basin - O’Hagans & Danny Doolans
2022 - Henderson R.S.A - 18th March
2021 - The Viaduct - O’Hagans & Danny Doolans
O'Hagans at the Viaduct Basin, Auckland - St Patrick's Day
Alastair Robertson - St Patrick's Parade 2016
Suzy Lynch, Karl Perigo - To be sure to be sure - 2019
St Patrick's Parade 2019
St Patrick's Parade 2018
St Patrick's Parade 2016
St Patrick's Parade 2020 - Danny Doolans
The Howick Club Irish Night with The McSweeney Brothers 2017
St Patrick's Parade 2020
Good Morning Show 2015
St Patrick's Parade 2020
St Patrick's Parade 2020
St Patrick's Parade 2020
St Patrick's Parade 2020
St Patrick's Parade 2021 - Phill Sinclair
St Patrick's Parade 2020
St Patrick's Parade 2021
St Patrick's Parade 2020 - Ian Ashton and Bob Campbell
St Patrick's Parade 2020
St Patrick's Parade 2019
Michaela Snyman and Alastair Dougal 2017
Dale Hobbs 2016
St Patrick's Parade 2017
Warkworth RSA - St Patrick's 2019
St Patrick's Parade 2017
St Patrick's Parade 2017
Tauranga Entertainers Club 2020
Tauranga Citizens Club - Irish night with the McSweeney Brothers 2020
MVS Library -
St Patrick's Day 2016
St Patrick's Day 2016
St Patrick's Day 2016 - The Claddagh 2016
St Patrick's Day 2016 - Phillip Sinclair O'Hagans Viaduct
St Patrick's Day 2016 Irish Dancers - O'Hagans 2019
St Patrick's Day - O'Hagans 2016
St Patrick's Day 2016 - O'Hagans
St Patrick's Day 2016
St Patrick's Day 2016 - Prospect
St Patrick's Day 2016
St Patrick's Day 2016
Mum at the end of St Patrick's Day 2014
McSweeney Brothers Tee Shirts
St Patrick's Day 2016 - Jackie and Gary
St Patrick's Day 2016 -O'Hagans - Phillip Sinclair
St Patrick's Day 2016 - O'Hagans
Lucia Butler
St Pat's Parade 2017
POSTERS OF PAST GIGS
A cool snippet of Val Nugent, aged 84 playing the Bodhran with me at the Irish Operatunity concert in Whanganui 2017. Click here - it’s absolutely delightful.
