Stockton's Wing

Stockton's Wing
Background information
Origin	Ennis, Ireland
Genres	Celtic, Folk-rock
Years active	1978 to 1995 Intermittently later
Labels	Tara Music label, Polygram Ireland, Revolving Records
Members	Kieran Hanrahan Tara Breen Mike Hanrahan Paul Roche Tommy Hayes
Past members	Maurice Lennon (co-founder member) Tony Callanan Fran Breen Steve Cooney Brian Calnan Tony Molloy Davey McNevin Peter Keenan Eamon McElholm John Kearns Robbie Casserley Eddie Lee Myles Drennan John Walsh..

Stockton's Wing is an Irish band formed in 1977 by four All-Ireland champion musicians - Paul Roche flute/whistle, Maurice Lennon fiddle, Tommy Hayes bodhran, and Kieran Hanrahan banjo/mandolin, along with Tony Callinan on guitar and vocals.

Name

The band took its name from a line in the Bruce Springsteen song, "Backstreets" - "Slow dancin' in the dark on the beach at Stockton's Wing..."

Early years

Their self-titled first album was released in 1978. During the recording of their second album Take A Chance, which was released in 1980, singer-songwriter and guitarist Mike Hanrahan replaced Tony Callinan. At the Ballisodare Folk Festival they met Australian Stephen Cooney who then joined the band playing bass guitar.

In 1982 the band released Light In The Western Sky. In 1983, Tommy Hayes was replaced by Fran Breen on drums. Peter Keenan on keyboards also joined the band. 1984 saw their first American tour. This coincided with the release of American Special.

Live Album

In 1985 they recorded the live album Stockton's Wing Live - Take One in Dublin and Galway (this album was re-released on CD in 2006).

Other Releases and subsequent developments

1986 saw the release of Full Flight. 1988 brought Celtic Roots Revival. In 1991, Davey McNevin replaced Kieran Hanrahan in the line-up. In addition, Fran Breen and Stephen Cooney departed. Fran Breen joined Nancy Griffith's Blue Moon Orchestra, Stephen Cooney collebarated for several years with Seamus Begley. Kieran Hanrahan went on to present the traditional music program Ceili House on RTE Radio 1. They were the featured band at the ceili in the Jim Sheridan film The Field (1990).

Tara Music

In 1991 the band returned to the Tara Music label with the release of a 20 track compilation of the band's first 3 albums (in 2005 Tara Music released these 3 albums in a boxset). 1992 saw the release of The Crooked Rose. 1995 saw Eamon McElholm join as new lead singer and the release of Letting Go. In 2003 original members Paul, Maurice, Kieran and Tommy along with Mike Hanrahan got together for a number of reunion concerts.

More recently, in January 2009, they took to the stage once more at the West County Hotel, Co. Clare. The line up included Paul, Maurice, Tommy and Mike Hanrahan. In 2020 the band released a compilation album Beautiful Affair: A Stockton's Wing Retrospective.

Discography

• Stockton's Wing, 1978
• Take A Chance, 1980
• Light in the Western Sky, 1982 (deleted)
• American Special, 1984/85 (deleted)
• Stockton's Wing Live – Take One, 1985 (deleted)(re-released 2006)
• Full Flight, 1986 (deleted)
• Celtic Roots Revival, 1988 (deleted)
• The Collection 1991
• The Crooked Rose, 1992
• Letting Go, 1995
• Celtic Collections, 1997
• The Very Best of Irish Jigs, Reels & Songs 2005
• Live - Take One (re-release) 2006
• A Beautiful Affair: A Stockton's Wing Retrospective (2020)

External links

• Stocktons Wing Live
• Taramusic.ie biography
• Stockton's Wing on YouTube
• Biographical notes for Irish fiddler MAURICE LENNON - Tara Music Company