The Pyros

The Pyros (featuring Altan's Ciaran Tourish) It was back on the early 80s when Ciaran Tourish, Kevin Doherty, John Cutliffe, Paul Rodden, Laurence Doherty and Michael Gallanagh first played as an all Buncrana lineup of The Pyros

The band's influences came from their combined love of bluegrass and Irish traditional music as well as many contemporary artists. There was also a touch of theatre on stage as the band added strange percussion instruments, hand painted backdrops and even on one memorable occasion, a vacuum cleaner.

The band started to draw huge crowds to the gigs in and around Buncrana and Derry in venues like the old Swilly Hotel. Word was spreading about the band and they were commissioned to do the theme music for a documentary series on BBC Northern Ireland.

There was talk back then of recording an album and a demo was done in one day at the studios of Raidio na Gaeltachta in Gaoth Dobhair. After that day of recording the band played one of its most exciting gigs ever to a packed house at the GAA center in Gaoth Dobhair. But the members of the band had begun to move on to other projects at this time. Ciaran Tourish went on to join Altan and Kevin Doherty was getting busy with Four Men and a Dog. Laurence, Paul and John were also working on various projects that took them to London to record and tour with Frank Tovey among other artists.
So no album was ever made and it looked like the Pyros had become a hazy memory from a long time ago. But then came Ar Ais Arís, a festival to celebrate the music of Buncrana and the musicians from the town who travelled the world. The festival was in the hands of Michael Gallanagh and so it was an ideal move to bring back the entire Buncrana line-up of the Pyros. The gigs were hugely successful and the band found a renewed energy with the old popular songs and some new material. So last spring when the Pyros were home to do some more concerts to benefit the music therapy programme at their old school, finally the stars were aligned, everyone was ready and this album was recorded.

For three days the Pyros locked themselves in the ideal setting of Mac's Backroom Bar in Culdaff, a venue they had played many times. And finally all the old favourites were recorded and a couple of new 'classics' were added. A new version of Bob Dylan's 'I Want You' was recorded. Kevin brought a totally original new song to the album and at last a timeless banjo piece by Paul was recorded. 'No News from Nelly' was never played on stage by the Pyros but it became part of the band's history as this haunting tune was heard at the sessions which followed almost every Pyros gig.

This year the Pyros ring in the New Year at An Chúirt Hotel on New Year's Eve....