A hive of activity (memories of the Beehive)

by Tom Fanthom

‘Did ye hear Marianne Faithfull is coming to the ‘Hive?’ That was the question on the lips of people across the midlands, from Mullingar to Delvin and from Killucan to Turin, in early June 1976, when it was announced that the ethereal and enigmatic Marianne Faithfull was to perform in the new Tudor Suite Cabaret Room at the Beehive Lodge.

The question was usually accompanied by a stern diagonal nod or by a cheeky smirk and a wink.

While it was not quite in the same league as Jayne Mansfield’s visit to Tralee and, although I am not personally aware of any instructions from the pulpit not to attend the show, ‘70s Ireland was still quite conservative. Marianne (ex-wife of Mick Jagger) was a controversial figure. She was portrayed in the media as a girl living life on the edge and her personal life trials and tribulations had regularly provided news headlines across the world. For some conservatives, she was the very emblem of the hedonistic and promiscuous Swinging Sixties. Would poor Adolphus Cooke be turning in his beehive mausoleum next door?

On June 25, 1976 Marianne Faithfull stepped on the stage of The Beehive accompanied by a 10-piece orchestra. In a voice that sounded older than her 29 years, she huskily whispered into the microphone, “This is the song that started the whole damn thing” as she opened with her first hit ‘As Tears Go By’. But it was when she sang her latest hit ‘Dreaming My Dreams’ that she left her audience spellbound. It was as though she was baring her soul to her appreciative audience. Thanks to places like The Beehive, that very song went on to be a number one hit – in Ireland only!

Grand Opening

Fifty years ago this year, on Wednesday July 2, 1975, The Tudor Suite Cabaret Room at The Beehive Lodge opened its doors for the first time. It was the brainchild of two ambitious and courageous young entrepreneurs named Michael Tolan and Martin Regan, who identified the need for a large showbusiness venue with ample parking in the midlands.

There was a different cultural attitude to drink driving in the 1970s. The TV and radio ads would merely warn you ‘Don’t drive after five’. So the fact that the venue was in a relatively remote country area, Bracklyn, was not so much of a disadvantage in those days. The construction of the venue gave valuable work to many local tradesmen (including my late father), so the seeds of subsequent loyal custom were well sown in advance.

The opening act was Dublin singer Joe Cuddy who’d had a recent long-standing number one hit with ‘Any Dream Will Do’. Over the following months and years, the Beehive hosted a breathtaking string of Irish and international stars.

We of course had our own local superstars like Joe Dolan, The Swarbriggs, Foster and Allen, Ray Lynam and Brendan Shine. But all the great Irish singers were there, singers like Dickie Rock, Sean Dunphy, Anna McGoldrick, Red Hurley, Big Tom, Danny Doyle, Sandie Jones, Johnny McEvoy, Larry Cunningham, Brendan Bowyer, Linda Martin, Tony Kenny and Colm CT Wilkinson (who went on to become a London West End legend).

We also had top comedians like Brendan Grace (‘Bottler’), Noel V Ginnity and Sil Fox. We had ballad nights with The Dubliners, The Wolfe Tones and Makem and Clancy. We even had hypnotists like Paul Goldin, Barry Sinclair and Tony Sadar (‘Master of Mystification’). There were many wonderful evenings of great entertainment at the Hive.

International Acts

Among the many top international acts who appeared there in the early days were US folk singer Julie Felix, UK folk singer Bernie Flint; ‘60s icons Helen Shapiro (‘Walking Back To Happiness’), Clodagh Rogers, Frank Ifield and Billy J Kramer; ‘70s chart toppers Paper Lace (‘Billy Don’t Be A Hero’) and The Dooleys (‘A Rose Has To Die’). Sandie Shaw, 1969 Eurovision winner, intrigued the audience by bouncing on stage in her bare feet as she sang ‘Puppet on a String’. We also had Scotsmen in kilts, Andy Stewart and The Alexander Brothers.

But the Beehive scored a major coup in managing to book internationally renowned Derry born tenor Josef Locke, who performed there on Saturday September 3, 1977. Josef Locke was also a rather controversial figure, as portrayed in the 1991 movie ‘Hear My Song’. His public appearances had become relatively rare by then, but he had a powerful voice capable of stirring the blood and inducing the tears in equal measure. He finished off his Beehive performance with favourite singalong songs ‘Blaze Away’ and ‘Goodbye’. But midway through he suddenly stopped singing and in military style, he commanded the band to stop playing. He glared around at the audience and bellowed “What’s this meh meh meh? SING THE BLOODY THING!”. Like scolded children, the audience responded, and the roof of the Hive was lifted once again!

Joe Dolan at the Hive

Despite all of the national and international stars that came to the Beehive over the years, the only star that required a second night to satisfy the huge demand was Joe Dolan. Joe played his first show at the Beehive on Wednesday October 8, 1975 and from then it became his home venue. They say ‘There’s no show like a Joe show’ but a Joe show at the Beehive was extra special. As a teenager I was fortunate to get to one of those shows and it ignited in me a love for live performances that has never left me.

I will never forget the size of the crowd. I had to stand on a barstool beside the kitchen door to look out over the sea of heads in order to fully see the maestro in action. Most performers sang from the stage or from the floor in front of the stage. But Joe had a catwalk that extended into the heart of the audience with a powerful spotlight following him. When he finished with ‘Saturday Night At The Movies’, the atmosphere was electric.

Resident Band

As well as a host of visiting superstars, The Beehive also had its own talented resident (warm-up) band, who tended to put the visiting act under pressure not to be outshone. In the early days they were led by the great Joe O’Hehir and ably supported by Fergus Kearney on keyboards, Michael Hughes on saxophone and clarinet and Tony Newman on drums (who went on to play with Joe Dolan for many years). So popular were they that in 1977 a vinyl album was released entitled ‘Joe O’Hehir Live at The Beehive’. On the back of the record sleeve was a nice message of support from Joe Dolan. I continue to be the proud owner of this collector’s item.

Different Times

Of course Ireland is now a different country. We now have stricter rules on drink driving, on smoking, on crowded venues, on health and safety, and we have a different attitude to things like midweek partying and drinking. And yes, we probably are a safer and healthier nation as a result. But didn’t that generation have so much fun!