‘Plenty Times’ Newstalk doc on 80s/90s Cork music scene

Christmas always manages to throw up some gems and this year is no exception. On Friday last Newstalk broadcast a music documentary on the Cork music scene of the 80s/90s when The Frank & Walters and the Sultans Of Ping both appeared on Top Of The Pops. Produced by Cathal Funge ‘Plenty Times’ features interviews with Ciarán Ó Tuama (Cypress, Mine!), Jim O Mahony (Belsonic Sound, Comet Records), Morty McCarthy (Sunny Days, Sultans Of Ping), Stevie G, Shane Fitzsimons, Paul Linehan (Frank & Walters), Angela Dorgan (First Music Contact) and Paul McDermott (To Here Knows When etc). Whilst there arent too many surprises, the quality of the interviewees means that there are some nice shout outs to lesser known heroes of the scene at the time. Expect to hear about Elvera Butler, The Arcadia, Comet Records, Sir Henrys, The Smiths, Sunny Days, the Liberty Bar, Setanta Records in the next 45 minutes.. As luck would have it Paul McDermott is himself working on a Frank & Walters documentary to be aired on RTE Gold in late January 2026. Let me know if there are issue with hearthis.at, you should not need an account to listen.

Four Idle Hands (Session)

From Belfast, Four Idle Hands were brothers Davy McMahon (vocals, guitar) and Tommy McMahon (bass, vocals), Stephen Rooney (keyboards, vocals) and Paul Burke (drums). They released two singles on Good Vibrations Records, ’99 Streets’ (1990) and ‘Blind’ (1991). Davy McMahon passed away in December 2023.

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