Comments on: JIMMY JIMMY http://dublinopinion.com/2008/06/09/jimmy-jimmy/ It's a group blog. What more do you need to know? Mon, 21 May 2012 17:56:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: Yvonne Cullen http://dublinopinion.com/2008/06/09/jimmy-jimmy/#comment-78350 Yvonne Cullen Sun, 15 Apr 2012 09:55:04 +0000 http://dublinopinion.com/2008/06/09/jimmy-jimmy/#comment-78350 To Niall Sullivan Dear Niall, I'm working on a book about the Travelling Show scene last century. In it, I'm writing a feature piece on two UK music hall people - out of many such -who joined that scene. I hear they first played here in The Queens in 1916. So it was lovely to hear about yr grandfather. Can I quote you on his name and role and the little Sand Dabs detail ? I'm writing a little about the Concert Party scene as well, you see. Finally, the folks I'm featuring were Phil and Lily Benson, and if it was variety they were at in Queens ( as I heard) there were musical handbells involved, from them, duo sketches and possibly diverse puppets! Did yr grandad ever mention them? Or has anyone else heard of? All archives and newspapers combed at this point! Found 50 years of their itineraries and news in Irish and London STAGE papers and audience memories from all round country. But never a detail about the workings of early Variety shows in Queens or firm proof that they were there. They were back in Twenties, off again to the UK's "regions" then, and came to live here (and live mobile lives here) in 1929. Sometimes went as The Musical Bensons. Be really grateful if anyone remembers being told of them! Yvonne Cullen To Niall Sullivan
Dear Niall,
I’m working on a book about the Travelling Show scene last century. In it, I’m writing a feature piece on two UK music hall people - out of many such -who joined that scene. I hear they first played here in The Queens in 1916. So it was lovely to hear about yr grandfather. Can I quote you on his name and role and the little Sand Dabs detail ? I’m writing a little about the Concert Party scene as well, you see. Finally, the folks I’m featuring were Phil and Lily Benson, and if it was variety they were at in Queens ( as I heard) there were musical handbells involved, from them, duo sketches and possibly diverse puppets! Did yr grandad ever mention them? Or has anyone else heard of? All archives and newspapers combed at this point! Found 50 years of their itineraries and news in Irish and London STAGE papers and audience memories from all round country. But never a detail about the workings of early Variety shows in Queens or firm proof that they were there. They were back in Twenties, off again to the UK’s “regions” then, and came to live here (and live mobile lives here) in 1929. Sometimes went as The Musical Bensons. Be really grateful if anyone remembers being told of them!
Yvonne Cullen

]]> By: Niall Sullivan http://dublinopinion.com/2008/06/09/jimmy-jimmy/#comment-78007 Niall Sullivan Thu, 12 Jan 2012 12:08:41 +0000 http://dublinopinion.com/2008/06/09/jimmy-jimmy/#comment-78007 To Maria It was called "Once upon a Time" and ran in the very early years of Telefis Eireann (1962 onwards). It could have run no later than 1964, as he died in January 1965. To Maria
It was called “Once upon a Time” and ran in the very early years of Telefis Eireann (1962 onwards). It could have run no later than 1964, as he died in January 1965.

]]> By: Niall Sullivan http://dublinopinion.com/2008/06/09/jimmy-jimmy/#comment-78006 Niall Sullivan Thu, 12 Jan 2012 12:04:11 +0000 http://dublinopinion.com/2008/06/09/jimmy-jimmy/#comment-78006 To Erika I noted during the recent obituaries to Betty Driver (Coronation Street's Betty Turpin) that several of her film credits from the late 30s early 40s included Jimmy O'Dea's name as one of the main stars. Perhaps Granada TV could assist you on that score. To Erika
I noted during the recent obituaries to Betty Driver (Coronation Street’s Betty Turpin) that several of her film credits from the late 30s early 40s included Jimmy O’Dea’s name as one of the main stars. Perhaps Granada TV could assist you on that score.

]]> By: Niall Sullivan http://dublinopinion.com/2008/06/09/jimmy-jimmy/#comment-78005 Niall Sullivan Thu, 12 Jan 2012 11:58:10 +0000 http://dublinopinion.com/2008/06/09/jimmy-jimmy/#comment-78005 My grandfather, Jack Sullivan was manager of the Queen's Theatre ih the period covering the troubles of 1916-1924. One Summer while on holiday in Skerries, he spotted O'Dea in a production by a concert party known as "The Sand Dabs", and was so impressed he made a note of his name, so when O'Dea and Jimmy McDonagh approached him with "Dublin Tonight" in 1924, he signed them up straight away. I remember a framed photo of O'Dea in his costume as King Brian from "Darby O'Gill and the Little People" on the drawing room wall in my grandparents' house in Dartmouth Square in the 19660s. O'Dea had signed the photo "To my father of the Theatre, Jack Sullivan". My grandfather had been forced off the stage in the 1930s Depresssion, and gone back to his original trade as a printer, though O'Dea and Harry O'Donovan tried to lure him back into theatre management in the late 1950s, during O'Dea's 21st Anniversary season at the Gaiety. My grandmother put her foot down on that notion PDQ. My grandfather, Jack Sullivan was manager of the Queen’s Theatre ih the period covering the troubles of 1916-1924. One Summer while on holiday in Skerries, he spotted O’Dea in a production by a concert party known as “The Sand Dabs”, and was so impressed he made a note of his name, so when O’Dea and Jimmy McDonagh approached him with “Dublin Tonight” in 1924, he signed them up straight away. I remember a framed photo of O’Dea in his costume as King Brian from “Darby O’Gill and the Little People” on the drawing room wall in my grandparents’ house in Dartmouth Square in the 19660s. O’Dea had signed the photo “To my father of the Theatre, Jack Sullivan”. My grandfather had been forced off the stage in the 1930s Depresssion, and gone back to his original trade as a printer, though O’Dea and Harry O’Donovan tried to lure him back into theatre management in the late 1950s, during O’Dea’s 21st Anniversary season at the Gaiety. My grandmother put her foot down on that notion PDQ.

]]> By: Eamonn Smith http://dublinopinion.com/2008/06/09/jimmy-jimmy/#comment-77270 Eamonn Smith Tue, 16 Aug 2011 12:35:33 +0000 http://dublinopinion.com/2008/06/09/jimmy-jimmy/#comment-77270 Jimmy recorded a number of monologues on 78s, made I think in the '40s or '50s. Can anyone help me find the words of these recordings? One in particular I remember about a day-trip to Ireland's Eye. This has special memories for me because it used to be my mother's party-piece. I would love to have the lyrics if anyone can help me find them. Jimmy recorded a number of monologues on 78s, made I think in the ’40s or ’50s. Can anyone help me find the words of these recordings? One in particular I remember about a day-trip to Ireland’s Eye. This has special memories for me because it used to be my mother’s party-piece. I would love to have the lyrics if anyone can help me find them.

]]> By: Conor McCabe http://dublinopinion.com/2008/06/09/jimmy-jimmy/#comment-77198 Conor McCabe Wed, 03 Aug 2011 10:13:08 +0000 http://dublinopinion.com/2008/06/09/jimmy-jimmy/#comment-77198 Thanks for that Nicoline, I'm going to enjoy that. Cheers! Thanks for that Nicoline, I’m going to enjoy that. Cheers!

]]> By: Nicoline http://dublinopinion.com/2008/06/09/jimmy-jimmy/#comment-77197 Nicoline Wed, 03 Aug 2011 10:09:55 +0000 http://dublinopinion.com/2008/06/09/jimmy-jimmy/#comment-77197 Hi there, You might be interested in an archive documentary we have just published on the RTE Radio One Documentary on One website - "The O'Dea Story", a documentary made about Jimmy O'Dea in 1954: http://www.rte.ie/radio1/doconone//radio-documentary-the-o-dea-story.html Hi there,
You might be interested in an archive documentary we have just published on the RTE Radio One Documentary on One website - “The O’Dea Story”, a documentary made about Jimmy O’Dea in 1954:
http://www.rte.ie/radio1/doconone//radio-documentary-the-o-dea-story.html

]]> By: Conor McCabe http://dublinopinion.com/2008/06/09/jimmy-jimmy/#comment-74904 Conor McCabe Sat, 16 Oct 2010 18:42:02 +0000 http://dublinopinion.com/2008/06/09/jimmy-jimmy/#comment-74904 Hi Erika, I just tried them all and they are playing fine for me. If you right-click on the file you should be able to download them. They might play better that way for you. Hi Erika, I just tried them all and they are playing fine for me. If you right-click on the file you should be able to download them. They might play better that way for you.

]]> By: Erika http://dublinopinion.com/2008/06/09/jimmy-jimmy/#comment-74902 Erika Sat, 16 Oct 2010 17:01:56 +0000 http://dublinopinion.com/2008/06/09/jimmy-jimmy/#comment-74902 Sorry, I meant all aside from the non troppo largo are having errors. Sorry, I meant all aside from the non troppo largo are having errors.

]]> By: Erika http://dublinopinion.com/2008/06/09/jimmy-jimmy/#comment-74901 Erika Sat, 16 Oct 2010 17:00:40 +0000 http://dublinopinion.com/2008/06/09/jimmy-jimmy/#comment-74901 Wow never expected to find anything like these! I've been looking for anything to do with Jimmy for a long while and haven't had a ton of luck, so this is really appreciated. I have to mention though that upon checking these out a second time, the "non troppo largo" are showing up saying "error opening file." Just so you know. I take it there's probably no way to get a hold of any film of Jimmy O'Dea, aside from that Darby O'Gill film...? Wow never expected to find anything like these! I’ve been looking for anything to do with Jimmy for a long while and haven’t had a ton of luck, so this is really appreciated. I have to mention though that upon checking these out a second time, the “non troppo largo” are showing up saying “error opening file.” Just so you know.

I take it there’s probably no way to get a hold of any film of Jimmy O’Dea, aside from that Darby O’Gill film…?

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