#OTD in 1951 – Birth of drummer and a founder member of the rock band Thin Lizzy, Brian Downey, in Dublin.

27/01/2023.Reading time less than 1 minute.

In his youth, he met friend, co-founder and bass guitarist Phil Lynott, who attended the same school as did Downey. Along with Lynott, Downey was the only constant founder and member of the pioneering hard rock group until their break-up in 1984, although he did opt out of a 1978 tour claiming “exhaustion.” Today, he […]

#OTD in 1986 – Death of singer, bassist, instrumentalist, and songwriter, Phil Lynott.

04/01/2023.Reading time 2 minutes.

Irish rock star, bassist, singer and founder of Thin Lizzy, Phil Lynott dies. Lynott originally played with Skid Row, (the Irish band featuring Gary Moore, Brush Shiels, Noel Bridgeman). Lynott had significant success with Thin Lizzy. The band’s first major hit was a rock version of Whiskey in the Jar, but are probably best known […]

Róisín Dubh (Black Rose) by Phil Lynott

01/10/2022.Reading time 3 minutes.

The song was inspired by Phil Lynott’s fascination with Irish history and Celtic mythology, and ironically was to become his epitaph. Go dtuga Dia suaimhneas da anam. ‘Róisín Dubh (Black Rose)’Phil Lynott Tell me the legends of long agoWhen the kings and queens would danceIn the realm of the Black RosePlay me the melodies I […]

#OTD in 1949 – Birth of Thin Lizzy lead singer, Phil Lynott.

20/08/2022.Reading time 3 minutes.

Image | When asked by a journalist what it felt like to be black and Irish, Phil quipped, “Kinda like a pint of Guinness”. Irish rock star, bassist, singer and founder of Thin Lizzy, Phil Lynott is born in England to single mom Philomena Lynott. At about age four, Lynott moved to Dublin to live with […]

#OTD in 1952 – Birth of rock guitarist, Gary Moore, in Belfast.

04/04/2022.Reading time 3 minutes.

Gary Moore was a guitar prodigy who was mentored in his teens by Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac. Green gave Moore his 1959 Les Paul Standard guitar after he left Fleetwood Mac. In Dublin, Moore joined the group Skid Row with Noel Bridgeman and Brendan “Brush” Shiels. It was with this group that he earned […]