I would like to thank Ronnie McGinn for his editorial content for this article on Joe Mac as I had not much to do to make it any better. At one stage Ronnie got The Dixies to reunite and also became their manager. I am about to introduce you to a man known all over Ireland, England and America as a legend who is still performing today and I am proud to say he is a very good friend of mine, give us a break, he will know what that is. There are not enough words in a dictionary nor enough pages in a book, to fully describe and relate the complete Joe McCarthy story. Anyone who has spent a day or even a few hours in Joe’s company could write a book about it. Such is the unique character of the man whom we’ve all come to know as Joe Mac. Everyone who has a conversation with Joe soon learns that he keeps no sacred cows on his mantlepiece. His keen mind, razor sharp wit and earthy put downs have scared off many a TV show host, not to mention the clergy and some of our politicians. Consequently Joe is not always popular amongst self opinionated people. But to the ordinary everyday person Joe Mac is one of our greatest entertainers. To people in the entertainment business he is the king. There was a time in the early days of his career when he was better known around the world than his native City. Even today in the information age there are lots of people in America and parts of the Middle East who know all about Joe but have no idea where Cork is. But it is in Cork that Joe is loved and liked the most. Whether that’s because Joe loves everyone in Cork or everyone in Cork loves him is hard to tell but one thing is clear, he came by his popularity honestly, by sheer hard work and endurance.
From the very beginning he set out to be an entertainer. Joseph Terrance McCarthy was born in Cork in August 1936. His mother Anne (nee Leonard) came from Dominick Street. His father was John, one of Cork’s famous McCarthy family of stone sculptors. The McCarthy’s lived in Copley Street not too far from where John worked in White Street. Joe’s one older brother Tom went on to take up the traditional family business, while Joe went to the Model School and then served his time as an upholsterer in Cash’s (Now Brown Thomas) of Patrick St., where he met Ann Moloney his wife to be. His Uncle “Buddy Mac” was a well-known local musician and dance promoter. Joe joined the Butter Exchange band to learn the French Horn, but he really wanted to be a drummer and play jazz. In 1954 it all began to happen and two of his friends Sean Lucey and Theo Cahill had been having jazz sessions at Joe’s house, when they were offered a gig at UCC. They were delighted with the opportunity but when asked what was the name of the band, they had no idea. They were asked what kind of music they played and they said “Dixieland”. So, on Easter Sunday 1954 they arrived at “The Rest” to see a sign that read “Music by The Dixielanders” . They loved the name so much they adopted it, but later shortened it to “The Dixies” because in bigger print the name looked better on a record label. The three-piece band soon became a five piece by adding pianist Mick Murphy and trumpeter Larry Neville. Inspired by Strabane’s great Clipper Carlton Showband, who were “sending’ ’em home Sweatin’” from their regular visits to the Arcadia, the young band started to play a varied set and by the end of the 50s had added bassist Chris O’Mahony and second saxophonist Jimmy Mintem and guitarist Steve Lynch. Meanwhile Larry Neville had been replaced by John Sheehan and Mick Murphy (who had gone on to be a doctor) was replaced by Finbarr O’Leary. In 1961 after an exceptional performance at the Olympia Ballroom in Waterford (where they rivaled the Royal Showband) the unit turned professional. Determined to magnify their appeal they recruited vocalist Brendan O’Brien, who rapidly became one of the most popular singers in the country. They secured a management deal with Peter Prendergast and based themselves in the Arcadia. They were now well and truly on their way.In 1963 they released the Theo Cahill composition “Cyclone”. Soon afterwards they were in the Irish Charts with “Christmas Time”, followed by “I’m Counting On You” and “It’s Only Make Believe”. They became the first Irish Showband to appear on Television. They paved the way for Irish bands in touring the UK and the US during the early sixties.They brought the house down in Carnegie Hall on September 26, 1964, where they topped the bill and were awarded a special Trophy by The Corkman’s Association of New York to mark their triumph and they returned home to Cork as conquering heros. The Dixies lead singer Brendan O’Brien was enamored with Buddy Holly and introduced his music second No. l. As a result of their success they dominated the annual Spotlight magazine awards for 1968: Band of the Year, Record of the Year, Singer of the year, and Joe Mac was Showman of the Year. The awards were presented at the National Stadium in Dublin by Terry Wogan. They ended the 60s by transferring their attentions to Las Vegas. Even in Las Vegas where they got to know some of the worlds top entertainers Joe Mac’s antics became legendary. If you’re ever there call into the Desert Inn and guess who’s picture is on the wall. Back at home the scene was changing and like many of the top bands of the day the Dixies split up. Joe Mac and Brendan O’Brien left to form their own band “Stage 2”. While the Dixies were blazing a trail to glory through the sixties. Joe’s private life was keeping pace. In 1960 he married his sweetheart Ann Moloney and they bought a house in Bishopstown. Their first son Aidan was born a year later. Two years after that in 1963 their second son Joseph was born, and after another two years came their third son Paul. Wanting a daughter, they adopted four-month-old Jennifer in 1968. Jennifer immediately became one of the family and in order to encourage other young couples to adopt children RTE made a documentary of the event. It was something that Joe and Ann were very sensitive about. Stage 2 were a musical sensation, within a year they became the biggest band in the country churning out hit after hit: “Beautiful Sunday”, “Sky Diver”, “Sunshine Lover”, “When you love a Woman”, etc. etc… Even Joe was under pressure to maintain the band’s high musical standards. “It’s the first time in my life I’ve had to play drums,” he once quibbled but play them he did, and the clown prince of the showband world was finally recognized as one of lreland’s finest drummers.
In the middle of it all he was asked to play Herod in the Dublin production of Jesus Christ Superstar, a part he absolutely relished. How he managed to leave the Olympia Theatre every night and drive maybe a hundred miles to go on stage with the band is anybody’s guess. But do it he did, and never missed a gig. Then at the height of their success lead singer Brendan O’Brien was involved in a serious accident on stage, resulting in him having to leave the band permanently. This left Joe to carry the entire show on his own, which he did admirably releasing records like “The Opera” and “Muscle Man” and the unforgettable “Queen of the LC.A.”. Following his success in Jesus Christ Superstar he appeared in the Cork Opera House production of Paint Your Wagon in which he gave another show stealing performance. Still Joe preferred being on the road with the band, but sadly the showband era was long past its sell by date. Trying to maintain a big outfit on the road was proving impossible so Joe decided to call it a day and retire. So, to everyone’s dismay he quit the business and opened a restaurant in the Queens Old Castle.What followed were a few quiet years in Joe’s life. Then in 1981 his entire family were shattered by the loss of his eldest son Aidan, and Aidan’s wife Linda, in a car accident. Four months later Joe’s mother died. It was not a pleasant time.
Then Joe heard that some of the older bands were doing good business and so he approached his old Dixie friends and on St. Stephens night in 1982 the original Dixies made a comeback appearance at the Arcadia. And it started all over again. The Dixies were back. Hit records followed, then TV shows, tours of the UK, the United States, and the Middle East, huge crowds everywhere. It was all happening again but the strain was beginning to tell. Brendan O’Brien had to leave in ’84 for health reasons, then a few years later came the sad and sudden death of co-founder Theo Cahill and after that they lost Bassist Chris Q’Mahony. On the 27th of July 2019, former Dixie member Terry McCarthy who replaced Brendan O’Brien died from a bleed in the brain causing a stroke.
By 1990 Joe decided he’d had enough of the road. So, he withdrew from the Dixies and formed his own local band. Due to the Covid-19 curtailments you won’t be seeing him on stage for his 84th birthday but one never knows with Joe! A lot of water has flowed under Patrick’s Bridge since Joe McCarthy started out with the Dixies in 1954. The world has changed a lot, and Cork has changed even more, but somehow or another Joe Mac is still Joe Mac and long may he remain so. We wish Joe, his wife Ann and their family, good luck, good health and happiness, and every success in the future. Thank you, Joe, Happy Birthday Joe! Long may you still be stage entertaining your loyal fans who have been there every step of the way as they all need you. I hope you enjoy this information on the man and his famous band The Dixies as the pleasure it gives me. C