...The Conway family have always had their hand in the performing arts. Pat’s brother Denis is a well-regarded actor, while his mother is the staple of many a community choir in Cork. Pat himself is that rare species - someone who doesn’t have a note in his head – and fully accepts it!
The enthusiasm has always been there though. “I was always interested in different or original music growing up, but there wasn’t that much choice in Ireland in the 60’s. I would go to see The Horslips or Rory Gallagher or The Bothy Band, whereas other people would go to see show bands.
I think The Horslip’s shows stuck with me. You could see them playing in dancehalls where there might have been Big Tom one night and then The Horslips the next, which was a bit weird”.
When it came to acquiring the Lobby premises, Pat applied his individualism and uncompromising attitude to the bar’s music policy, insisting also on treating musicians with respect and equity.
“We set out day one to make it different to walking into a session in a bar. We made it quite clear that it was a listening venue, and so if people were talking during a gig we would have asked them to leave and we stuck to that policy from day one. I think it paid off because at the end of the day people who were coming into the shows were coming in to listen....”
Even I have been to the Lobby. More at the link. And why does this post keep vanishing!
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