The Embers / Bojangle

• Denis Allen - guitar
• Brendan Frawley - organ
• Bobby O'Driscoll - bass
• Tom Frost - drums
  
  
  The Embers ca 1970 with Denis Allen (2nd from right).

• Denis Allen - guitar
• Bobby O'Driscoll - bass
• Tom Frost - drums

Bio:

Limerick rock/pop trio who started out as a quartet called The Embers, with Brendan Frawley on organ. Denis Allen had also been in Limerick group The Casuals and the Berwyn Showband. The Embers formed in January 1969. They spent a couple of years writing songs, making demos and attracting some record company attention, but nothing came of it. They recorded material in London in April 1970 which was supposed to yield a single, but this never came out. By 1971 they were a trio called Bojangle, managed by John Frawley.

Bojangle recorded two good singles for Dolphin in 1971 which are worth tracking down. Note there is no relation to the Bo Jangle who released the single "Piccadilly Circus" / "Is It Time To Start The Show?" on MAM Records in June 1972 (MAM-R77). Bojangle splitg in 1973.

Advert January 1972

Denis Allen joined Tommy Drennan's backing band The Top League in 1973. Drennan was a famous showband singer from Limerick who'd first achieved fame with The Monarchs. Tommy Drennan & The Top League recorded an album of Denis Allen songs in 1973 released under the title "Love and the Country" on EMI Records. Drennan split the Top League in 1975 to pursue a solo career. Denis Allen formed Ding-A-Ling with lead singer Shaun O'Dowd. Ding-A-Ling were popular though their records were lightweight pop. Allen left them to start his own Denis Allen Band in 1979.

Allen is now best known for the ballad "Limerick You're A Lady" which was an Irish number one in 1979. Allen was without a recording contract at the time and released the original version of this single on his own label (with "For Jenny" on the B-side). It was later picked up by Release Records.