Eamonn Campbell | |
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Eamonn Campbell during the Festival Interceltique de Lorient in 2014.
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Background information | |
Born | 29 November 1946 |
Origin | Dublin, Ireland |
Genres | Irish Folk |
Occupation(s) | Musician, music producer |
Instruments | Vocals, guitar |
Years active | 1958–present |
Associated acts | The Dubliners |
Eamonn Campbell (born 29 November 1946 in Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland) has been a member of The Dubliners since 1987. He was also in the Dubliners when they recorded their 25th anniversary show on The Late Late Show hosted by Gay Byrne. He is known as a guitarist and has a rough voice similar to the late Dubliner founding member Ronnie Drew. He is still touring with three other ex-Dubliners as "The Dublin Legends", now that the group name has been retired with the death of Barney McKenna. Eamonn is originally from Drogheda in County Louth, but now lives in Walkinstown, a suburb of Dublin.
He is a regular drinker in famous Walkinstown Bar The Submarine.
It was his suggestion that the Dubliners work with London Irish band The Pogues in the mid-1980s, thus giving them their biggest UK hit to date ("The Irish Rover") and an appearance on Top of the Pops.
He has produced all of the Dubliners' albums since 1987, as well as albums for many other Irish artists, including Foster and Allen, Brendan Shine, Daniel O'Donnell and Paddy Reilly. He played locally with the Delta Boys, The Bee Vee Five and the Country Gents before joining Dermot O'Brien and the Clubmen and first met The Dubliners when both acts toured England together in 1967.
In 2002 Eamonn put a complaint to a Commission to Inquire into Sexual Abuse as he said he was abused by The Christian Brothers as a child. In an interview he said "I felt emotional with hate at what this arsehole had got away with. He was abusing the whole class. I still haven't heard anything back."
Eamonn was the Grand Master for the 2009 Drogheda St Patrick's Day Parade. In his younger years Eamonn taught guitar lessons at the "Music Shop" in Drogheda. His granddaughter Megan Campbell is a Republic of Ireland international.