Sweeney's Men

Sweeney's Men, the first Irish folk rock band was founded in 1967, taking their name from a character in Flann O'Brien's book "At Swim Two Birds". The members were Terry Woods (concertina, mandolin, banjo, vocals), Andy Irvine (vocals, mandolin, guitar, harmonica) and Johnny Moynihan (vocals, tin whistle, bouzouki). Moynihan was the first to use the bouzouki in Irish music. In 1968 the trio recorded their eponymous self-titled debut album. After that Irvine left to travel through Eastern Europe. He was replaced by the electric guitarist Henry McCullough, who had toured with Jimi Hendrix. They never recorded anything and their new guitarist left to play with Joe Cocker instead. Sweeney's Men were now a duo, if not two solo artists each trying to make a record of their own. The resultat, "The Tracks Of Sweeney" (1969), was the last LP they made. Both albums were re-released in 1992 on the CD "Time Was Never Here 1968-69".