Big To

Brendan Shine

"Do You Want Your Old Lobby Washed Down"

The mantle of entertainer extraordinaire rests easily on the broad shoulders of Brendan Shine.  Not for him the high life of a superstar.  Brendan, the man who has had most hits in the Irish Charts with the exception of Cliff Richard and Elvis Presley derives as much enjoyment from being at home on the family farm near Athlone as he gets from taking the stage an accordion in one hand and has played all venues both in Ireland and Abroad.

Brendan is much more than the father figure of Irish Showbusiness.  He is also a man of vision, having strong views on subjects as diverse as his beloved music, farming, sport and emigration.

Although born in Portarlington, County Laois, where his father was a transport foreman, Brendan's family returned to the homeplace in Kielty in South Roscommon when Brendan was still very young.  He enjoyed a rich musical upbringing and began playing  the organ .  Brendan had also joined his father's band.  Sometime Later Brendan teamed up with the famous Kieran Kelly Ceili Band as lead vocalist.  This experience proved invaluable when some years later he left to front his own band.

In 1971 Brendan reached No1 in the Irish Charts with the novelty number "O'Brien Has No Place To Go".  He continued to top the charts with great regularity during the following years.  His best known song the one which everyone associates him by spent a staggering 37 weeks in the charts , "Do You Want Your Old Lobby Washed Down" and just about everybody knows it.

favourite sport is Gaelic Football.