Cork band to drum up funds for Marymount

It was one of those special nights in Sea Church when it seemed like the mighty Ballycotton Lighthouse itself was being rocked by the sound of the guitar and rhythm, brass and harmonies.

This extravaganza was the sound of the Cork Eagles tribute band, Dezperado.

“We all love the buzz, the excitement, the camaraderie that we all feel performing on stage,” says drummer John Murphy, speaking about the impressive 11-member line-up that makes up Dezperado.

“All the band members, both the ladies and the men, both young and old, we all love performing live on stage. It’s something special.”

Die-hard fans around the country know that Dezperado are something special.

“Our fans are special too,” says John. “They are always so loyal.”

John and his bandmates love playing regular concerts for a cause that is close to all their hearts.

And Marymount University Hospital and Hospice is particularly close to John’s heart.

“My mother, Nora Murphy, who was fondly known as Dora, spent one week in Marymount,” says John.

The centre is well known for the wonderful care and support that it provides to cancer patients and their families, and John always thinks fondly of it.

“Even though I only had experience of the care and support of Marymount provided for a loved one for one week, it had a huge impact on me,” says John.

Now he is organising a fund-raising concert by Dezperado to raise funds for the Cork centre, as a way of saying thank-you.

John has another connection to Marymount.

“Laurence Long was our young neighbour,” he says. “His mother passed away in Marymount. Laurence looked on my mother as a substitute for his mother.

“Laurence and I are still close friends to this day, and he helps us out with our fundraisers.”

The next Dezperado concert, a fundraiser for Marymount, takes place on January 25 in the Everyman Theatre in Cork city

“It’s almost sold out,” says John.

His wife, Gina, is also a friend of Marymount.

“Gina’s dad, Joe Long, spent a full year very sick at home. During that time the hospice nurses came to mind Joe, and he passed peacefully at home on a Sunday afternoon.”

The hospice nurses always answer the call.

“Whenever they are needed, they are at the front door,” says John.

The lads and lassies in the band are all in harmony when it comes to helping Marymount.

“One of the lads says if you throw a stone in any direction, somebody, somewhere has a connection with Marymount,” says John.

The band are veterans when it comes to. To borrow one Eagles sing title - they always take it to the limit.

“We had a big fundraiser for MS also,” says John. “My neighbour Gerard O’Connor suffers from it.

“The band decided we could do something for the MS charity.”

Gerard explains: “Dezperado did two concerts for us. John is the leader of the band, and all the band members are a great bunch; a great bit of stuff.

“Their live concerts are fantastic. The first fundraiser they did for MS raised €15,000. The second concert raised almost as much.

“I knew some of the lads in the band growing up and I am a huge fan of them, both music-wise and friend-wise.”

Were John’s neighbours always his friends when he was practising the drums as a teenager at home?!

“Not at first,” says John laughing.

“But they came round to the sound of the drumming, and they got used to it!”

When did he get his first drum kit ready to rock n’roll?

“I bought my first drum kit in Crowleys for £125,” says John.

He had to build up his fan base.

“My mother stood at the door and said I’d be better off buying a tin whistle! My dad was delighted. He loved music.”

John loved music too, and he began working the bar circuit.

“In JD’s in Youghal one night, I asked the lads in the band back then what did they think of starting an Eagles tribute band? They were all up for it,” says John.

The original line-up for Dezperado was formed in 2013. It has stayed the same barring a change of singer in 2016.

“We practised in Kevin Connolly’s garage near Bishopstown/Glasheen,” says John. “Kevin plays the keyboard.

“We practised harmonies and we got gigs in pubs. Often we did gigs free.”

They were rocking’n’rolling.

“In 2015, we changed up a gear,” says John. “We brought in brass and backing vocals. The girls made a difference to the harmonies. We had quality without being too loud.”

Dezperado grew in popularity.

“We were asked back with other tribute bands to the Liberty Festival in Tipperary,” says John.

“We just love doing what we do. Some of us are retired, some of us have careers.”

Some have grandchildren too.

“Indeed we do!” says John. “And dogs!”

They are all in it together.

“We practice one night a week,” says John.”We are all good pals, and we are all in agreement. We want our band to be the best.”

They are certainly winning over lots of people.

“We have over 1,000 people follow us on Facebook,” says John.

“People from Clare and Limerick as well as Cork follow us around the country for our concerts.”

Why does John, who is also a Reiki master and who believes in the angels, get such enjoyment from being a member of Dezperado?

“For me, I get great energy out of it,” says John.

“Playing in pubs and at weddings was always enjoyable.

“But being an Eagles tribute band, we are top of the job.”

How many drum kits has he gone through since his mother stood at the front door that day and told him he’d be better off buying a tin-whistle?

“So far in my lifetime I’ve gone through 12,” says John. “I also have an electronic drum kit and headphones.”

Often, little boys have an ambition to one day play the drums in a band.

“It was always my dream to play the drums,” says John.

“At 14, I remember my pal Kevin Cremin showed me what his brother was up to in his shed. He had all the equipment, the lights, the instruments, everything a live band wanted. I was hooked.”

John is now hooked on being part of the great outfit that is Dezperado.

“We are all loving being in the band and being together,” says John. “We can’t wait for January 25, performing for our Marymount Hospice once again.”

It will be one of those especial nights again.

“That’s for sure!” says John.

Is it always a special night when Dezperado do their thing?

“Always,” says John. “I believe in angels - remember?”