Ronan Collins on the showband era: 'The Cork audiences were very discerning' 

The broadcaster and musician rails against those who look down on what was a glorious era for Irish music 

Ronan Collins brings his Showband Hits and Stories to the Everyman. 

Ronan Collins always felt his hackles rise when he heard Ireland’s showbands disparaged as musical dinosaurs from a more backwards time and place.

Keen to set the record straight and give artists such as Brendan Bowyer, Dickie Rock, and Brendan O’Brien their due, the popular radio presenter embarked several years ago on a second career, hosting hit tours such as Reeling In The Showband Years, where he talked about the importance of these musicians and performed some of their best-loved hits.