Billy Connelly Visits Blantyre

Blantyre, Lanarkshire, Scotland

Blantyre history

Billy Connolly Gigs at Blantyre Youth Club

Billy Connelly visits Blantyre

In 1973, Billy Connolly, then on the Folk Circuit, plays a Gig at the Blantyre Youth Club in the Community Centre, where my brother John (Billy has his arm round him) was a Youth Club Leader.

Billy came a day early for the concert and was invited by the Youth Club Team for a beer to Craigs on the corner of Stonefield Road where he held court (a free show of jokes and stories) he returned next evening to play the concert all for a 50p ticket.

Jim Sweeney was centre manager, John Sim was a youth club leader along with Nan Macfarlane (not in picture) other bands that played that night were Braidislea and Schiehallion.

Here are some names in the picture:

Liz Gormley (married Jim), Bill Sherry, Christine Gillespie, Davy Forrest, Chic Ashbridge, Geordie Jamieson, Jim Pollock (Poco), Peter McCafferty, Liz Cather…

Recognize anyone here or maybe you are in the picture… own up we all dressed like that in those days!

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I remember that night very well, in fact myself Jim Sweeney and John had a bit of a jam session with Billy way into the early hours of the morning. Another name in the picture is Bill Sherry, back row between Jim and Christine.

Would you possibly have a copy of the original picture you could mail me.

Kind regards.

David Forrest

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