The Swarbriggs

Thomas (Tommy) Swarbrigg and John James (Jimmy) Swarbrigg are Irish music promoters and former pop musicians. As The Swarbriggs they represented Ireland at the 1975 Eurovision Song Contest with That's What Friends Are For. As The Swarbriggs Plus Two, with Nicola Kerr and Alma Carroll, they competed again in 1977 with It's Nice To Be In Love Again. The brothers wrote both songs. They also scored several other top 10 chart hit singles in Ireland during the 1970s, including 'Joanne' (a #1 hit in 1976).

From 1964, Tommy played trumpet with Joe Dolan's showband, The Drifters (not to be confused with the American group). In 1968 he and the other backing musicians left to form The Times Showband, with Jimmy added as vocalist. The brothers wrote their own compositions, which was unusual for a showband, and they scored several hit singles in Ireland. By 1973 they had their own television show on Radio Telefís Éireann and worked independently of the showband, leaving altogether in 1975. In later years they had various business ventures, including promoting concerts in Ireland for various Irish and foreign artists, including Smokie, Leo Sayer, The (American) Drifters, Jack L, Wolfe Tones, and Richie Kavanagh. The brothers were attributed as the inspiration for the 'My Lovely Horse' music video in the channel 4 television series Father Ted.

References

• Swarbrigg Entertainment official site as music promoters
• From Ian Gallagher's showbands site:
  • Swarbriggs
  • Times Showband
  • Drifters
• From Irish-showbands.com:
  • The Drifters (1964-1980's)
  • The Times (1968-1982)