The  QUICKSILVER Danceband                   Turloughmore,Co.Galway in the early 50,s, Des Kelly,his brother Johnny, sister Bernie together with musician friends Bridie Carrick, Christy Dooley, Mick Costello, Joe Morris and Joe Killarney,and were later to be joined by Frank O, Brien and Mickey Devaney formed the Quicksilver Danceband. Playing a mixture of ceili and dance music with their PA powered by a car battery,they got £12 for playing a gig in Keaveneys Hall , Cummer,in October 1954, bandleader Des Kelly recalls. On a visit to the Hangar Ballroom, Salthill in 1958, Des heard The Clipper Carlton from Strabane. They made a big impression on him and from that visit he decided this was the way he wanted to play music. Both Des and Johnny were studying Agricultural Science and Medicine respectively at UCG, but Des had to complete his studies in Dublin ,so when he moved there in 1959, the Quicksilver were disbanded. When in Dublin , Des met two fellow students from Donegal, Eamonn Monahan (Piano) and Paul Sweeney (Trumpet).They were joined by drummer Tommy Mc Namara and played at student dances as the Claddagh Quartet in a hall on Parnell Street ran by Tom Doherty. They were getting such a good reaction so Tom thought they should form a showband on a semi pro basis and give it a try. The Capitol Showband as they were now known needed some  new personell so Johnny Kelly came up from Galway and replaced Tommy Mc Namara on drums, vocalist/guitarist Butch Moore and lead guitarist Jimmy Hogan joined from Dublin band , The Blue Clavons,and Eddie Ryan and Pat Loughman on Sax and Trombone respectively completed the line up .Galway guitarist Joe Dolan , who was later to feature in the folk group Sweeneys Men played in this line up until Jimmy Hogan was released by the Blue Clavons. Their first gig was in the Palm Beach , Portmarnock. The band was now managed by Jim Doherty, brother of Tom and they were on the road 5 nights a week. It was to prove too much ,combining playing and studying , so it was decided that the band go full time professional. Eddie Ryan and Pat Loughman left the band and they were replaced by Paddy Cole (Saxes/Clarinet  ex. Maurice Lynch Showband) and Don Long (Trombone, fron the Donie Collins Band). Des, Johnny, Jimmy , Eamonn, Paddy, Don, Paul and Butch were literally to take the country by storm. Resplendent in blue jackets, white slacks and shoes and striped ties, an idea that bandleader Des Kelly got when he saw the Rudi Ventura band while on a foreign holiday, the Capitol were a slick professional outfit playing a mixed genre of music from Ballads to Dixieland Jazz.Their mucical reputation established them as one of the best Showbands on the circuit and they amassed a huge following. They made the first of their many visits to the USA during Lent 1961 , they made 15 visits in their time as a Showband, where they played all the major venues promoted by Bill Fuller. The band had many " firsts" to their credit. Their excellent Fan club ran by Maire Hurley and Monica Mc Nelis produced an excellent glossy booklet entitled " At Home and Abroad with the Capitol " They had the distinction of being the first showband to issue an LP " Presenting the Capitol Showband". In 1963 they became the first band to appear on Telefis Eireann,and also secure a twelve week spot on Radio Luxembourg. Paul Sweeney was replaced on trumpet by Corkonian Bram Mc Carty, Paul opting to continue his Architectural studies. The Capitol were now drawing massive crowds at home and abroad and when they became the first Showband in 1964 and 65 to appear on the presttigious TV show " Sunday Night at the London Palladium" their popularity soared even higher.  Butch Moore became the first singer to represent Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest in Naples in 1965 singing "Walking the Streets in the Ran" and finishing in 6th place. The bands association with young Derry songwriter Phil Coulter was to prove an asset and will be documented on this site in a later page. In 1966 a bombshell literally struck the band when frontman Butch Moore decided to leave to pursue a solo career, one decision that went " pear shaped" for Moore. It was not his scene in Ireland but would eventually come good for him and Maeve Mulvaney, in the USA. The Capitol were never  the same without Butch, and although excellent vocalists, firstly Noel Mc Neill and then John Drummond were brought in ,that void was hard to fill.The band continued on but during a tour of the States in 1969, Des Kelly suffered a terrible bout of pneumonia and subsequently quit the band he had founded on his return to Ireland. His brother Johnny followed him six months later . Both went into band management and the Pub and Hotel trade. Jimmy Hogan and Eamonn Monahan formed the Cabaret All Stars, later to become the Spotlights Showband, and Don Long moved to Manchester where he became an integral part of the Jazz scene there. The last two members of the Capitol, Paddy Cole and Bram Mc Carthy carried on by bringing in Stan Byrne (Sax.), Mike Dalton (Bass), Mickey O,Neill (Drums), Frankie Murray (Guitar) and Tony O, Leary (Vocals). Jim Hand took over as band manager. In 1970, they embarked on a 7 week tour of Canada ,but Cole stayed behind to rehearse with the Big 8 who he had joined as bandleader. The Capitol returned to a changing dancing scene , Lounge Bars with music and late licences, and the rapid emergence of the Country and Irish bands, The writing was on the wall for the established showbands and like many others the Capitol called it a day. Their last member from the once famous band Bram Mc Carthy settled in Dublin. The original band did reunite for a month long tour in 1984 opening in the Breamor Rooms. Bram Mc Carthy was too ill to participate and original trumpeter Paul Sweeny stood in for him . Sadly the tour would be the last undertaken by the original band and the deaths of both Bram and Johnny Kelly in October of 1987 were a bitter blow to the existing band members. Also deceased are Butch Moore, Don Long,founder manager Tom Doherty and  their popular roadie Sean "Spoofer" Jordan. May they all Rest in Peace.  They will never be forgotten.