Richard and Elizabeth's children inherited their great gift for music. Probably the best-remembered of them today is Toby (1916-1975) who led a very popular dance orchestra.

As a young man in the 1930's, the band was known as Toby Bannan and His Revellers and, on and off for forty years, he played all over Ireland with different groups of musicians, sometime trios and quartets; other times augmented dance bands. He specialised in seasonal hotel residencies. He was clearly held in high esteem by his peers: I have seen notices by musicians advertising themselves as 'ex-Toby Bannan'. One such, incidentally, was a trumpet player Lewis Armstrong (who wasn’t from New Orleans!)

At different stages, various of his siblings were part of the band; most often pianist and Hammond organist Marie, who at a young age, won prizes for her performance of classical pieces on the piccolo; Paddy who played the accordeon, piano and double bass (often called the bass fiddle), and Margaret (known as Pixie), a proficient drummer and guest vocalist at many performances. They were occasionally joined by another sister, Nancy on double bass. Other local members included Jimmy Meehan - stalwart of the Ballyroan Brass Band and fondly remembered by many townies for his atmospheric trumpet on special occasions in SS Peter and Paul's Church - and his brother Jack from Ballyroan. There's a lovely video on Youtube of the latter - well into his eighties - playing 'The Skies O'er Ballyroan' on the saxophone. As well as the violin, Toby also played the saxophone, banjo and guitar. In the 1940's - when the electric guitar was little more than a decade old - his solos on the electric Hawaiian guitar were attracting special attention¹.

Easter Sunday Night 1943, saw one of the highlights in Portlaoise's Social Calendar; the official opening of the brand new Coliseum Ballroom on the New Road². Despite bad weather, more than 500 danced the night away to the music of Toby Bannan's Orchestra. I can imagine how he felt playing for such a grand occasion in front of a big crowd in his hometown.