Celebrating 40 years of Summer In Dublin

Iconic track was almost lost in shoebox as star moved house

- CIARA PHELAN

BAGATELLE are celebrating the 40th anniversary of their hit Summer In Dublin this week but the iconic track was almost lost during a house move.

Released in May 1980, the song was an overnight success and catapulted the band into the spotlight two years after their formation in August 1978.

Penned and performed by Dundalk singer/songwriter Liam Reilly, the anthem has gone on to be one of the best-known Irish tunes. However, there was a time when the song’s destiny looked very different.

Bass guitarist Ken Doyle revealed how Reilly, 65, nearly misplaced the track when he moved house as it was in a shoebox and was put aside.

Thankfully he recovered it and the love song to the capital, which was recorded in Battle Studio in Sussex, went straight to No1 and stayed in the Irish charts for the remainder of that summer.