The Undertones are a rock band formed in Derry, Northern Ireland in 1974. From 1975 to 1983, the Undertones consisted of Feargal Sharkey (vocals), John O'Neill, Damian O'Neill, Michael Bradley and Billy Doherty (drums). Much of the earlier Undertones material drew influence from punk rock and new wave; the Undertones also incorporated elements of rock, glam rock and post-punk into material released after 1979, before citing soul and Motown as the influence for the material released upon their final album. The Undertones released thirteen singles and four studio albums between 1978 and 1983 before Sharkey announced his intention to leave the band in May 1983, citing musical differences as the reason for the break up.
Dylan William Moran is an Irish comedian, writer, actor and artist. He is best known for his observational comedy, the comedy series Black Books, and his work with Simon Pegg in films such as Shaun of the Dead and Run Fatboy Run. He was also one of two lead characters in the Irish black comedy film A Film with Me in It.
David Holmes is a Northern Irish musician and composer. He worked as a DJ before releasing several solo albums that have incorporated elements of trip hop, big beat, electronic and rock. In the late 1990s, he also began composing film scores, establishing a long-standing collaboration with director Steven Soderbergh that includes Out of Sight (1998) and the Ocean's trilogy.
Mark Kermode is an English film critic, musician, radio presenter, television presenter, author and podcaster. He is the co-presenter, with Ellen E. Jones, of the BBC Radio 4 programme Screenshot and co-presenter of the film-review podcast Kermode & Mayo's Take alongside long-time collaborator Simon Mayo. He is a regular contributor to The Observer, for which he was chief film critic between September 2013 and September 2023.
Patrick George Considine is an English actor, director, and screenwriter. He is known for playing antiheros in independent film. He has received two British Academy Film Awards, three Evening Standard British Film Awards, British Independent Film Awards and a Silver Lion for Best Short Film at the 2007 Venice Film Festival.
Liam Cunningham is an Irish actor. He is known for playing Davos Seaworth in the HBO epic-fantasy series Game of Thrones.
Rudi were a punk rock/power pop band from Belfast formed in 1975. Throughout the late 1970s they were one of the most popular Northern Ireland punk bands but while The Undertones and Stiff Little Fingers secured record deals with major labels and had chart success, Rudi didn’t hit the big time and became 'the band that time forgot'. Rudi split in 1982. Their recordings can still be found today.
Glenn Patterson FRSL is a writer from Belfast, Northern Ireland, best known as a novelist. In 2023, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.
Good Vibrations was a Belfast record label and store. Founded by Terri Hooley in the early 1970s, Good Vibrations started out in a small derelict building on Great Victoria Street, Belfast. Good Vibrations began life as a record shop, opening in late 1976; it grew to become a popular record shop.
Jodie Auckland Whittaker is an English actress, best known for her roles in television as the Thirteenth Doctor in Doctor Who (2017–2022) and Beth Latimer in Broadchurch (2013–2017).
Events during the year 1978 in Northern Ireland.
Terence Wilfred Hooley is a businessman from Northern Ireland who is a prominent figure in the Belfast punk scene and founder of the Good Vibrations record shop and label. He was responsible for bands such as The Undertones, Rudi, Protex and The Outcasts making their mark on the music scene in Ireland and Britain. After playing "Teenage Kicks" on BBC, national radio John Peel then became a big supporter of the Good Vibrations record label.
The Outcasts are a punk rock band from Belfast, Northern Ireland, formed in 1977.
Protex are a Belfast punk band which formed in 1978. Their first records were issued on Good Vibrations records. They formed part of the first wave of Belfast punk bands along with label-mates The Undertones and Rudi (band). The original line-up was Paul Maxwell (bass/vocals), Owen McFadden (drums), David McMaster (guitar/vocals), Aidan Murtagh (guitar/vocals).
Richard Dormer is a Northern Irish actor and playwright. He is best known for his roles as Beric Dondarrion in the HBO television series Game of Thrones and Dan Anderssen in Sky Atlantic's Fortitude.
The Harp Bar was a public house and live music venue based in Hill Street, central Belfast, Northern Ireland. It's notable in the context of punk rock history, particularly music from Northern Ireland. It was owned between 1977 and 1984 by Patrick (Patsy) Lennon who some years later built and owned the Limelight nightclub and Dome Bar.
The Mighty Shamrocks is a band formed in 1979 from the duo of Derry-born songwriter/guitarist Mickey Stephens and guitarist Dougie Gough.
Morfydd Clark is a Swedish-born Welsh actress. She is best known for playing Galadriel in the Amazon Prime series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022–). She received a number of accolades for her performance in the film Saint Maud (2019), including a BAFTA Cymru as well as BIFA and BAFTA Rising Star Award nominations.
Lisa Barros D'Sa is a film director, writer and producer. Barros D'Sa studied English at University of Oxford and holds an MA in Screenwriting from London University of the Arts.
Gavin Martin was a globally celebrated Northern Irish music journalist.
