Tyrone artist brings to life iconic Omagh showband

Avibrant oil painting which brings to life the musical glory of The Plattermen of the height of their success has been unveiled at the Strule Arts Centre.

The special event, which paid tribute to the iconic Omagh Showband, took place on Friday night, with Tyrone artist Jim McKee’s painting of the musicians taking centre stage.

Jim, whose eye-catching piece provided a striking contrast to the often monochromatic visuals of the 1960s, said that it was a ‘massive honour’ to pay tribute to a band who left such a great legacy.

Explaining the process of his work, Jim said he was commissioned with the task last year by the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council.

“It was Barry McElduff who came up with the idea as he prepared to step down as chairman of the council,” Jim said.

“He wanted to do something in memory of The Plattermen as his leaving gift, and I was honoured to have been asked.”

Jim was in France when he initially received the phone call about the idea, but it wasn’t long until he returned to Irish soil and met up with members of the council as well as ex-Plattermen members to discuss the project.

“The original photo that inspired the painting was in black and white, so we decided to re-imagine it in colour,” said Jim.

“Working alongside the likes of Ray Moore and Pat Chesters from The Plattermen was a fascinating and really interesting process.

“They had many great stories to tell about the early days of the band.”

Also a musician as well as an artist, Jim further stated that it was a great opportunity to pay tribute to Plattermen guitarist Arty McGlynn who he once had the honour of recording with for a brief stint.

“I was in a band a few years ago called ‘Island Eddy’,” Jim explained.

“We were recording an album in Galway at the time and Arty came into the studio for a couple of days to put down a few tracks with us.

“He was a genius in the studio and to see how he worked was amazing.

“I learned a lot from being in his company for those few days in Galway and I will always remember him with the biggest respect as a lovely person.

“It was nice to paint him so young and it was quite emotional actually.

“It was as if he was in the room.”

The artwork is part of the Council’s ‘Civic Art Collection’, and honours the band who left an enduring impact on Omagh’s heritage and who have influenced many local musicians in the years that have followed.

“I want to thank Barry McElduff and the council for the opportunity,” said Jim.

“I also want to thank Tracey McCallen for all her help, and Pat Chesters and Ray Moore for their guidance.”