Worthing's St Patrick's Day celebrations!

After a four-year break, Worthing's Flash Company are reviving their annual St Patrick's Day charity fundraiser at St Paul's Art Centre in Worthing, to raise funds for St Barnabas House hospice.
Flash Company - Steve Collett, Charlie Cleary, Lin Bowen, Dom OConnorFlash Company - Steve Collett, Charlie Cleary, Lin Bowen, Dom OConnor
Flash Company - Steve Collett, Charlie Cleary, Lin Bowen, Dom OConnor

Sam Skilton, marketing co-ordinator at St Barnabas House, said: “The band will be playing lively, foot-stomping Irish folk music from 7pm to midnight on Saturday, March 17, with guest slots to create a party atmosphere. Seating will be cabaret style with the dance floor and bar open through the evenin

Flash Company play mainly Irish, sing-along, clap-along and dance-along music.

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Dom O’Connor (guitar, vocals) said: “We have all had reason to visit St Barnabas over the past few years and really want to give our own little contribution to this beautiful local treasure.”

The concert is from 7pm to midnight, tickets cost £14 (plus booking fee) and can be bought at www.seetickets.com/event/st-pats-for-st-barnabas/st-pauls/1193048

Dom added: “Flash Company started in 1987 as an open-mic session at the Cellar Wine Bar in Anne Street Worthing (now Cheers II). Pretty quickly a band was formed and we called ourselves Flash Company from the song of the same title and loosely linked to the Victorian-era Worthing bonfire societies one of which was called, I believe, Flash Company.

People seemed to like this ramshackle high-energy band of sometimes up to ten people, and before we knew it we were getting gigs in pubs, clubs and festivals all along the south coast and beyond. High on this success we decided to chance our arms at a St Patrick’s party at the lovely Worthing Pavilion Theatre. After the first one worked, we decided to make it an annual event and use the event to raise money for various charities. After 19 years of these events we decided that the work to make it happen was too much and did our last St Patrick’s Party at The Pavilion in 2014. Now, after a bit of a gap we are at it again, switching to a slightly-smaller venue... the atmospheric St Paul’s community centre.

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The band comprises Dom O’Connor (guitar, vocals), Steve Collett (mandolin, mandola, vocals), Lin Bowen (fiddle) and Charlie Cleary (button accordian), plus regular guest member Brenock O’Connor (ukulele, guitar, vocals). Dom and Steve were in the original Flash Company line-up in 1987 along with Steve O’Brien and Chris Hare. Dom and Steve played in a punk band called Boredom in the late 70s in Basildon and often shared the stage with the likes of Alison Moyet (Alf then), Perry Bamonte (The Cure), and Martin Gore (Depeche Mode). Lin has played in various bands and duos for years. Brenock is Dom’s son and has been with Flash Company one way or another since he was a toddler.

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