Manchester Music Legends Coming Home to Athy

Manchester music legends Johnny Marr of The Smiths and Mani (Gary Mountfield) of The Stone Roses are to be honoured in the hometown their mothers emigrated from a generation previously. The town of Athy, in County Kildare, is where both Johnny Marr's parents and Mani’s mother came from. In a countryside area known as Knockroe, Maganey, the two mothers grew up 5 doors apart.  These are part of a series of Plaques under the project title ‘Made of Athy’.

Now, the town of Athy is to remember her long-lost sons with two plaques dedicated to their contributions to music and their origins in the emigrant Irish communities of the 1950's. Next Friday, November 2nd, at 1pm, Johnny Marr will unveil his plaque while a week later on Saturday 10th November at 3pm, Mani will unveil his plaque.

Both musicians still have family in the town and holidayed there as children. In his autobiography, Set The Boy Free, Johnny Marr speaks with affection about his Irish childhood in an English town. He talks of the houses full of music that inspired the young Johnny Marr to start playing guitar. Johnny was born in Ardwick in Manchester, while Mani grew up 5 miles away in Crumpsall. Johnny is predominantly famous for his work with The Smiths although successful as a solo artist (he is currently finishing a world tour).  He has also played with Talking Heads, The Pretenders, Modest Mouse, and many others while contributing to the Oscar-nominated soundtrack to the movie Inception with Hans Zimmer.

Mani has seen enormous critical and commercial success with his band The Stone Roses. They reformed recently for a world tour. Mani also plays with Primal Scream.

The "Made of Athy" project will run for 6 months and involve 23 plaques. The first plaque was unveiled by Thomas Gabriel, Johnny Cash's grandson on the 55th anniversary to the day of his grandfather playing in the town. On the 23rd of November, Panti Bliss will unveil a plaque to producer and broadcaster Bill Hughes while on 3rd of December the current Finnish ambassador will unveil a plaque to the Erin Koivisto, the Finnish songbird, with local roots. Before Christmas, old collaborators will come together to unveil a plaque to the late Liam O'Flynn who passed earlier this year.

All are welcome at these public events and the organizers would encourage anybody with an interest to come along.