Sweeney's Men

Sweeney's Men was an Irish traditional band formed in Dublin in May 1966 by Johnny Moynihan, Andy Irvine, and "Galway Joe" Dolan. They blended traditional Irish music with American folk influences. Their first single, "Old Maid in the Garrett"/"The Derby Ram", was released in 1967. That year, Dolan left to fight in the Six-Day War and was replaced by Terry Woods. This lineup recorded their debut album Sweeney's Men in 1968. Irvine departed in May 1968, and Henry McCullough briefly joined before leaving for Joe Cocker’s Grease Band. Woods and Moynihan then recorded The Tracks of Sweeney in 1969, after which the band disbanded on November 22, 1969. Despite their short lifespan, Sweeney's Men significantly influenced Irish music through Moynihan's introduction of the bouzouki tuned to GDAD. The band reunited for special performances in 2007 and 2012.