Albums

Compilations

About Stockton's Wing

Four of the five founding members of Stockton's Wing claimed the distinction of winning individual All-Ireland championships before they joined forces in 1977 to establish the progressive group in Ennis, County Clare, Ireland. It wasn't long before they won a talent competition. By the following year Stockton's Wing scored a record deal with Tara Records and put out a self-titled debut album.

Kieran Hanrahan, Maurice Lennon, Paul Roche, and Tommy Hayes were the four champion musicians. Tony Callinan rounded out the band as the fifth member. The lineup would change in following years, and the first replacement occurred in 1979 when Mike Hanrahan, Kieran's brother, stepped in as a singer/songwriter, taking over for Callinan. The following year Tara released the album Take a Chance. Lengthy touring followed,and after an appearance at Ireland's Ballisodare Folk Festival the group added another member, Steve Cooney, an Australian didgeridoo player and bassist.

The following release, 1982's Light in the Western Sky, marked a major musical change, with the band adding more original material rather than traditional. The album spawned a pair of hits, "Walk Away" and "Beautiful Affair." "The Golden Stud" showcased an innovative and memorable blend of Irish and Aboriginal styles. The following year Hayes dropped out, and keyboardist Peter Keenan and drummer Fran Breen came aboard. The new lineup recorded the live Take One album in 1985. The following year the album Full Flight spawned four hits, "So Many Miles," "New Clare Revival," "Avondale," and "Why Wait Until Tomorrow."

After Cooney produced Stockton's Wing's next album, Celtic Roots,