Frustrated Barristers

Frustrated Barristers from; Drogheda Active; 1981 – 1981
Style; Punk
Line up;
Vocals; Adrian “Maggot” Caffrey
Guitar; Patsy Flanagan
Drums; Charles “Res” Fitzpatrick

A New Band

Drogheda Independent New Drogheda band on the scene are The Frustrated Barristers, which specialise in the punk sound.

Their aim – to bring new life into the music scene and to give people redemption through our music. They write their own numbers and in one “Clearly” they attack violence in society.

Female Troupe

Local promoters maybe interested to know that the band also has a female troupe attached to it, “No Good Girls” who specialise in Punk Rhythm Stone-age dance movements.

Sports Centre First Punk gig

The first Punk Rock gig put on in the “Sports Centre” Dyer Street (known later as The Boxing Club) was early 1981. The featured an ensemble of local talent. I had only turned 14 and I was going along to see my neighbour Zip who was playing drums in a band called “Acne” with Tony, Hodgie and Dom. As we were walking in that night to go and check out “Acne”, two crazy looking lunatics were being escorted out of the venue. They were all done up in the punk gear, attention grabbing stuff. They had crazy face paint on and looked very deranged on all levels. For that time to my 14 year old mind they were very dangerous and threatening looking, not like they were going to beat you up, but more like wild aliens from a crazy part of the cosmos. They were getting thrown out because as the band Acne were about to start playing their first song these crazy aliens “Maggot” and “Res” decided to throw eggs at the band so they were being ejected from the venue. One of the eggs thrown connected with “Acne” bass player Dom McCormac’s head which he put to good use by spiking his hair with it. Quote taken from “Subvert All Power” (the story of Drogheda Punk).

Boxing Club

The Frustrated Barristers gigs in Johnny Connor’s in the Boxing Club. That was just unbelievable. Cos again like it was all of my mates it was Maggot and Rez on stage and eh… and the three girls singing in front of them. The No Good Sisters and it was just a fuckin’ shambles but it was and there was people in front o’ them spittin’ which ye didn’t see in Johnny Connor’s normally y’know? So it was just very funny like. Well I found it funny. Quote taken from “Subvert All Power” (the story of Drogheda Punk).

Getting Married

Boyneside Punk stars supreme, The Barristers have split and the three notorious gentlemen who are now legend among local fans have all gone their separate ways.
The cause, as disclosed to the “Scene” this week in a letter from one of the band members, is that the groups lead singer Adrian “Maggot” Caffrey is to wed.
And the word spread like wildfire round Boyneside last weekend.
The other two members of the band Patsy and Res have decided to ditch “Maggot” because he has been hooked.
Another reason for the breakup is total lack of interest shown by local promoters in the band and lack of gigs.
The girl “Maggot” is destined to wed is Miss Lillian Henry of Ballymakenny, Drogheda. To both of them, best of luck.

The band reformed in November 1981 without “Maggot”, drafting in “Warbles” & “Cereoptic Managemite.