Deaf Actor
Deaf Actor from; Howth Active; 1980 – 1982
Style; tbc
Line up;
Vocals; Conor Kelly
Guitar; Conor Brady
Bass; Jack Dublin
Drums; Paul Byrne
Keyboards; Declan O’Sullivan
Photo supplied by Paul Byrne
By 1982 Deaf Actor had managed to get support slots with top English bands, Echo & The Bunnymen & Teardrop Explodes at McGonagles.
Hot Press review How many amongst you have stopped and wondered how a rock group begins its days, what pressures, routines and excitement it faces and why all roadies look like Motorhead rejects? Neither have I. But for those of you with more inquisitive minds, RTE is in fact making a documentary on the trials and tribulations of fledgeling rockers “Deaf Actor”.
The name won’t be familiar to most of you, but then it isn’t even familiar to the group. They changed it shortly before filming, from the equally obscure but marginally more embarrassing “Sounds Unreel”. A spokesman for the the group says “We wanted a name that people could remember instantly…. “Deaf, everyone knows what “Deaf” is, and… what was that other word…?
The group formed in Howth about a year ago, and were discovered by producer Avril MacRory performing a song on “Youngline”.
Pictures supplied by Paul Byrne
Jack Dublin was formerly in Rocky DeValera & The Gravediggers, he and Paul would later join In Tua Nua & both of them are currently in Shane McGowen & The Shane Gang. In Tua Nua reformed in 2013 and played a gig at Dublin’s Button Factory.
Gig Guide
16/07/1980 Summit Inn, Howth Hot Press review Avril and the boys found they had quite a lot in common; she was looking for a group for her documentary and they said they would do anything for money so a mutual bond was struck.
RTE has approached the project with its usual flair for the documentary style, hiring Dublin impresario Billy McGrath to play the part of Deaf Actor’s nonexistent manager. He was not in evidence however at the gig that was set up in the Summit Inn, Howth, though local celebrity Rocky DeValera made a guest appearance as a ligger, Jack Dublin played the audience and Deaf Actor didn’t play a note (instead mining to a pre-recorded tape).
The gig was a sell out (being free in), though in order to retain the realism of true reportage, RTE handed out money to the queuing punters and filmed them paying in. not before arranging the queue in a more orderly fashion, 
however, placing the only three punks in evidence in different positions throughout the line in order to give the audience a more “balanced” appearance.
The group were on stage for about and hour and took to the miming like men possessed, leaping about, posing, knocking into mike stands and exchanging comments and trivial chit chat with the RTE crew. The best dressed audience in town waltzed the whole night through and everyone got their picture taken, including your Hot Press scribe who may be spotted by eagle eyed viewers with a good geographical knowledge of Howth, approaching the venue from an entirely unlikely unlikely angle. (the light was better for the camera).
From July till October 1980 Deaf Actor had a residency at the Summit Inn, Howth, during November & December 1980 they had a residency at the Sportsmans Inn, Dublin.
26/12/1980 Community Centre, Howth with Yeah! Yeah!
Picture supplied by Paul Byrne
Your Help is needed!
If you can help with any information, demo tapes or memorabilia on this band please get in touch, using the form below.