Saturday afternoon at Eamonn Doran's in Temple Bar, Dublin, means showcase gigs. Misty-eyed teenagers, guitars slung over the shoulder, gather to bang out a few songs that they hope will launch them on the road to stardom.
Most will be disappointed, their musical ambitions fading with memories of adolescence. But Temple Leaf - a rock band formed last year at Irish-speaking Scoil Chaitriona in Glasnevin, Dublin - are confident that they can make it to the top. Formed last year and only recent debutantes on the music circuit, Temple Leaf are a soft-rock band with an eclectic mix of influences, including jazz, pop and heavy metal. Star attraction among the 50 or so hardcore music followers gathered at Eamonn Doran's is Temple Leaf's lead singer, 15-year-old Grace Ryan. Grace joined the group after the other band members heard her sing at a talent competition organised by Boyzone manager Louis Walsh at Scoil Chaitriona.
After the event the management genius behind Ireland's multi-million pound boyband success told the group: "She has the voice, the looks and the attitude. She'll go far, so hang on to her." Grace developed her singing voice while a member of the National Children's Choir, but lists classical piano, which she studied at the Abbey School of Music, and songwriting among her many talents. "I really enjoy writing songs and get the most satisfaction from singing them," says Grace. "It's my ambition to make it on the music scene and be signed by some large record label like Dreamworks." Seventeen-year old band member Dave McMahon - lead guitarist, current pupil of St Vincent's CBS, Dublin, and Grace's boyfriend - certainly thinks so: "I want to play Wembley or that huge American stadium where the Beatles played," he says. "I think we can make it." Dave is inspired by the likes of Jimi Hendrix and Phil Lynott and is becoming well-known for his solos.
"My dad played guitar and had an old black Morris lying around the house, so I picked it up and started playing," he says. Like many members of Temple Leaf, Dave has had some exceptionally good music teachers - including his first instructor, Bill Shanley, one of Ireland's leading guitarists and at the time playing in Mary Black's band. The keyboard player with Temple Leaf, Eoin Kirwan (18), started taking formal lessons in 1991 from Darina Gibson, sister of John Gibson, both well respected pianists. Two years later Eoin enrolled in the Conservatory of Music and this year started studying music at Trinity College. "I listen to literally everything, but believe it or not my biggest inspiration is my dad, who plays jazz exceptionally well. But my influences include John Lennon and the Doors," Eoin says.
Eoin played in several bands, including No Fat Chicks and Ruby Jake, before setting up Temple Leaf with Gerry McNamara, the caretaker of his former school, Scoil Chaitriona. "I always enjoyed writing music and songs and this was how I met our drummer Gerry, who was the caretaker in my old school. He asked me if I wanted to help him write some songs and the band just evolved from there."
The thirtysomething grandfather of Temple Leaf, Gerry McNamara, bought his first drum kit more than 20 years ago. He cites John Mayall, Rory Gallagher and Lynyrd Skynyrd among his musical influences. A regular on the Irish music scene, Gerry's first band, Jenkin's Ear, was popular on the university circuit. But he holds out his greatest hope of "making it" with Temple Leaf.
"I think that the band members we have and the original songs that we write really set us apart from other band on the circuit," says Gerry. "Most of the songs were written in the school's kitchen and canteen and we've had great support from the principal. We've been given the use of the school hall to practise, even after some neighbours complained about the noise. The school allowed us to move practice sessions to the primary school, further away from houses," he says.
Temple Leaf recently recorded some tracks in studio and are making their first appearances at the Temple Bar Music Centre this month, with one of the gigs still to come on Saturday, October 23rd. Citing encouragement from Walsh and Barry Gastnor, who is associated with the Corrs, they feel they can go far. However, in the rough-and-tumble of the music business, nothing is assured; luckily, all the band members seem to have their feet firmly planted on the ground.
"It's my dream to make it in music," says Grace. "But I'm not planning on leaving school any time soon."
