Mayor Patricia Logue with Billy Doherty, Damien O’Neill and Mickey Bradley from the Undertones at a new mural dedicated to the group in Derry city centre
Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Patricia Logue, met three members of the group at a newly unveiled mural in their honour in Derry to mark the anniversary.
The Derry punk outfit was formed in 1974 and went on to become one of Ireland’s most successful every bands.
Four years later, the Undertones released their debut single Teenage Kicks, which became an instant success, reaching number 13 on Britain’s singles’ charts within two weeks.
BBC DJ John Peel who championed the song, left instructions that a section of the lyrics were to be engraved on his headstone when he died.
A video of the song made at the time featuring singer Feargal Sharkey has had more than 10 million views on YouTube.
Since then the song has remained popular and has been covered many times by musicians from all musical genres. It has also become an anthem for the Undertones’ home city of Derry.
Councillor Logue met three members of the band, Mickey Bradley, Billy Doherty and Damian O’Neill at the new mural on Friday to invite them to a civic reception in their honour.
Said Mayor Logue: “I wanted to do something special to mark 45-year anniversary of ‘Teenage Kicks’, which really has become the unofficial anthem of the city.
“I will host a special event in the Guildhall in the New Year before the guys head off on tour.”
The new mural by artist Karl Porter overlooks Derry’s walls and has already become an attraction for visitors to the city in the same way as a mural dedicated to the “Derry Girls” sitcom.
The band played a sell out gig at Derry’s Millennium Forum on Friday night, November 24.
Tonight, Saturday, November 25, The Undertones play a sell court concert at the former Belfast Telegraph building on Belfast’s Royal Avenue.
