Finn McCool

Finn McCool
are a lively Kiwi Celtic duo or trio founded in 1997

based in Wellington, New Zealand

They perform Celtic pub songs and traditional tunes played with attitude
plus 60s/70s covers, originals

FINN McCOOL are:
Tony Chad on acoustic guitar, harmonica, bodhran and vocals. Singer-songwriter / poet. CD played widely on radio. Representing Belfast & County Down.
Alistair Cuthill, champion fiddler and mandolin player. Romantic Scotsman from the shores of Loch Lomond.

Band can become a trio if required by addition of bass player

Finn McCool can supply a caller who will instruct your guests on dance routines and then call performance with band for maximum set length of 45 minutes

Ideal for: lively Celtic dance music plus rock dance music for ceilidhs, corporate & private functions such as weddings, birthdays, garden parties and fairs.

Sample repertoire:
(Mainly Irish / up-tempo, but flexible depending on audience/occasion..)
1 Raggle Taggle Gipsy Waterboys / Irish traditional
2 When will we be married Molly Waterboys
3 Fisherman's Blues Waterboys
4 Strange Boat Waterboys
5 Star of the County Down Irish traditional
6 Back Home in Derry Irish traditional
7 Dirty Old Town Pogues / Irish / English traditional
8 The Irish Rover Pogues / Irish traditional
9 Jesse James Pogues / Irish traditional
10 Maries Wedding Irish / Scottish traditional
11 Step it out Mary Irish traditional
12 Whisky in the Jar Irish traditional
13 The Spanish Lady Irish traditional
14 I'll tell me ma Irish traditional
15 It takes a Worried Man Van Morrison/Lonnie Donnegan/Chris Barber
16 Ride On Jimmy McCarthy
17 North & South of the River U2 / Christy Moore
18 Wild Rover Dubliners / Irish traditional
19 Drunken Sailor Irish traditional / sea shanty
20 Haul away Joe Irish traditional / sea shanty
21 Donald where's yer troosers Scottish traditional
22 Night Visit Irish traditional
23 Leaving of Liverpool Dubliners / Irish traditional
24 Black Velvet Band Dubliners / Irish traditional
25 Fiddler of Ballymore Irish traditional
26 City of Chicago Irish traditional
27 Dublin's Fair City Irish traditional
28 Danny Boy Irish traditional
29 Johnny I hardly knew ye Irish traditional
30 The Rising of the Moon Irish traditional
31 Ordinary Man Irish traditional
32 500 Miles (I'm gonna be) The Proclaimers
33 I can't be with you Cranberries
34 Summertime Janis Joplin, etc
35 Good Mornin' Blues Blues - Leadbelly
36 Turn your money Green Blues
37 Kansas City Various
38 The Weight Bob Dylan /The Byrds
39 You ain't goin' nowhere Bob Dylan / The Byrds
40 Knocking on Heavens Door Bob Dylan et al
41 All along the Watchtower Dylan / Hendrix / U2
42 Stand by me B B King / John Lennon
43 Take it Easy Eagles
44 Last Dance for Mary Jane Tom Petty
45 The Passenger Iggy Pop
46 Bad Moon Rising CCR
47 Have you ever seen the rain Jimmy Barnes
48 Let it Be Beatles
49 I saw her standing there Beatles
50 Let the Spirit Speak Original
51 On the Other Side of the Hill Original
52 Talk to me (No more fighting) Original
53 Maureen Warratahs
54 Tight Rope Warratahs
55 Paint it Black Rolling Stones
56 It’s all over now Rolling Stones
57 Doo Ron Ron standard
58 Alberta Alberta Eric Clapton, etc
59 Wonderful Tonight Eric Clapton
60 Brown eyed girl Van Morrison
61 Matchbox Beatles etc
62 Around & around Chuck Berry
63 Blue Suede Shoes Elvis
64 The Midnight special CCR ?, Terry/McGhee ..

Was very satisfactory.

Rita O'Brien

Kapiti Coast Council Dec 2011

Hi Tony
A huge thank you to yourself and your band - you guys were fantastic - we all enjoyed it so much and Im sorry I didn't thank you prior to you leaving. I've got to commend the patience of your caller - sorry can't remember his name - we certainly weren't an easy bunch to lead but he did a fantastic job and everyone still had fun. My knees are still recovering from all the dancing.
Thanks again for making it such a great night.
Regards
Jackie Chin Poy June 2011

Hi Pete,
The evening went extremely well - the band put on an absolutely rollicking performance and all the guests really enjoyed themselves. I thoroughly recommend Finn McCool to anyone who enjoys Celtic music and Ceilidhs. Tony and the rest of the band were very friendly and flexible and put up patiently with us over-running time slightly.
I'm happy for you to use the recommendation on the website and thanks for all your help!
Best wishes,
Anthony Randell
Jan 2011

Hi Pete,
We could not have been happier,
Finn McCool were just the ticket for the wedding and we would thouroughly reccomend them to others. They were very professional and accomodating as we had a few items of entertainment of our own during the evening.
Many thanks for coordinating this great band.
Please pass our very best wishes to the guys.
Cheers
Mark

Dear Kellie,
Finn McCool were just great and we had a fantastic night. Everyone commented they were just right with music that you could dance to but still hear each other over. Several people commented that they hadn't expected to hear Zorba the Greek from a celtic band but there you are. I would recommend them to anyone and Tony Chad was a very nice person to deal with. I have no problems about you putting my comments on the web
Thanks alot for organising it
Cheers
Wendy Kelly (June 2007)

It was apparently a grand evening and the band was great, so thank you for making the process a very easy one
Regards,
Raylene Hull
Claims Officer
CIGNA Life Insurance NZ Ltd (July 2005)

"Very well received by all age groups and all tastes - They made our Millennium party a raging success" - Inglewood Cosmopolitan Club Popular performances include Toast Martinborough 1998 & Summer City 1999

"We recommend this band to anyone that wants a gig with an Irish flavour " - Summer City organisers

Have played new Irish venues The Black Harp and J J Murphy's plus Kitty's & Molly's, in Wellington, Celtic Inn - Palmerston North, Murray's in Feilding, O'Flaherty's in Napier, Cat & Fiddle in Hastings, Rose & Shamrock in Havelock North, Finn MacCuhal's in Taupo, Turoa Ski Lodge, RSAs and Cosmopolitan Clubs - the list goes on!

"Just like being at Molly Malone's " - customer at Zebo's ....

"The best night I can remember " - Kapiti Live Music Club

Hi Tony, just a quick note to say how much your music was appreciated Saturday night. It was a great party and everyone had a very good time all the comments said your playing was great and it really livened up the party and contributed to the atmosphere.

Thanks to you & Alistair for helping us all make Wayne's birthday a memorable occasion.
Lorraine

Hi there Tony
We had a great night on Saturday and I just wanted to thank you and the rest of the band for a fantastic night of song and dance. Every single person has come back to us and said what a great band and it couldn't have been better to have for a party!!! Couldn't agree more, but of course, we already knew that!!!Hope also that you guys had a good time too and it wasn't too uncomfortable a venue.
Had a lot of people come back to our place and it turned into a hell of a party!! Last person left at 6.30am and so it was pointless going to bed at all. Sunday was most definately set at a slower pace!!! So, thanks again Tony, it was indeed a memorable night for us.We couldn't have hoped for better.
Do keep in touch and any time you have any gigs around the area, then let me know and I shall pass it on to all.
Take care and hope to talk to you again soon.
Cheers Shell