We play traditional Irish songs and music, plus some of the greats from the Pogues and Waterboys back-
catalogues. Book us now for: Parties, weddings, St. Patrick’s week, pub gigs or any general celebration!!
The band can vary in size between a trio and a six-piece, depending on what you need, and we usually play around
1hr40mins of music, with a break in the middle. We have also been known to work as a backing-band for Céilí.
Our repertoire includes some fifty or so songs and tunes (see below), including favourites such as:
‘Dirty Old Town’, ‘Whiskey in the Jar’, ‘Fairytale of New York’, ‘Fisherman's Blues’, ‘Wild Rover’
and many, many more... We can also sometimes do special requests, if given advance notice.
We supply our own equipment - unless otherwise specified - and additionally we can provide interval background
music (this is NOT a substitute for a full-on disco!) to create a complete evening/afternoon of entertainment!!!
Covering a broad area of South-East England (and potentially further - ask us for a quote), we have been receiving
rapturous applause everywhere, from: Community Clubs to Function Halls to Pubs to Colleges to Steam Fairs to...
A Few Testimonials:
1) "...Thanks for playing at our wedding reception. I know we thoroughly enjoyed the evening
and have received lots of comments from friends and family who thought you were great."
2) "...The music was just what we wanted, and it clearly went down a storm with the guests
- we had an excellent night."
3) "...Guys, Thanks for playing our wedding in Bournemouth. It was an amazing set. Everyone
has said how good you were and it really made the wedding. It was brilliant. Thanks again!"
4) "...Everyone loved it. The choice of music and dances seemed to be pitched perfectly for
the audience and your caller did a superb job."
5) "...Just a quick note to thank you and the rest of the band again for such a fantastic night last Saturday.
I'm sure I left you in no doubt how impressed I was anyway, but I wanted to let you know that I've
had non-stop calls and emails from our guests saying how brilliant they all thought you were."
6) "...Thank you so much for performing at my 40th. As I selected the group from the Internet lottery
without ever seeing them play, I did run the risk of The Muppet Show band turning up, or worse…
a no show. Credit must go to lastminutemusicians.com, with its customer testimonials, for my choice
and like all the others I am so pleased that I chose The Cracklin’ Griffins. Communications were
fluid and organisation was commonsensical; set-up was well orchestrated and the performance was
fantastic, with a well segued set, easing guests onto the dance floor. When everyone I have
spoken with since the party mentions how great the band was, it confirms that it wasn’t just my
'three sheets to the wind’ disposition that made the night so enjoyable. Thanks again."
7) "...We would like to say a special thank you for you playing at our wedding on the 5th
March, you were BRILLIANT! Everyone enjoyed themselves and I think it will be a
talking point with our Irish family for years!"
8) "...I can't reiterate enough how please with choosing the Cracklin' Griffins for our wedding.
You guys were soooo good! Well, as for your toughest critics 'the many Irish' guests who
attended our wedding. Their response was "where did you find an Irish band as good as you
outside of Ireland!" So I think that's a pretty good testament!
Put simply, you guys were simply the best."
You can check past and future live dates at our EVENTS page, get
the answers to Frequently Asked Questions (recommended for anyone
thinking of booking the band) or you can purchase MERCHANDISE.
To hear what we sound like you could visit our myspace page, where it's possible to listen to
whole songs. Or if you prefer short 30-second samples, then click on these buttons below:
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are:
Big Jim Best - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Banjo & Tin Whistle
Rich 'Pickings' Boyle - Banjo & Backing Vocals
Emma Clarke/Annie Messerschmidt - Fiddle
Ash Jones - Bouzouki/Banjo/Mandolin (or Bass) & Backing Vocals
Nick 'The Wriggler' Riggles - Mandolin (or Bass)
Rikki 'The Verger' Borkum - Bass
Tom Woerndl/John Gardner - Drums, Percussion & Backing Vocals
(+ occasionally: Mike O'Mara, Keely 'Gallagher' McDonald, Sarah McLaughlin on Banjo, Fiddle, Pipes, Whistle, Bodhran...)
For email enquiries contact:
johnmgardner(at)gmail.com
Or for telephone enquiries contact John on:
01273-749687/07866-217737
Songs & tunes that we regularly do:
The Irish Rover, Rocky Road to Dublin, Sally MacLennane (Pogues), The Rare 'ol Mountain Dew, The Black Velvet Band, Smugglers, Streams of Whiskey (Pogues), The Raggle-Taggle Gypsy, All for me Grog, The Leaving of Liverpool, Molly Malone, Broad Majestic Shannon (Pogues), South Australia, The Mason's Apron, Liverpool Lou, The Auld Triangle, The Song with No Name (Shane MacGowan), Greenland Whale Fisheries, Tell Me Ma, The Fields of Athenry, Galway Girl (Steve Earle), White City (Pogues), A Man you don't Meet Every Day, Boys from the County Hell (Pogues), Ballydesmond Polkas, Come Out Ye Black and Tans, Seven Drunken Nights, Ride Forever (Paul Gross), McAlpine's Fusiliers...
Others that we also do:
The Foggy Dew, Bang on the Ear (Waterboys), A Pair of Brown Eyes (Pogues), Drowsey Maggie (reel), If I should Fall from Grace with God (Pogues), The Irish Washerwoman, Paddy Works on the Railway, Thousands Are Sailing (Pogues), The Wild Colonial Boy, Finnegan's Wake, John Ryan's/Dennis Murphy's (jigs), Jesse James, Raglan Road, Kesh Jig, Follow me up to Carlow, Foggy Mountain Breakdown, The Recruiting Sergeant, A Rainy Night in Soho (Pogues), Duelling Banjos, Brown Eyed Girl...
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