EDDIE DAVIS PASSED away peacefully at his home on Thursday, 27th August 2015, aged 96 years.
He left a fantastic collection of photographs, letters, posters etc. from as early as 1920’s right through to the mid 90’s.
Eddie’s family, therefore, have decided to host an exhibition of this collection in the Arts Centre, Pilots Row in Derry on Sunday April 3.
Photo caption: Eddie Davis (centre) with Manchester United caretaker manager Jimmy Murphy and goalkeeper Harry Gregg in the Old Trafford dressing room shortly after the Munich Air Disaster in 1958
The collection includes old soccer photographs, personal letters, business correspondence re: transfer of players, autographs of famous players and managers, old entertainment photographs with famous stars of stage and screen, boxing pics, charity pics, beauty queens etc. etc.
Eddie had numerous eras in his lifetime, from soccer, Boxing, Showbusiness, Beauty Pageants, Charities, and the centre will be decorated wall to wall with memories.
Soccer: Having began his career here in Ireland with Irish league club Distillery FC at 14 years of age and moving to Cork City in the old Free State league, Eddie transferred to play in England for the then First Division team of Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Having returned home after a few seasons, Eddie again crossed the Irish sea, this time to Southend United, where he was leading goalscorer for two seasons.
With the outbreak of war unfortunately stopping his transfer to Arsenal, he returned home to play a long and distinguished career for his native Derry City.
Indeed, he still holds a goalscoring record of having bagged nine goals in a cup game against neighbouring Coleraine and, on his final game at Brandywell, scored the winning brace against the famous Belfast Celtic outfit.
Having previously turned down the opportunity to return to England to play for Middlesborough FC, he didn’t finish with soccer completely and became a soccer scout.
Eddie was so well connected and respected at most English soccer clubs that he was able to offer any player in Ireland whom he thought had potential, to most clubs in England and Scotland – Manchester United, Celtic, West Ham United, Middlesborough, Leeds Unuted, Blackpool, Bradford City.
An early highlight of his scouting career was when Jimmy Murphy, then assistant manager to Sir Matt Busby at Manchester United, approached Eddie to help him re-build the Manchester Utd team after the Munich air disaster.
Many of those Irish footballers whom he sent over from Ireland, from both north and south of the border, made careers for themselves within the game. Many stayed and made a living abroad, many came home to play for their local Irish league or League of Ireland side.
It once pointed out by a player in the Finn Harps dressing room that, of the 14 players stripped and ready to play, that 12 of them were started on their career by Eddie Davis.
Showbusiness: Through four decades, during 1950’s, 60’s 70’s and 80’s, how many showbands did Eddie Davis manage?
Again, with his contacts in England, Scotland, Canada and, indeed, the USA, how many local musicians benefitted from his management and tours?
Indeed, quite a few of those ended up making a good living for themselves in many of those countries, while others became household names in Ireland and even International celebrities and recording artistes.
The Barristers Showband of 50’s fame were the first Irish band to tour the States and were also the first Irish Showband to record in London’s famous “Tin Pan Alley”.
Again, many bands and musicians, dancehalls and nightclubs all benefitted from his entrepreneurial foresight. Was the Undertones first ‘professional’ gig not in the Stardust Ballroom, which was managed at the time by Eddie?
Following on from this was his launch of the many “Beauty Queen” pageants which still carry on to this day, especially the well-known Rose of Tralee, Maid of the Isles, Derry Festival Queen and Factory Queen.
One of Eddie’s greatest gifts was his charity work.
It is often said that only those involved with charities remember charity workers. But Eddie never promoted himself as such.
He wasn’t a Charity worker, he helped charities and, through his forward thinking, passion, his contacts and his love and devotion to helping others whenever he could … who could forget the big occasions?
The Charity Soccer game in Buncrana in 1964 is still spoken about today – 28 internationals, stars of the stage and screen.
Bert Trautman of Manchester City and German international, a 17-year-old Pat Jennings, Scotland team captain Willy Moir, England team manager Walter Sidebottom, England team captain George Hardwick, singing, stage and film sensation Tommy Steele, showbusiness impresario and broadcaster Eamonn Andrews to name but a few, and many more games to follow throughout North and South of the country involving “legends” playing games for charity.
The Derry Concerts, that took place during the troubles of the 70’s, behind the barricades, St. Mary’s Hall, Creggan, Long Tower Hall, St. Eugene’s Parish Hall, ,culminating in the biggest hometown concert of all in the Guildhall – Joef Locke, Phil Coulter, Dana, Peter Boy & Trend, James McCafferty Orchestra.
Eddie never believed that things were impossible, he just figured out how it could be made possible and did it.
The exhibition will open on Sunday April 3 from 2pm-6pm and daily from Monday-Friday from 2pm-4pm and 7pm-9pm. Everyone welcome, admission free. All charitable donations to McMillan Cancer Care.
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