How Rory Gallagher’s ultimatum saved Taste’s first drummer from the Tuskar Rock tragedy

It’s not everyone who can claim that rock ‘n’ roll saved their life, but that’s a boast that former Taste drummer, Norman Damery, who passed away recently, could most assuredly make. When it happened, he thanked the man responsible, his friend Rory Gallagher.

Rory’s brother, Donal, who was later to become Rory’s manager and the custodian of his legacy after his death in 1995, explained how the Irish guitar legend’s desire to form a fully professional Taste saved his life.

“Rory had been away in Kiel in Germany with the remnants of The Impact Showband – they had got as far as London as the showband, but the showband element sort of gave up, so Rory continued on with the bass player, Oliver Tobin and drummer, Johnny Campbell.

“That was Rory’s first three piece before Taste as such, and he had already transformed them into a rhythm and blues combo but when he came back to Cork later that year, 1966, the scene had changed a lot and the big group in town were The Axills.

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“The Axills were a four piece with Norman on drums, Eric Kitteringham on bass and they had two guitarists, Peter Sanquest and Doc Greene. Eric invited Rory to go and see them at this small club under St Luke’s Church in Summerhill North and I remember going there with Rory to see them.

“They clicked and they were looking to replace Peter Sanquest, who was leaving – they were a semi-professional outfit but Rory wouldn’t do that so he said to the others, Eric and Norman, would they form a new band with him and basically that’s how Taste come about.

“But Norman had a problem in turning professional as he worked for [insurance company] Norwich Union and was in line for promotion and due to go to the UK to do further training. Rory said to him, ‘It’s either turn professional or I’ll have to find another drummer’ so Norman quit his job with Norwich Union.”

Fast forward to March 24th 1968 and Taste, after a residency in Hamburg, had become the hottest rock outfit in Ireland and were playing The Maritime Hotel, an R & B club in Belfast, when word came through of the worst aviation disaster in Aer Lingus’s history: the Tuskar Rock Tragedy.

Aer Lingus Flight 712, a Vickers Viscount 803 named St Phelim, en route from Cork Airport to London Heathrow, crashed into the sea near the Tuskar Rock, off Co Wexford, killing all 61 passengers and crew on board in a crash whose cause has never been established over 50 years later.

Donal Gallagher took up the story: “It was a Sunday night and I think Taste had come offstage after playing the gig and word came through of the terrible Aer Lingus air disaster at the Tuskar Rock.

“We were all very shaken by it, but I remember Norman turning very pale and going silent and he turned to Rory and said, ‘Whatever turns out for me professionally now is a bonus. You saved my life because I was due to go England on that flight to do my Norwich Union management training.’”

“Norwich Union had sent another lad in Norman’s place, and he died with all the others, who were nearly all were from Cork, so it was a huge blow to the city, but Norman’s story was bizarre. It was a real roll of a dice that he had gone professional with Rory rather than stay with Norwich Union.”

The band went on to record some demo tracks in Belfast before moving to the UK, where a residency at the famous Marquee Club on Wardour Street in Soho led to the band being picked up by Polydor, but with a different drummer and bassist.

“So, they brought in Richard McCracken on bass and John Wilson on drums and Eric and Norman returned to Cork so the only proper recording of Taste, Mark I, was that demo single they cut for Major Minor Records in Belfast, ‘Blister on the Moon/Born on The Wrong Side of Time’,” Donal said.

Donal revealed that he was in regular contact with Damery over the years and particularly since he moved back to east Cork during Covid 19 pandemic.

“It really marks the end of the original Taste of course with Eric passing away in 2017 – and although Norman left Taste in 1968, he and Rory remained friends until Rory’s death in 1995 – it really was very sad to learn of his passing as he was a gent and delightful company.”

A stalwart of Sunday’s Well Boating and Tennis Club, Norman Damery, who lived at Fennells Bay near Crosshaven, died last weekend at Cork University Hospital at the age of 75 after a short illness and, predeceased by his wife Mary who died last October, he is survived by his son, Aynsley.