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Cry Before Dawn

Cry Before Dawn
Background information
OriginWexford, Ireland
GenresCeltic rock
Years active1986–1992; 2010–present
Labels
  • Dawn Records
  • Epic
  • Solid

Cry Before Dawn are a four-piece rock band originally hailing from Wexford in Ireland. They released several singles and two albums in the late 1980s and toured Ireland, the UK and US.

Career

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They achieved attention in 1987 in the UK when they released their album Crimes of Conscience on the CBS label. The lead single from the album was "Gone Forever", which was released in Ireland in February 1987 and subsequently re-released there and in the UK in 1988. The follow-up singles were "The Seed That's Been Sown" and "Girl in the Ghetto". The album was a success in Ireland and was critically acclaimed in the UK. The band made an appearance on the UK's Wogan chat show performing "Witness for the World". Their popularity in Ireland was accounted by some to the fact that they came from Wexford, and lyrically their work connected more with the rural Ireland of the time than Dublin. This was reflected in the promotional video for "Gone Forever", which very successfully set itself in an Irish small town. Their success in Ireland did not transfer to the UK however, although they supported Big Country on their 1989 UK "Peace in Our Time" tour.

In 1988 Cry Before Dawn contributed a new track, "Silly Dreams" to the soundtrack of the Irish film, The Courier. Their second album Witness for the World was recorded in Wales and mixed in Los Angeles, California by Greg Ledanyi, and was released to lukewarm reception in 1989, again on Epic/CBS. The lead single, "Witness for the World", reached number 67 in the UK Singles Chart in June 1989, though the two follow-up singles: "Last of the Sun" and "No Living Without You" failed to chart.[1] Around the time of their second album, the band appeared on the cover of the Irish music magazine Hot Press.[2] In 1989, Cry Before Dawn were awarded best Irish group at the Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA) awards, after winning the 'Best Newcomer' award 2 years earlier. After parting with their record company, the band toured Ireland later the same year, after which they decided to split.

This initial disbanding was short-lived, however, and the band reformed with Paul Spencer replacing Tony Hall on guitar. Steve Belton subsequently took on the role of guitarist instead of Paul Spencer. After a single-only release, "To Be True" in 1992, the band parted company again

Brendan Wade subsequently teamed up with Paul Bell to form The Wild Swans, shortened to The Swans in 1999, and renamed again to Bell and Wade in 2000. Their songs were moderately successful in Ireland, being released on Ritz Records and their own record label. Their most successful release was "Dancing at the Crossroads", released to coincide with County Wexford's success in the 1996 All-Ireland hurling final, which reached number 1 in the Irish pop chart.[3]

Brendan now lives in Winterthur, Switzerland and has been performing in music venues around the country, both solo and supporting other artists. Bass player Vincent (Vinnie) Doyle is in the motor trade with his family business in Wexford and drummer Pat Hayes is also living back in Wexford after 12 years in Stockholm, Sweden.

Since 2017,the band have been active once more with original guitarist Tony Hall now back in the lineup and since then the band have continued to play to packed houses around the country

In 2024, the band launched an extensive nationwide tour selling out major venues across the country, including two consecutive nights at the Wexford Spiegeltent and three unforgettable nights at the iconic Whelan’s Main Venue in Dublin. Their explosive performances at prominent international festivals like Forest Fest and Night & Day further reinforced their status as one of Ireland’s premier live acts.

2025 has seen Cry Before Dawn continue to deliver powerhouse live performances around the country, including unforgettable nights at St Luke’s, Cork & The Academy, Dublin

To coincide with their 2025 Irish Tour dates, on 1 August the band released “Open Water”, their first vinyl release since 1989. The 6 track EP was produced by Grammy nominated Chris O’Brien and Graham Murphy at The Production Suite Dublin and débuted at No. 1 in the Official Irish Independent Album Chart, and No. 2 in the overall Official Irish Album Chart

Cry Before Dawn have also played live on TG4 as part of their 2025 Fleadh Cheoil broadcast from the band’s hometown of Wexford, and their performance was seen by approx. 1m people across the globe


Members

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  • Brendan Wade – vocals, acoustic guitar, uilleann pipes and whistle
  • Vince Doyle – bass guitar
  • Pat Hayes – drums, percussion, backing vocals
  • Tony Hall – electric and acoustic guitars

Discography

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Albums

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  • Crimes of Conscience (CBS, 1987)
  • Witness for the World (CBS, 1989)
  • The Best of Cry Before Dawn (Sony Music Ireland, 2011)
  • Live at the Wexford Opera House (CBD, 2011)
  • Open Water EP (CBD, 2025)

Singles

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Year Title Peak chart positions Album
UK IRE
1984 "Follow Me" — — Non-album single
1987 "Gone Forever" 80 11 Crimes of Conscience
1987 "The Seed That's Been Sown" 159 17
1987 "Girl in the Ghetto" 166 24
1988 "Gone Forever" (UK re-issue) 84 —
"Flags" (Ireland only) — —
1989 "Witness for the World" 67 13 Witness for the World
"Last of the Sun" 108 17
1990 "No Living Without You" 107 13
1992 "To Be True" — — Non-album singles
2013 "Is This What You Waited For" — —
2025 "Open Water" — — Open Water

References

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  1. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 128. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  2. ^ irishrock.org - Cry Before Dawn page[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ "Brendan Wade". Brendanwade.com. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
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