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Wednesday, 6 March 2013

Helen Dooley


A colleague of mine, Helen Dooley, was a member of The Dooleys, a British pop group who achieved several top-ten hits on the UK charts between 1977 and 1982, including "Wanted", "A Rose has to Die" and "The Chosen Few". The group comprised of eight members - six of them Dooley siblings! Helen moved to South Africa in 1983 to live with her sister Anne and brother-in-law Bob, both ex Dooley members. Together they formed a new band called Shiraz entertaining the local public with their much-loved songs and music. I am fortunate to share an office with this incredibly funny and multi-talented lady. When she turned 50, I just had to capture some snippets of her amazing life!
 

The Cover

 
Little tags with interesting information about 11 July 1961
 

A gift for Helen
 
 
Always smiling!
 
 
Life as a Super Star
 

The Dooleys and Album Covers
 
 
Shiraz with Terry, Anne, Helen & Bob
and bottom picture
Chenin with Anne and Helen
 

Extended Dooley Family Tree
 
 
The Office
 
 
Photo Guide for Office Photos
Recognize some Movie Titles?
 

Office Girls having a laugh
Helen, Erna & Jo
 

Funny Girl!
 
 
Always the Entertainer!
 
 
And finally, a gift to a special friend!
 
Unfortunately the photo quality is not very good
but I hope you enjoyed the few selected pages
 from the album.
 

11 comments:

  1. Love all the detail!

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  2. Erna, what a wonderful story and gorgeous album! I know your friend will treasure this gift from your heart for many years to come!

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  3. I had the pleasure of meeting the lovely Helen Dooley as a member of The Dooleys a number of times as they travelled up and down the UK. Lovely lady, as are her sisters, and a truly great family. I even travelled to Somerset West for the groups reunion at Helderberg Nature Reserve in 2006, as I said on various websites 'If they ever have a reunion, I will be there'. Even though it was so far, I had to be there, and it was well worth it :-) I met another special lady that day too, Annie Dooley. I said to her that I had been a fan of the family for many years, she smiled, leaned towards me and proudly replied 'So have I' :-)

    Mike Williams
    No1 Dooley fan x

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  4. Love it. The girls were as fit as butchers dogs. I'd have crawled over broken glass to get near them when I was sixteen. - Still would, but the wife would kill me.

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  5. Hi Erna. This is a long shot, but I wonder if you could help me out please. I am getting married this summer 2015, and would like to play a Dooleys song at my wedding. I require the permission of the copyright owner to the song....and I am not sure where to start. Would you be able to contact Helen on my behalf somehow please? Thank you in advance.

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  6. good records and good singers live too

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  7. just got the albums on CD that i had on vinyl years ago and still listen on headphones and in the car....

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  8. The Foley’s what a band best night out I had for years in the 80ties still got a crush on her
    All the best

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  9. I was in Helen’s class at primary school!

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  10. She went to St Aiden’s RC primary school. Not sure what secondary school she went to. Her lovel Mum was our church’s organist.

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