Aidan Mannion

Aidan Mannion was born in 1954 to Gertrude and Gerry Mannion of Circular Road, Sligo, the eldest of eight children. He attended Scoil Fatima, St John’s National School, Summerhill College and Sligo IT, where he studied accounting. He went on to become a Certified Accountant and Fellow of ACCA, later gaining a Diploma in Applied Finance from the IMI, a Diploma in Archaeology in 2001 and a Diploma in Forensic Accounting in 2010.

Aidan began his working life as a trainee accountant with Hamilton, Hamilton and Raftery in Sligo before moving to Dublin, where he worked with Ernst & Ernst and Whinney, Murray & Co. He later returned to Sligo, working as an accountant with NCF and subsequently with Taheny Electrical on Market Street.

Aidan married Dympna O’Neill and together they had three children, Ross, Patrick and Claire, and four grandchildren, Luke, Anna, Zach and Ada.

The Record Room & Sound Records

While still working with Taheny Electrical, Aidan joined Gerry Taheny and Kevin Flannery in opening The Record Room on High Street, which was officially opened by Larry Gogan. Aidan and Kevin continued with the shop after Gerry moved on and eventually emigrated to Australia.

In 1984, Aidan purchased the premises on Grattan Street where The Record Room continues to open its doors today.

Sound Records was established in 1989, releasing the first of approximately 50 albums, Dervish’s The Boys of Sligo. Over the years, the label released music by numerous Sligo artists, including Séamus Tansey, John Regan, Deirdre Collis, Declan Folan and Jnr Davey, Carmel Gunning, Kevin Conlon, Thom Moore and Swallow’s Tail Céilí Band. Other artists included Leitrim’s Margaret O’Rourke, Kildare band Blood or Whiskey, MidWest Radio monologue artist John Duggan and Scotland’s Isla Grant.

In 1990, Aidan opened The Music Room on Harmony Hill, selling musical instruments, computer consoles and games. The Music Room later moved upstairs at the Grattan Street premises in 1998.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, thousands of teenagers from Sligo, Leitrim and Roscommon enjoyed some of their first nights out at The Record Room Hops.

During the mid-1990s, Sligo rock band Indian released numerous singles and albums through Sound Records, charting with songs including Assassination, So Cold and Elvis ’n’ Spiders, while playing to packed venues around Ireland.

In 1997, IOYOU, who would later become Westlife, launched their first release on Sound Records. After signing with Sony/BMG, Westlife returned to The Record Room in 1998 to launch their first two singles.

Aidan and Kevin were also active promoters, organising gigs in Sligo featuring artists including The Hothouse Flowers, Patrick Street and De Dannan. When The Dubliners and The Pogues were at number one with The Irish Rover, Aidan and Kevin brought them to the Sligo Park, where they played to a packed house. They also organised buses to gigs and numerous Slane concerts over the years.

A Passion for Sligo

Aidan had a deep interest in all things Sligo which, combined with his passion for collecting, led him to amass an estimated 70,000 items. His collection ranged from postcards, train tickets and maps to books, deeds, stamps and first-day covers.

He was involved with numerous local heritage and historical organisations and served as a member and past president of Sligo Field Club. He was also involved with the Sligo Famine Committee, Countess Markievicz Committee, County Sligo Heritage Forum and Old Sligo Trade Group.

Perhaps his greatest passion, however, was Sligo Rovers. Soccer had been an important part of Aidan’s life from an early age. He played with Summerhill College, winning an All-Ireland Schools title and travelling to Switzerland for the 1971 European Schools Championship.

Aidan was first brought to The Showgrounds by his mother, while his father Gerry was one of the original trust members. Aidan later served as treasurer of Sligo Rovers during the 1980s and was one of the founders and chairman of the Sligo Rovers Heritage Group. In 2016, the group published The History of Sligo Rovers 1928–2016.