Calling the Class of '83!

The picture above was taken circa 1989 in The White Pheasant bar in Portrush.

On the right you can see Mr Jonny Lennox, frontman of legendary schoolboy band (in my world, at least) The Fix. Just in the corner of shot is bass player, Mr Paul Beattie. And hidden from view is drummer Mr Shaun Giffin.

The rest of the picture is made up of schoolboys and girls from The Triangle area (I'm the gormless-looking one in middle holding the pint glass). There is only one individual in the photo who I can say for certain was 18 at the time.

Ladies and gentlemen, those were indeed the days.

Jonny put this picture up on Facebook only a few days ago, and his timing could not have been better. Because all three band members were in my year at Coleraine Inst. And, for the past few weeks, a handful of us had been talking about trying to put together a reunion. Sight of this picture convinced me immediately that we had to have a go and, on Wednesday, I sent out e-mails to Facebook friends from the Class of '83 to establish interest.

The response to those e-mails plus some phone calls, texts and the efforts of others - particularly hairless, clueless copper Sean Fitzpatrick - has meant that we are now going ahead and Sean has even booked the venue (owned by another ex-classmate).

The event will take place on Saturday 19 June in The Playhouse, Portrush - almost (and possibly even exactly) 20 years to the day since the last of us walked out of the school gates for the final time after finishing our 'A' Levels.

The exclusive news is that, since Wednesday, two of the three members of The Fix have agreed to reform for one night only in what will be their first performance since 1993. And Shaun - who now lives in the United States - has not ruled out making it back to complete the line-up.

As you might imagine, it should be quite a night.

(NB: If you are from the Class of '83 and haven't yet been contacted about this, please get in touch with me ASAP. It'll be a laugh, I promise).