Formed in 1979 by Derry-born duo of songwriter/guitarist Mickey Stephens and guitarist Dougie Gough, the pair initially recorded some demos with producer Mudd Wallace (R.I.P.) at Homestead Studios. Bass player Roe Butcher (ex The Xdreamysts) and drummer Paddy McNicholl joined the band and their demo tapes soon caught the attention of Terri Hooley. Terri duly signed the band to his Good Vibrations Records and asked them to record an album for his label.

The Mighty Shamrocks (see above, L-R, Mickey Stevens, Roe Butcher, Dougie Gough and Paddy Nicholl R.I.P.) began recording with the late great Mudd Wallace in 1980 and the sessions continued for two years. The music they developed in the studio blended country with punk and jazz influences, a style that was unusual for a Northern Irish scene dominated by urban punk bands like The Outcasts, RUDI and Stiff Little Fingers. The Shamrocks featured on an episode of BBC Television's "Rock Goes to College" in 1983 (see below). They also supported Elvis Costello at the National Stadium in Dublin and appeared on the same bill as Joe Cocker, Dave Edmunds and Nick Lowe at the Ulster Hall. For the most part, however, the Shamrocks played obscure clubs and bars around Northern Ireland, at the height of the Troubles and during the Hunger Strike of 1981 That same year they released their debut single "Condor Woman"/"Stand Up In Public" on Strong Records.

In 1982 their debut album, under the working title "Potatoes Are a Virtue" was completed just as Good Vibrations had filed for bankruptcy. Terri Hooley tried to interest English and American labels such as EG and Warner Brothers in the album, sadly with no success. Terri is quoted as saying that it was one of his biggest regrets, not releasing The Shamrocks album at the time. Although the Shamrocks album was not released officially until nearly thirty years later, bootleg copies circulated on the Irish music scene in the '80's and '90's. The album took on a cult status and influenced Irish artists like Energy Orchard's Bap Kennedy, who called the Shamrocks his favourite Irish band and credited Mickey Stephens as an influence on his song writing.

The analog master tapes of the album were lost, but in 2011 a digital copy resurfaced and the album was finally released on Good Vibrations in 2012. The album was titled "Paddy" in honour of the Shamrocks’ drummer Paddy McNicholl who died in March 2012, just a few months before the album was released in July. The Mighty Shamrocks toured Ireland in support of the release that August with Paddy's son Sam McNicholl at the drum stool. The album received a five star review from Gavin Martin in Uncut Magazine and was hailed as a lost masterpiece of roots Americana in No Depression and PopMatters.

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