A slightly doubtful one for a site dealing only with U.K. and Northern Irish issues, but I'm quietly confident about its inclusion. Solo was an Irish label, related to Release (q.v.). It did most of its business in that country, and copies of its records which surface in Britain are usually imports. The example shown above, however, has a different label design to the Irish version, and the typeface suggests a U.K. pressing. During the period 1970-72 a selected number of Release issues were pressed and issued in the U.K.; the ones that I've stumbled upon so far can be found listed on the appropriate page. 'Sing Irishmen Sing' b/w 'On The One Road' by The Barley Corn was a Top 5 hit in Ireland in 1972, so a British release would seem to make commercial sense. In addition the typeface used is similar to that used for 1972 singles on the British version of Release, which suggests that this single is related to those. The Irish version of the single has the proper red-and-white label with its comparatively complex design, and also has 'Made in the Republic of Ireland' on it. It's possible that these white-labelled copies were just contract pressings, made at a time when Irish presses couldn't cope and intended for export to Ireland, but an actual British issue seems more likely to me. Manufacture was by Pye, who also pressed the U.K. 'Release' singles. Presumably the change from 'Irishmen' (which is on the Irish copies) to 'Irishman' was a typo.
Copyright 2015 Robert Lyons.