Paddyman.com

I started playing guitar when I was about 15, inspired by my father’s love of music and his accordion playing. After about 6 months of practicing at home, Dad came home one night and announced that we had our first gig in the local pub – The BELLYARD in Monasterevin – as the group that was supposed to play had cancelled! On the night we turned up in matching shirts and set up some speakers he’d rented.

I played very basic chords on the keyboard & guitar and my Dad did all the singing, accordion playing and entertaining out front. It wasn’t long before the pub started to empty! After about an hour, the only people who stayed in the place were the local travellers because they knew they wouldn’t be served anywhere else.

Despite this, there was one drunk fella who stood up to leave and loundly announced to the bar “These are the worst piece of shite band that I’ve heard in all me jaysus life!” My Dad just laughed it off and winked at me as if this was normal behaviour to be learned from. He later said “When something like that happens you have to remember – Don’t Stop Playing No Matter What Happens! Even if the tinker started a fight you just keep going.”

Undeterred by the lack of appreciation for our craft, he then orgainised a regular gig in the HARP BAR in Kildare town. This one was just a sit down, unplugged session beside the open fire. He said the reason we’d been booed in Monasterevin was because of the equipment, so we’d better build up a bit of confidence playing without mikes first before we re-launch the act. And so we did! I sang my first song (Sonny Don’t Go Away) with my Grandad & Dad beside the fire as the ladies in the pub threatened to punch anyone who kept talking while the young lad had a go. I’ve been playing ever since!

When we started off, we called ourselves "Let's Dance"

(One of the songs I learned around then (nearly 20 yrs ago!) was the great song by Shane McGowan of the Pogues – Fairytale of New York see link below for a recent performance of this on MBC.)