Date: Friday 1st May 2015, 8pm till late
Venue: Browne Memorial Hall, foxford, Co. Mayo
When Suze
tte Ruane rang me to ask me to take part in this tribute night, I was only too happy to say yes. Pa was a long standing friend and musical com-padre from my Ballina years. We played together at singer/songwriter nights and session nights in Emmett’s Treffpunkt Bar, a home to great music and talent. I visited his home on a few occasions , working on some songs with him. We kept in touch occasionally. Some months before he died , I had occasion to ring him looking for some information on some musical friends. We talked about the recordings I had started doing and I sent on some demo’s after our conversation. Never once did he mention illness or complain. That was Pa’s way.
It was something of a shock after a day’s recording to emerge from the studio to several missed calls and messages, to inform me of Pa’s passing. The next day’s funeral was touching and deeply moving, meeting his wife , family and old friends. Suzette sang “Thank you for the days” as the coffin was borne from the church and it was so fitting for the way Pa lived and approached life. He appreciated life to the full. Music was his passion, he played with some of the best and was responsible for bringing Henry McCullough to Ballina. How marvelous for Pa when Henry invited him to play with the band on stage in Emmett’s. A perfect night almost until he blew a valve in his amplifier. He fittingly quipped how he had waited for this moment all his life, only for this to occur. But the show went on with a plan B.
My last time meeting Pa at a concert was the Leonard Cohen Lissadell gig. There as always by his side his wife Patricia. I might just have to do a Cohen cover for this gig !!!
Pa’s spirit lives on in music and through the many he started on the musical journey, teaching them licks and songs. He will always live in our hearts. One of the kindest and most sincere musicians and men I have ever met !!
Rest in Peace/Rock in Peace.
Happy to pay tribute to a gentleman !!
