About Me! Born in 1964 and living in a quiet area 10 miles west of Cork city Ireland called Dripsey for practically all of my life so far! I had a great interest in music from an early age, in particular folk music. I probably got passive inspiration from my older brothers who used to play LP's of "The Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem", "The Dubliners", "Planxty" etc My first instrument was the single row button box (accordion). I then started playing the five- string banjo after receiving some informal lessons from my older brother Tim. I was about eleven at the time. I continued to get tips from him and eventually developed my own style. My first visit to a concert theatre would have been to the Savoy in Cork city to see The Dubliners perform. Even at such an early age, maybe nine years old, this experience won me over to folk music forever!. Luke Kelly became my big inspiration as a folk singer and still is to this day.

In 1980, I met with another young folk singer at a Comhltas Ceolteori session in a local pub with similar interests. We founded a folk group called Crúiscín Lán. His name was Dan O'Sullivan from west Cork and also my brother Tim joined up to form a trio. At this stage I was playing guitar as was Dan and my brother on five-string banjo. Dan soon persuaded shy me to start singing which I did and never looked back. We played pubs and hotel bars throughout Munster and even further a field. I left the group in 1987.
I have since performed mainly in Cork and Kerry and have met some great musicians and befriended many people from all corners of the globe. My main influences in the folk scene would be Luke Kelly of The Dubliners, Tommy Makem particularly as a song writer, The Clancy s, Christy Moore and Pete Seeger and in recent times my great friend Bobby Clancy. I also have a great interest in the five-string banjo, all styles but clawhammer/frailing is my favourite. Collecting fine banjos is also hobby of mine. My main aim is to keep the folk tradition alive and keep singing all the old songs and also the new ones. I have never written songs in a serious mode, but would like to have ago at some stage. I am basically a part-time folk singer and enjoy performing. I have been involved in several recordings mainly as a session banjo player and have recorded a solo cassette in 1996 and a CD album with Dan O'Sullivan in 2001.

We did a small tour in New England U.S.A. and had a wonderful time, thanks to Aoife, Bobby and Finbar Clancy, The Shananagans & Eddie Dillon & Alfie O'Shea. Then I did the normal circuit solo and returned to The U.S. in 2003 with family and performed solo and with The Shananagans. Then in 2004 myself and Dan decided to do a "Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem Tribute Show" at a few venues, most notably "The Village Arts Centre", Kilworth on St. Patrick's Night. It went down a treat, so we worked on it and repeated it On St Patrick's night 2005 and this was just as successful and may produce a live album from same. I took a year out from normal gigging in 2004 and bought myself a digital recording studio and released my first home produced album, "Songs Of The Sea" which has received positive reviews. I have also toured with a Tribute To Luke Kelly Band with Brian Roebuck. Marcus Maloney & Dessie Donnelly. Myself and Dan did a visit to UK and Germany in 2005.  We also recorded  "Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem Tribute Show" at "The Village Arts Centre", Kilworth on St. Patrick's Night 2005 and launched it at the same venue on the same night in 2006, alive album that I mixed and produced. I returned to the U.S. again in June/July 2006 with the family for a vacation basically, thanks to the Kernnedys and Aoife but did some solo gigs and teamed up with my great friends "The Shananagans" for a few gigs also.

 

PAT KELLEHER: Songs Of The Sea Sea songs & shanties from Ireland and other countries presented in traditional folk style.

PAT KELLEHER & DAN O'SULLIVAN: Live At The Village Arts Centre Irish traditional folk music live

PAT KELLEHER & DAN O'SULLIVAN: Take The High Road Together Irish Folk Music