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Patsy O'Hagan - the Loughshore Bard

Three times Bard of Armagh and Hall of Fame recipient, Patsy O'Hagan is a legend among storytellers.

You only has to listen to his recitations and jokes, to hear the howls of laughter and enjoyment from his audiences.
His sense of observation is hilarious.

By Lough Neagh all his life, Patsy a proud Moortown man, lives on the 'border' with Ardboe.
The podcast pays tribute to the late great Frank McGuigan, Ardboe's most famous son, recalling some of his incredible performances, including a semi-final against Moortown when he was marked by his brother Stephen.

Patsy's father was a fisherman, alas many of the boats have gone from the lough. He was also a trained butcher and he recalls the killing and cutting up of a pig every year, not for the squeamish!

Not a great student but schooldays are fond memories, mostly the joy of walking home and exploring the local nature.

The podcast includes several recitations that won Bard of Armagh titles as well jokes, some 'close to knuckle' that brought tears of laughter, but didn't meet with one Parish Priest's approval!

The prose was not always comedy, with a most poignant poem 'The Child I Did Not Know' later the winning entry for a teenage girl in an All Ireland competition.

Football too brings its fun with a narration before the 2021 All Ireland final meeting with approval of Tyrone manager Feargal Logan!

There is some talent on the Loughshore as Margaret Anne Conlon also features with her beautiful singing of The Old Cross of Ardboe.

Enjoy this podcast!

* Patsy's writing is so good that professionals have been reciting his prose. Please give him the credit when you do so - it's only right!

Thank you to Patsy for gifting us copies of his fabulous CD: 'The Hilarious Holiday In The Sun'.