Country Sound: farm life helping pass the time for PJ

It has been a summer like none he can remember for Clare singer and farmer, PJ Murrihy. Living in the countryside has enabled PJ to cope better than many with the impact of the coronavirus lockdowns that have had demoralising impacts on so many strands of Irish life since last March.

Immersed in the rural culture of the Banner County, PJ is philosophical about the last few months and the times ahead. “I miss the music and I miss the people but I am lucky that I have a small handy farm of land.

“It keeps me going and I’m tipping away every day looking after the cattle, helping neighbours and all that sort of thing as well. I have plenty for doing which keeps me occupied.

“I do feel very sorry for the younger singers and musicians who have vans on the road and who had a lot of bookings and were making their living full time from it. Others have been impacted greatly too like venue owners, promoters, video production people, studio owners and all the people who came along to shows week after week.”

While many can see no immediate ‘roadmap’ ahead for the music, theatre and arts scene, PJ believes it will all come good in its own time. “Personally I am coping great but I do talk to a lot of musicians and they are feeling a bit lost. Like the price of cattle, it was never down but it came up again It will come around again and it will be better than ever.

“The other thing I have been doing is writing a few songs for Mick Flavin and Margo and Michael English and a few people like that. I always found I got good ideas for songs coming home on the road from long journeys.

“Now, when I am at home, I have been doing much the same, not in any great numbers, but pottering away at them. You could say it is better than drawing little men in the ashes,” laughs PJ referring to the title of one of his own popular songs.

The pandemic in Clare

Clare comes alive every summer with the sound of music. The impact of the restrictions has been huge in the county. The Willie Clancy Summer School attracts huge crowds in the first week of July to Spanish Point and Milltown with legendary sessions of music and Céilís and marquee dancing.

“It was simply cancelled this year like the Rose of Tralee and a thousand other things fell by the wayside. People who had booked houses still came around and just went to the sea and played a few tunes privately.

“Some people have said to me that Lisdoonvarna is like a ghost town compared with what they have been used to every September over the decades. There are some places open that have to try and get by on very limited numbers which I hope gives some much needed employment in the times that are in it.

“The current situation is a dramatic change from our normal way of life. Clare has such a tradition of music and music is the one area of life that has taken such a huge hit since last March when the scene closed down entirely.

“The one area I feel has come into its own is radio which is more popular now than ever. People have a strong bond with the stations that provide good access and play the music they like. This is a good time to release a song as more people are listening to radio than before the arrival of the virus.”

Wagyu herd

Away from the music, PJ keeps busy tending to his herd of Wagyu cattle. “I became aware of the breed a few years ago and I have taken a great interest in them ever since we bought the first ones. Oliver O’Hanlon from Kilcullen introduced the breed to Ireland back in 2008 and has been to the forefront of the Wagyu scene since that. Sure it is great to have something to talk about outside the music these times.”

Meanwhile, PJ is looking forward to brighter days ahead for the scene he loves so well. “I would love to go out again and meet the people and do a few concerts but we’ll wait and see how it pans out. It will all work itself out when it comes back and people will slot in very quickly to what they have been used to over the years. That’s the way of the world.”

Mick Mulhern has a real winner on his hands with his latest release, A Heart That Will Never Break Again. Plaudits are pouring in from all over the country and beyond as radio listeners take a huge shine to Mick’s marvellous interpretation of this gospel song.

The Mayo farmer is chuffed with the response to the single with Tony Allen (of Foster and Allen) lending a huge endorsement to Mick’s rendition of the song. “This is country gospel as it should be and Mick has nailed it to perfection. I don’t think anyone can surpass his version for heart and sincerity. This is the real deal.”

The song was written by the Easter Brothers from North Carolina who also recorded it and it has become an enduring favourite in southern Gospel music in the US. Ginny Hawker from West Virginia, who performed at the Omagh Bluegrass Festival in the Ulster American Folk Park some years ago, also recorded a version of the song.

The current recording by Mick features top musicians Martin Cleary, Ryan Turner and David Doocey. A Heart That Will Never Break Again comes hot on the heels of much success with his recent single, Souvenirs, composed by Niall Finnegan from Gort.