Anglo-Irish
writer, born into a family from Limerick
in the west of Ireland who grew up in the
UK. After a spell at art school, early years
saw a host of jobs from telegraphist to
salesman - but it was music that dominated.
After busking all over Europe I rediscovered
Irish music and formed The Spalpeens (lit:
itinerant Irish labourers for hire) playing
all over the UK Europe and Ireland playing
with The Dubliners, Sweeney's Men, The Chieftans
and many others.
I appeared in films such as The
Lion In Winter (Peter O'Toole,
Katherine Hepburn) and Sinful Davey
(John Hurt) and scores of television advertisements.
Later I formed Urban Clearway,
touring and perfoming with artists such
as Elton John, Bert Jansch, Billy Connolly,
Rod Stewart and Long John Baldry.
I co-wrote a Celtic rock opera for the
Edinburgh Festival. Pucka-Ri
starred a young Pierce Brosnan and became
one of the hits of the Fringe before transferring
to the Arts Theatre in London. Latterly,
an earlier spacey, folk-rock album, Freedom's
Lament, recorded by Callinan-Flynn,
has emerged as sought after title on the
Internet and new wave Irish chanteur Sean
Tyrrell has recorded a number of my songs
on recent albums.
Later still I moved into journalism and
PR working with major multinational clients
such as Union Carbide, TI Group and Brooke
Bond Foods as a director in various agencies
and running my own consultancies.
I began to write seriously, producing a
string of screenplays and novels, the first
of which, Fortress Manhattan
was published by Gollancz and the 10
Minute Miracle by HarperCollins
until Ocean House Press published Face
Lift and Bodyswitch.
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