Biography II


The Sick Note

In 1969 Pat wrote his comedy classic The Sick Note which Sean also began to perform, and the song quickly became a big hit in English and Scottish folk clubs. This song, under a variety of different titles detailed on The Sick Note lyrics page, has since become one of the most widely recorded and popular contemporary folk songs worldwide in the last thirty years. In the early seventies Pat and fiddle player Brian Patton toured all over England and Scotland and in 1977 began to tour in Germany.

The Green Fields of France

Pat also became close friends with The Furey Brother's who also lived in Coventry at the time, and when they returned to live in Ireland he joined them in the fishing village of Dunmore East, Co Waterford. The Anchor Bar in Dunmore East became the local pub of Pat and The Furey's and hosted many memorable music sessions. When the Furey's hit the big time in Ireland with The Green Fields of France Pat played warm up spots with them and also played his share of residencies in the area, among them a stint in Bobby Clancy's Tinvane Hotel in Carrick on Suir, Co.Tipperary.

International Success

In 1980 Pat wrote the classic emigration ballad The Reason I Left Mullingar for The Furey's, another song widely recorded by other artists, and in 1985 Pat won the R.T.E. Irish Radio ballad contest with a satirical song on the subject of The European Community.
Pat's song The Sick Note meanwhile had spread worldwide. In England and Australia the song entered the pop charts titled Murphy and the Brick's by Noel Murphy. In Europe The Dubliners made the song famous under its original title The Sick Note, and in the U.S.A.The Clancy Brother's spread the song coast to coast under the title Dear Boss or Why Paddy's not at Work Today. The song was also a hit in Scottland under the title The Bricklayer's Song, recorded by The Corries.

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