In honour of St Patrick’s Day, Caroline McEneaney spoke to Declan O’Sullivan about his transformation into singing funnyman Paddyman.
How long have you been performing as Paddyman in the UAE?
Shortly after I arrived in Dubai in 2005, I went into Fibbers with my guitar to sing a few songs for friends from the local Irish Gaelic football team. I got a call from the owner the next day to ask if I would like to do that every Thursday night. I agreed, and that was eight years ago! In 2011, I started playing music full time.
How did you come up with the idea for Paddyman?
I’ve been playing music in Irish bars since I was 15 years old. Besides performing the usual singalong pub favourites like ‘Fields of Athenry’ and ‘Galway Girl’, I always enjoyed entertaining people with funny songs. I learned some of them growing up in Ireland (like ‘Bang Bang Rosie’ and ‘Did You Ever Get A Ride In A Tractor?’) and I always loved the fun they created. After moving to the UAE, I decided to wear a leprechaun hat and beard while performing the funny songs so everyone could clearly see I was joking. This became the most popular part of my performances, so I decided to create a brand to represent the character. Thus, Declan O’Sullivan became Paddyman.
Where do you get the ideas for your songs and how often do you come up with new ones?
I am largely inspired by things that happen (to me and others), my surroundings and the people I meet. Most of the songs I write are designed to make people laugh, so they come from an idea or a story that I found funny. ‘Sweet Home Al Sharjah’ was inspired by being stuck in slow-moving traffic in that lovely Emirate a few times. ‘Irish Paddy Style’ and ‘Welcome To The Hotel Burj Khalifa’ were the results of wanting to parody two well-known songs (‘Gangnam Style’ and ‘Hotel California’). I come up with new ideas nearly every day and I email myself each time I think of something that may be worth developing.
Are there any new additions to your show this year?
I followed the success of ‘Irish Paddy Style’ with a YouTube video for ‘Welcome To The Hotel Burj Khalifa’. I had great fun recording the video as it was shot in the Armani Hotel, Burj Khalifa. Another popular song at the gigs these days is a parody of ‘Jai Ho’, which was written for my first gig in India a few months ago. In terms of costumes, I often wear green shoes, and I recently added an illuminated green tie to complement the leprechaun hat and beard! I have a new suit and a custom-made illuminated guitar, which will make their debut on Paddy’s weekend this year!
Catch Paddyman at PJ O’Reilly’s in Le Royal Meridien on March 14 at 1pm and 6pm, and every Wednesday night. Khalifa Bin Zayed Street (02 674 2020).
