"Listening to Paddy sing you realize the extra element that he adds to each lyric separates mere music from art. The man is an artist." (D. Fouts, Landmark Gallery, Maine)
Paddy's first CD, Far from the Land, launched in March 2005, enjoyed receptive acclaim during Cork's European Capital of Culture celebration 2005, followed by a debut tour in the USA. The Cork Southern Star, wrote : "If you enjoy a good Irish song performed with passion and feeling, get yourself a copy of 'Far from the Land', the debut CD album of Cork tenor Paddy Homan".
Paddy told the 150 guests at the Mercury Lounge launch: "The theme which weaves together these songs is a love of Ireland expressed through her ancient and contemporary songs. That love and passion were carried across the oceans by the emigrant Irish, reinvigorating the musical traditions of those who remained at home. These are songs I learned in my youth and in my travels".
Selections from Paddy's CD have been featured on Maine Public Broadcasting, [ A Cultural Conversation on Morning Classic Music March 14, 2008] ,on Irish radio stations in Chicago, New York and Boston, and on Ireland's RTE radio program Failte Isteach and Cork's 96FM.
Paddy hails from Fairhill in the Northside of Cork City. His interest in Irish music and old Irish airs surfaced at an early age as a pupil of the North Monastery (the North Mon) Christian Brothers primary school. He won the Tenor Solo competition in the coveted Feis Maitiu competition in 2001 and the Thomas Moore Cup for his performance of Thomas Moore's Old Irish airs such as Oh Breathe Not His Name and The Last Rose of Summer.
"I can never explain quite how I learn a song! I may have it in my head for a long time and think about it whilst not actually doing anything about it. Irish music has the ability to capture the listener within the tune/story that is being relayed by the singer/musician. For centuries the sean nos singers were to be the voice of the people and their songs reflected the mood of the people of the time. In sean nos singing, the singer is meant to be no more than the instrument by which the song/story is related to the people. Sean O' Riada of Cork was perhaps the best proponent of this as manifested in his orchestral arrangement of Roisin Dubh for the Irish history documentary, Mise Eire (1959). O'Riada was able to transpose the struggle of a nation over 800 years into a musical score that was recognisable to the Irish people. The songs of old become songs of celebration of who we are and what we have had to endure to get where we are today. They become living songs, sung by the singer, a voice among many who becomes the voice for many. In celebratory joy they exclaim, 'Is Mise Eire', I am of Ireland and these are the songs of my people.”
Press Coverage of Paddy
