Description:Family and traditional Irish life:-
Pat has 7 siblings- 5 boys and 2 girls
all Limerick born.
Pat's family had a happy, humble upbringing -lots of hand me down clothes- often went to school in the summer with no shoes on. They received free boots however in
the winter from the Irish Government.
Pat learnt to play the accordion from his father, who was a keen musician who played in a local ceilidh band. Irish music, dancing and storytelling were really significant. He can remember being scared witless as a child sitting round the fire listening to older folk tell ghost stories and folk tales.