Michael O’Shea was a musician from Carlingford, Co Louth who released one self-titled album in 1982 that is now regarded as a masterpiece of the Psychedelic Folk genre. Michael played a self-made instrument he called “Mo Chara” (my friend), made from part of an oak door rescued from a skip in Munich, Germany in 1978. The instrument was inspired by the Hammered Dulcimer, but Michael added amplification and effects lending it a strong sense of otherworldliness. Its sound is steeped in Celticism but also resonant of the cultures Michael absorbed on his travels in the East. In this programme Paul McDermott tells Michael’s story. Michael’s sister Rita and his friends and contemporaries offer a portrait of a travelling street musician who went AWOL from the British Army; spent time as a relief worker in Bangladesh; travelled the streets of Europe playing experimental music; played in Ronnie Scott’s infamous jazz club and supported Ravi Shankar at the Royal Festival Hall.
https://soundcloud.com/the-lyric-feature/no-journeys-end-20-june
https://soundcloud.com/paulmcder/mi...37eACRMaZAYWFbBDOib5ZNasstmrk6pZp_2EWHh6a53cQ
https://soundcloud.com/the-lyric-feature/no-journeys-end-20-june
https://soundcloud.com/paulmcder/mi...37eACRMaZAYWFbBDOib5ZNasstmrk6pZp_2EWHh6a53cQ
