DJ FATZ STILL KEEPING LISTOWEL DANCING
TALK about bringing the Listowel community together from around the world in these times of hardship. Never has the role of DJ been so important to so many, as Mike ‘DJ Fatz’ Kelliher has been demonstrating for the last few weeks – banging out the hits from his turntables at home.
When the pubs closed, it felt like the lights went out for so many – particularly for the publicans and bar staff reeling from the sudden and complete change of lifestyle and livelihood.
But one bar in Listowel has found a brilliant new way of keeping its customers together – and even dancing – despite being completely shut: The Tanker’s Bar on Upper William St.
Landlady Marina Cahill came up with the idea of keeping her customers entertained, with the help of DJ Fatz who, with the aid of social media, has been able to keep his regular Sunday night slot in The Tankers going, much to the delight of everyone.
“Mike would always play in the bar on Sunday nights, from around 6.30pm on, usually finishing up at 10.30pm to get everyone home and ready for work. It’s a hugely popular slot by him, and we decided: why don’t we do this by a different means through the lockdown?” Marina said.
And wouldn’t you know it, but technology had the answer.
“So Mike started doing it from his house over Facebook and the response has just been incredible!” she said.
Marina said she felt quite emotional when she saw how many Listowel people, scattered across the world, started tuning in.
“That was very emotional for me all right, to see that and even my own mother up in Mayo in her 80s has started tuning in too after my sister got her set up on Facebook!
“The response was phenomenal from the get-go. We had 1,400 follow the show the first
Sunday, with Mike getting 1,700 hits on just our third week – it’s unreal!”
Best of all, he started getting requests from the start, with people messaging from everywhere from the US and UK to town to play tunes for friends and relatives.
“It’s like Radio Luxembourg! Especially for the people living abroad who can request tunes for family members they know are listening in,” Marina said.
The hugely popular DJ, well known around North Kerry and West Limerick, meanwhile has the right blend of hits to keep his audience happily dancing from the comfort of their own homes.
“Mike’s keeping it to the hits from the ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s, for the most part, so that there’s something for everyone, and we’re even thinking now of doing a movie-themed event, so if someone requests a song from their favourite film, Mike will be able to play it!”