Patrick’s jumping for joy ahead of INEC show

Fergus Dennehy talks to Ballylongford man, Patrick O’Mahony, about his six year stint in ‘Riverdance’, learning dance from the maestro himself, Jimmy Smith, performing for Michelle Obama and her children in Dublin and what he hopes to do in the future.

ANYONE who in the space of twenty minutes can tell you that they have been the lead male dancer in ‘Riverdance’ for over a year now and has also danced for Michelle Obama and her children - that’s when you know that this is a person worth chatting to.

This week, the man with the hugely impressive résumé is none other than 32-year old Patrick O’ Mahony from Ballylongford - son of Kathleen and Tommy Joe O’Mahony from Rusheen.

Patrick is preparing to return home to Kerry next month where he will make his INEC and his ‘Riverdance’ debut.

His first memory of seeing ‘Riverdance’ performed was when he went to watch it with his grandmother Phil Prendergast - an experience that he said left him “blown away.”

Although he has now been part of the hit musical show for six years - having secured that coveted call up back in May 2012 - he said that getting to perform in Kerry in front of his friends and family this time around will make the shows extra special.

“It’s very nice to be able to perform it down here in Kerry in front of friends and family. They are all messaging me asking me when am I playing which is lovely,” said Patrick, speaking to The Kerryman on Thursday.

“I’ve been performing in Dublin since I started ‘Riverdance’ and I’ve been doing the Gaiety Theatre up there. It’s always hard to get people up to Dublin to come see it,” he laughed.

Patrick’s journey to ‘Riverdance’ stardom was one which started from the earliest age possible - at the scarcely believable age of 18 months - and he hasn’t looked back since.

He won his Munster title at just seven years old and claimed his first All-Ireland title back in 1995.

His first forays into dancing came under the tutelage of Kerry’s dancing master Jimmy Smith - a mentor and a friend that Patrick still regularly visits on his journey’s home.

“I started off with Jimmy Hickey and I was doing the set dancing and stuff and I think I was around six years old then when I moved to Jimmy Smith and the ‘Rinceoirí Na Ríochta’ dance group in Tralee,” he said.

“I was also doing set dancing classes outside of the school when all of a sudden - I don’t know what woman it was - but she went up to my nana and my mother who used to bring me to dancing class and told them that I needed to be brought to Jimmy Smith,” he continued.

“That’s when I first met Jimmy and started to learn the proper Irish dancing. He has been such a massive influence on not just my career but so many others as well. I mean, if you think about it, he’s got all the great male dancers - he’s got Tomás Ó’Sé, myself and he had Seán Flemon at one point,” he said.

“It’s always great boy dancers that he produces from his school. He’s just got this great old style, rhythm and simplicity - that’s what he likes. He’s like your friend when you come to class,” said Patrick.

Under the ever watchful eye of Jimmy, Patrick developed into the dancer that he is today - a dancer that was not only an ensemble part of the successful ‘Riverdance’ troupe, but also a dancer who rose up above the rest to claim the lead

male dancer role as his own - a role he said he is honoured to have.

“When they came and asked me if I wanted to be the lead male dancer on the show, it was such an honour. It’s one of my career highlights to date.”

The role does comes with a lot of responsibility as well though and Patrick said that there is no room for shyness or weakness in his on-stage performance.

“As a lead, you have to take control and take charge of the stage. You can’t let anybody else over power you. Obviously then when the lead girl comes out on stage, you have to share the stage with her but still be in power, if that makes any sense?” he laughed.

For Patrick, the honour of being named as the male lead is matched by only one other experience in his career and when that experience involves performing for the Obama clan, you can understand the Ballylongford man’s pride.

“Michelle and her kids were in Ireland and she hired out the whole Gaiety Theatre for the ‘Riverdance’ performance. She also invited a number of under privileged kids - who other wise would not have been able to afford to see the show - to the theatre on the night,” said Patrick.

“At first, we weren’t told who we were going to be performing to. I mean, we got there and there was metal detectors and snipers everywhere but once we remembered that the Obama’s were in town, we put two and two together,” he continued.

“Afterwards then, we got to meet her and take photos with her and she was a really, really nice person so that was a big milestone for me for sure,” he said.

With regards to his upcoming shows in Killarney, Patrick is promising a high octane energy show and night out for anyone who comes to see the shows on September 12 to September 16.

“The only way that I can describe this ‘Riverdance’ experience is that it’s a very authentic one,” he said.

“The music is amazing, we are performing to Grammy award winning music every single night. The costumes and the lighting are amazing. Just everything about the show is pristine, I love it,” he continued.

Tickets for the show’s five nights are currently on sale from the INEC box office and website and they are set to cost from €35 upwards.

As for the future, Patrick is already looking forward to helping celebrate the 25 year anniversary of ‘Riverdance’ from 2019 onwards.

Until then though, Patrick is busy spending all of his time offstage studying to be a personal trainer and nutritionist which he says will aid in his future dancing.

Jimmy has been such a massive influence on not just my career but so many others as well. He’s just got this great old style, rhythm and simplicity - that’s what he likes.