Pat McManus

Pat was born in rural Co Fermanagh into a farming family

with a music history that goes back generations.Pat's American born

Father John was a top class singer,violinist and saxophonist..whilst his

Mother Valerie was a fabulous singer and bodhrán player.Pat's

parents toured Ireland with their dance band and traditional music.

By the time Pat was 7 years old he often joined his parents on stage.

Early Music Achievements

Royal School of Music - All grades passed with distinction/Violin

Ulster under 16 years - Winner 6 times - Violin

All Ireland - Winner Under 14s - Violin

Fiddlers of Oriel - Winner in adult category at 14 years.

McManus Family Group - 1966 to 1977 - Violin and Guitar.

Many TV appearances from aged 9 years,some of which were :-

Tommy Toy Shop(UTV) Teatime with Tommy(UTV)

Bring Down the Lamp(RTE) Come West Along the Road(RTE) etc

 

1978 - 1994 - Professional Career Commences

Mama's Boys

Originally named Pulse,Pat formed his first Rock Group in 1978 after

 

being inspired by Irish legends Horslips,along with his younger

brothers John and Tommy.The band was renamed Mamas Boys in

1979 when Pat started writing all the original material.

The Band recorded and released eight albums and twenty two

singles.The first three albums were independant releases on their

own label and the first independent single to hit the UK charts was

‘Too Little of Me For You to Love `.This along with a major tour with

Thin Lizzy got the band noticed big time and in 1983 the band signed

with record industry label legend Clive Davis for Arista in the USA and

Jive Records for the rest of the World.The band went on to chart in

the USA,UK,Ireland,Japan,Australia and Europe.Famously with Pats

song ‘Needle in the Groove`,a cover of Slade;s ‘ Mama Weer All Crazee

Now` and later with ‘Waiting For A Miracle `.

Mamas Boys toured continuously worldwide,working alongside such

acts as Horslips,Thin LIzzy,Rush,Iron Maiden,Bon Jovi,Black

Sabbath,Wishbone Ash,Rory Gallagher,Gary Moore,Blackfoot,Stevie

Ray Vaughan,Joe Cocker,The Scorpions and many others too

numerous to mention and of course headlining their own Worldwide

Tours.Mamas Boys were actually the first band ever to play the then

Bercy in Paris,now the Accor Arena which has hosted some of the

biggest acts on the planet.

The band ceased when Pats younger Brother Tommy (Mamas Boys

Drummer) passed away.Pat and John didn’t have the heart to carry

on.

During this time period Pat worked and recorded with many other

acts.Famously on the track ‘Touch You` by Samantha Fox,which was a

Worldwide hit.He also worked with Matchroom Ltd,writing the song

 

‘Judgement Day` for the Benn/Eubank Boxing Event and that led to

working with the new channel "Eurosport" writing theme music and

jingles.

1996 - 2000 - Change of musical direction

Celtus

After the passing of their brother,Pat and his brother John took time

to reflect and came back with a sound that mixed the Irish Traditional

Music of their youth with rock.They were very quickly picked up and

signed by Muff Windwood to Sony Music and a separate publishing

deal with EMI.The band released four albums and singles,one of

which won Best Album at the World Music Awards.Celtus toured and

worked along acts such as Sheryl Crow,Jimmy Nail,Deacon Blue,Paul

Carrick amongst others...

Also in 1996 Pat worked and wrote somewhat with Trip Hop musician

and actor Tricky on hisPre-Millenium Tension album.The album

went on to chart Worldwide.

2000 - to Present Day

In 2000 Pat wished for a career change and moved back to his native

Fermangh from London where he had been living for 16 years,after his

contractual obligations had come to an end.He needed to take a fresh

look at music and in 2001 he also became a music tutor for

Violin,Guitar and Banjo....which continues when possible to this

present day and many of his students have gone on to be award

winners and have careers of their own.

From 2001 to 2007 Pat recorded several tradtional albums including

 

‘Hidden Fermanagh` I and 2,Cool Celi,Melodious Accord - by Jim

McGrath (Winner in the 2007 TG4 Music Awards) etc,and worked on

various cultral events such as the Donegal to Senegal Project.He also

played with Fermanagh friend and masterful flute player Laurence

Nugent on a 6 week US Trad Tour.

In 2007 Pat was chosen as one of the tradtional musicians to

represent Northern Ireland at the 41st Smithsonian Festival in

Washington DC on the lawns of The White House.

During this period Pat also worked along side Robyn Robins formerly

of the Bob Segar Band,who happened to be living in Fermanagh and

producing albums for many various artists.Pat was his go to man for

guitar and violin.Also he joined two bands - Indian and The

Painkillers,touring,recording and doing TV work.

In late 2007 Pat took a gamble and formed his own ‘ Pat McManus

Band` a Rock and Blues Power Trio,which led to the writing and

recording of his first solo album.Soon enough the music industry and

venues were eager to see what Pat was up to and the touring

commenced again,playing at many prestigious venues and festivals

both at home and abroad...including Guitare En Scene in France,

Patrimonio Guitar Festival in Corsica...and many,many blues and rock

festivals across Ireland,the UK and Europe .The PMB have been

closely associated with the International Rory Gallagher Festival in

Ballyshannon (Rory’s birthplace)since day one.The band has been very

successful and 7 further albums and three live DVDs and two live CDs

have been produced on Pats own independant label,working with

international distribution labels.

 

Over his career Pat has written and performed for many other artists

and bands.His music has also been used on many TV series and

films.To name a random few - Eastenders,Ramsey;s Kitchen

Nightmares,The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (South American

Trailer)Butterbrot(German Film with Hollywood Composer Harald

Kloser)SeaQuest,Galway Races(TV Trailer),Taggart etc.

At the end of the day Pat always returns to the music he was born

into and that is Irish Traditional Music, and he still works with many

of his traditional music friends on a regular basis.

Pat is still very much a full time rock and blues musician touring still

with his own power trio and just last year he teamed up with old

friend and fellow musician Brendan Reaburn for Brendans new

project ‘When Ireland Rocked’ and a cast that includes Cormac

Neeson of ‘The Answer;,Jimmy Brennan and Chris Carney.

Known to many as ‘The Professor’ and also as ‘The Gentleman of

Rock; Pat in the last few years has been honoured three times with

Lifetime Achievement Awards.For the most recent award in the Rory

Gallagher Theatre in Ballyshannon Pat was joined by his friends,family

and fellow musicians for a gala concert celebrating Pats life in

music.In 2024 Cherry Red Records released a commemorative boxset

of the early Mama’s Boys albums.

The Irish Times has named Pat as one of the five most influential Irish

guitar players and such quotes as ‘Monumental `,’Master of the six

string ` and ‘Eye watering guitar work`...but through it all Pat says he

just loves to play music.Music he believes is the great connector

which links us to times enjoyed,memories ,our ancestors and the

future.