"I’ve dreamt of it" - Faraway Martin comes home to Ballinrobe

THE man called Martin Farragher who became the artist known as ‘Faraway Martin’ has made a triumphant homecoming.

Hometown gigs are no stranger to this proud Ballinrobe man, who for many years has flown home from Qatar to play his mellow, stripped-back ‘Live At The Library’ gigs.

His headline performance at Ballinrobe Festival's ‘Beat On The Street’ was a different kettle of fish altogether – an electric, playful, youthful, and eminently danceable set that had the young crowd bopping along for the guts of 45 minutes.

Flanked by five serious musicians in Luke O’Malley (guitar), ‘Woody’ (guitar), Eoin Grace (trumpet), Gerry Heneghan (drums) and James Conway (bass), ‘Faraway Martin’ has never felt closer to home.

_{Faraway Martin (centre) pictured at Ballinrobe Festival along with Eoin Grace (left) and 'Woody' (right)}

“It was unreal just to have hundreds of people in front of you sing along is just great feeling, in your hometown. I’ve dreamt of it,” an ecstatic and sweat-soaked Martin told The Mayo News after the gig on Abbey Street.

“I’ve seen many people do it before. My own brother did it, so to actually get up there and do it, it was great. The crowd were fantastic.”

They were fantastic because Martin Farragher gave them exactly what they wanted.

In addition to some lively originals like ‘Hold On’, ‘World Gone Crazy’, ‘I Want To Go’ and ‘I Got Fire’, Martin and his able accompanists threw in some cracking covers.

Sing-and-dance-alongs like ‘I’ll Be There For You’, ‘Freed From Desire’ and a flame-throwing Elvis medley were all perfect for a summer festival in rural Ireland. 

Even the slower numbers like ‘Can’t Help Falling In Love With You’ and ‘Three Little Birds’ had the spectators chirping along merrily.

“We don’t do a set list as such. We just go by the crowd,” admitted Martin.

“They were singing along, so we create singalong songs. That’s our favourite type of gig.”      

For several years, life as a teacher in the Middle East has meant hometown gigs have been, at best, annual affairs for Martin Farragher.

But having recently taken full plunge into the music business, that will not be the case for much longer.

“Some days I feel great, some other days I feel less great. Look, life is short. I’m going to give it 110 percent,” he said of his decision to quit teaching to pursue music full-time.

“I put all my eggs in one basket now, I just have to make them hatch, so fingers crossed, they will!”