Born to Irish parents in Minnesota, Patrick was raised from the age of two in their native Galway, Ireland. Playing the harmonica as a young boy in Connemara started him on a path to a professional music career that has now spanned nearly four decades. As a dedicated promoter of the Celtic Arts, he performs as a singer and songwriter and a highly respected player of the harmonica, bouzouki, mandolin, button accordion, banjo, and mandola. Patrick is a native Gaelic speaker, and his performances include original and traditional songs in Gaelic.

During his career, he has performed with two excellent bands, The Celtic Folk and the Poor Clares, whose second album, “Change of Habit,” reached the national charts. He has played a multitude of venues including the National Press Club, the D.C. mall on Solidarity day, Notre Dame University, the National Geographic Concert Series, the Milwaukee Irish Festival, and the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival where he represented Celtic Culture for ten years in a row. He played on the island of St. Maarten in the Caribbean and he played the music on the documentary at Antietam Battlefield. He has also performed for a variety of notable audiences including Pope John Paul II, President Reagan, President Herzog of Israel, and Speaker of the House, Tip O’Neill. He provided entertainment at the National Democratic Club for eight years.

His many honors and distinctions include the New Orleans Irish Society’s Coamnuigteoir Award, the Johanna Seither Award from the Celtic Nations Heritage Festival, the D.C. Irish Radio Show’s Musician of the Year Award (6 times), Honorary Citizenship in the town of Kentwood, Louisiana, keys to the city of Alexandria, Virginia, and the Celtic Culinarian Award. Patrick was a founding member of several groups that promote Irish awareness in America. For example, he helped create the Dick Dowling society in Houston, Texas, Americans for Irish Awareness in D.C. and the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Alexandria, Virginia.

He now lives in Lewisburg, West Virginia, where he owned The Irish Pub on Washington Street before selling the pub and playing full time once more. He continues to be active in a variety of venues, including festivals, pubs, concerts, libraries, and schools.