‘That was emotional’

The on stage presentation of a Civic honour to Boomtown Rats bassist and Ballyjamesduff native Patrick Cusack, aka ‘Pete Briquette’, took the world renowned rock star completely by surprise.

Speaking to The Anglo-Celt after the Cavan Calling headline gig, the musician, record producer and composer, who with his band lays claim to having had a number 1 hit in 32 countries, admits to welling up such was the personal significance of the local award bestowed on him.

“I did feel quite emotional. I’d no idea any of that was happening. All I knew was that Bob would probably take the mickey out of me on stage, and so I was prepared for that. I knew he’d say stuff about Ballyjamesduff, and about Cavan, but I’d no idea about a Civic award, and I wasn’t expecting it. I was even getting a bit teary on stage. That was emotional, really emotional. It meant a lot.”

The last time Patrick played Cavan was at the Sports Centre on a solo tour in 1980, alongside Rats’ keyboardist and saxophonist, the late Dave McHale, and backing band ‘Dirty Weekend’.

This was the first time Patrick played Cavan with the band that made him a household name, and he says Cavan can “stand proud” of its efforts in reaching out and forging links with its global diaspora.

“What’s so wonderful about when I come back to Cavan now, compared to what Ireland was like back when I left, is that it bears no resemblance, in a really good way.”

He says of ‘Cavan Day’, the focus of the Cavan Calling homecoming festival: “It was worth every second of the long journey from London, 47 years or whatever it was to eventually get the Rats here.”

Patrick's hope now is that his position as Cavan’s ‘Most Famous Rock Star’ will soon be usurped.

“That has to happen, hopefully soon, and a lot more famous that I am.”

He says to the people of Cavan: “Cavan can stand proud, on par with any European town. On an equal footing in every way, intellectually, culturally, commerce wise, it’s a European town with its own identity, and it’s great, and so dramatically different to the one I walked out of in 1974 or ’75.”