Dessie O'Halloran's life, times and music to be celebrated on TG4

A DOCUMENTARY celebrating the life, times and music of renowned Irish singer Dessie O’Halloran will be screened on TG4 on Christmas Day at 10.25 p.m.

Dessie: Glór Na Bó Finne follows Dessie’s cousin and long-time collaborator, John O’Halloran, as he goes on a journey to find out about this enigmatic and quiet man from Inisbofin.

From Inisbofin to London to Galway and across the big stages of the world, the programme tells the life and times of Dessie O’Halloran through performances with well-known musicians, unique archive and previously unseen footage filmed with Dessie before he died in 2019.

At the age of 62, Dessie stepped on the big stage for the first time. As he was introduced, five thousand people jumped to their feet… he brought the house down…. all he did was say 'Hello'.

Nowadays he would be called a late bloomer, finding fame in his 60s, ‘discovered’, as it were, by Sharon Shannon in a pub on Inisbofin.

It didn’t take Dessie long to win the hearts of traditional Irish music audiences around Ireland and internationally. With his unusual singing style and his popular catchy songs, drawing on the deep well of sean nós tradition, Dessie’s voice was often misunderstood yet at the same time revered by many.

For as many people who loved his songs and music there were as many who didn’t. The marmite of the traditional Irish music world, people either loved him or hated him….not him…never him…his singing.

Audiences loved him. He sang in an old style that sounded like it belonged in pubs more than in concert halls. Yet whenever Dessie stepped on stage, he brought the house down.

He toured with Sharon Shannon and his songs were huge hits. Songs like ‘Say you love me’, ‘Katie Daly' and ‘Courting in the Kitchen’ were favourites with audiences.

But what was it about this man that was so unique? Where did he come from? How did he get to be so popular? And what was it about him that had so many people talking, dancing and even scratching their heads as to why he was so popular?

This warm-hearted programme celebrates Dessie’s life, piecing together his musical and career journey, illustrating why he was so popular.

With previously unseen footage filmed of Dessie, live concert footage, and never before seen archive this programme follows Dessie’s footsteps from Inisbofin to the big stage every step of the way showing why he is the ‘Glór Na Bó Finne’.