Cork's Paudy H puts country twist on Shakey's festive favourite

Mon, 16 Dec, 2024 - 16:48

John O'Shea

A Skibbereen based musician has released his own version of a well-known Christmas classic.

Putting his own twist on the iconic Shakin’ Stevens song Merry Christmas Everyone, Paudy Hourihane, who goes by the stage name Paudy H, adds a slight country musical twist to this festive tune.

While the initial driving force behind releasing the song was creating a special memory with his 10-year-old son Mason, momentum behind the song gradually grew, with the talented children from Dromclough NS in Bantry, West Cork coming on board and getting involved in the recording.

Something special

“I wanted to do just something special and create a lovely memory, something that we could have for years and forever that he could look back on,” describes Hourihane to The Echo. “I am recording an album myself next year of songs. So I said I just wanted to do something special and record a song with him. We decided upon this song because who doesn’t love this song? This is a fresh take on a well known Christmas classic.

“Mason’s school is a small rural school. They all got involved and it became a lovely community type project. It became a lovely memory for all of the kids and not just my own. As far as I am concerned my mission is complete. I wanted to record a song that was sentimental to me. I think it turned out absolutely great.

“We put a lot of work into it and the kids sang their hearts out. Everyone came together and the kids did an amazing job. I am immensely proud of the song and so proud of them. There has been a lovely reaction. It has a different vibe to it and a different feel to it compared to the original. It still has that Christmas joy all of the way through, with the kids involved and things like that Christmas spirit.”