John Nee
Encyclopedia
John Nee is an Irish
storyteller
, actor, musician and playwright who is more commonly known by his stage name Little John Nee.
John is also famous for playing the part of Postie in TG4 silent comedy Fear an Phoist.
but returned to his parents home in Oldtown
, Letterkenny
, County Donegal
at the age of twelve. He was educated at St Eunan's College in the town. He currently lives in Tuam
, County Galway
.
Nee was given his stage name by his father who was a Little Richard
fan. He founded the first punk band in County Donegal in 1976. They were known as Joe Petrol and the Petrol Bombs. He also spent some time as a labourer on the building sites in London
. He later moved to Dublin and began imitating Charlie Chaplin
on Grafton Street. In 1986 he took up position in a caravan in Barna
.
Nee has made appearances in many films such as Neil Jordan
's High Spirits
. He played the Toupee man in An Everlasting Piece
. He was nominated for the Helen Hayes Award
for his performance in The Derry Boat. Nee also played the part of Postie in TG4 silent comedy Fear an Phoist. He has appeared at Electric Picnic
, Galway Arts Festival
and the Earagail Arts Festival
. In August 2007, Nee announced his obsession with the ukulele
while on RTÉ Radio 1
presenter Dave Fanning
's show, Drivetime with Dave. He played a tune which he recorded with his band while in Letterkenny. In 2010, in a Barabbas Theatre production called "The Singing Irish Clown," Nee portrayed Johnny Patterson
, the 19th century clown discovered by Pablo Fanque
, the British circus proprietor referenced in The Beatles
' Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
storyteller
Storytelling
Storytelling is the conveying of events in words, images and sounds, often by improvisation or embellishment. Stories or narratives have been shared in every culture as a means of entertainment, education, cultural preservation and in order to instill moral values...
, actor, musician and playwright who is more commonly known by his stage name Little John Nee.
John is also famous for playing the part of Postie in TG4 silent comedy Fear an Phoist.
Biography
Nee was born in GlasgowGlasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
but returned to his parents home in Oldtown
Oldtown, Letterkenny
Oldtown is a district located in the parish of Conwal and Leck in Letterkenny, County Donegal, Ireland. As its name suggests, it is the oldest part of the town and became the starting point of the town's development...
, Letterkenny
Letterkenny
Letterkenny , with a population of 17,568, is the largest town in County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in Ireland. The town is located on the River Swilly...
, County Donegal
County Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
at the age of twelve. He was educated at St Eunan's College in the town. He currently lives in Tuam
Tuam
Tuam is a town in County Galway, Ireland. The name is pronounced choo-um . It is situated west of the midlands of Ireland, and north of Galway city.-History:...
, County Galway
County Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
.
Nee was given his stage name by his father who was a Little Richard
Little Richard
Richard Wayne Penniman , known by the stage name Little Richard, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist, and actor, considered key in the transition from rhythm and blues to rock and roll in the 1950s. He was also the first artist to put the funk in the rock and roll beat and...
fan. He founded the first punk band in County Donegal in 1976. They were known as Joe Petrol and the Petrol Bombs. He also spent some time as a labourer on the building sites in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He later moved to Dublin and began imitating Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin
Sir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin, KBE was an English comic actor, film director and composer best known for his work during the silent film era. He became the most famous film star in the world before the end of World War I...
on Grafton Street. In 1986 he took up position in a caravan in Barna
Barna
Bearna is a Gaeltacht village west of Galway city in County Galway, Ireland, on the R336 regional road. Once a satellite of Galway city, the village is now rapidly becoming one of its suburbs. Officially the village is regarded as Irish speaking and is therefore a constituent part of the regions...
.
Nee has made appearances in many films such as Neil Jordan
Neil Jordan
Neil Patrick Jordan is an Irish filmmaker and novelist. He won an Academy Award for The Crying Game.- Early life :...
's High Spirits
High Spirits (film)
High Spirits is a 1988 "comedy" film directed by Neil Jordan and starring Steve Guttenberg, Daryl Hannah, Beverly D'Angelo and Peter O'Toole.Set in a remote Irish castle called Dromore Castle, Co...
. He played the Toupee man in An Everlasting Piece
An Everlasting Piece
An Everlasting Piece is a 2000 American comedy film. The movie was directed by Barry Levinson and written by and starring Barry McEvoy. The plot involves two wig salesmen, one Catholic and one Protestant, who live in war torn Belfast, Northern Ireland, in the mid-'80s...
. He was nominated for the Helen Hayes Award
Helen Hayes Award
A Helen Hayes Award is a theater award named for the famed actress Helen Hayes to recognize excellence in professional theater in the Washington, D.C. area since 1983. The awards are managed by Linda Levy Grossman. and presented by the Washington Theatre Awards Society.-Awards:The Helen Hayes...
for his performance in The Derry Boat. Nee also played the part of Postie in TG4 silent comedy Fear an Phoist. He has appeared at Electric Picnic
Electric Picnic
The 2005 festival took place on Saturday 3 September and Sunday 4 September. It is best remembered for Arcade Fire's performance which came before their subsequent mainstream success...
, Galway Arts Festival
Galway Arts Festival
Galway Arts Festival is an annual arts festival that takes place each July in Galway, Ireland. It is Ireland’s leading arts festival and one of the most successful and influential arts enterprises in the country. The Festival is one of the key European arts festivals...
and the Earagail Arts Festival
Earagail Arts Festival
The Earagail Arts Festival is an annual festival which takes place in County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in Ireland, every June/July...
. In August 2007, Nee announced his obsession with the ukulele
Ukulele
The ukulele, ; from ; it is a subset of the guitar family of instruments, generally with four nylon or gut strings or four courses of strings....
while on RTÉ Radio 1
RTÉ Radio 1
RTÉ Radio 1 is the principal radio channel of Irish public-service broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann and is the direct descendant of Dublin radio station 2RN, which began broadcasting on a regular basis on 1 January 1926...
presenter Dave Fanning
Dave Fanning
Dave Fanning is an Irish rock journalist, DJ, retired film critic and veteran broadcaster. He currently hosts The 11th Hour on RTÉ Two and two radio shows: Drivetime with Dave on RTÉ Radio 1 and The Dave Fanning Show on RTÉ 2fm. He also fills in for other presenters on RTÉ Radio, including acting...
's show, Drivetime with Dave. He played a tune which he recorded with his band while in Letterkenny. In 2010, in a Barabbas Theatre production called "The Singing Irish Clown," Nee portrayed Johnny Patterson
Johnny Patterson
John Francis Patterson was an Irish singer, song writer and circus entertainer.He was born in Kilbarron, Feakle, County Clare. Both his parents had died by the time he was three years old and so he was raised by an uncle in Ennis. At the age of 14 he enlisted in the 63rd Regiment of Foot which...
, the 19th century clown discovered by Pablo Fanque
Pablo Fanque
Pablo Fanque was the first black circus proprietor in Britain. His circus, in which he himself was a performer, was the most popular circus in Victorian Britain for 30 years, a period that is regarded as the golden age of the circus...
, the British circus proprietor referenced in The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
' Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!
Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!
"Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!" is a song from the 1967 album by The Beatles, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. It was composed by John Lennon...