Johnny Patterson
Encyclopedia
John Francis Patterson (1840–1889) 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 was based in Limerick
at the time. He learned to play various instruments especially piccolo and drums. When a circus came to Limerick he got a part-time job in its band and so bought himself out of the Army. He was soon given a long-term contract and billed as "The Irish Singing Clown." He worked for other circuses in Ireland before crossing to England. Between 1865-1867, he was a drummer performing in a circus run by Pablo Fanque
, the black English circus proprietor, and John Swallows. He remained with Fanque through 1869, performing in Scotland, Ireland, and England. It was Fanque who effectively launched his career. John Nee
, an Irish actor who portrayed Patterson in a 2010 stage production about his life said:
In Liverpool
he met and married a circus bareback rider, Selena Hickey. Around this time he composed the song The Garden Where the Praties Grow. His fame grew until he was offered a contract in America in 1876 separating from his wife and family.
In the United States he became one of most famous and highest paid entertainers at the time. He composed several more songs includingThe Hat my Father Wore, Bridget Donoghue, Shake Hands with your Uncle Dan, Goodbye Johnny Dear and The Stone outside Dan Murphy's Door.
At the aged of 45, he was a wealthy man and so returned to Ireland buying a house in Belfast
where he was reunited with his wife and family, but Selena died in 1886. He continued performing and created a circus of his own with an Australian called Joe Keeley. In April 1888 he married Bridget Murray at Castlepollard
, County Westmeath
.
His political opinions expressed in a song (he wanted Protestants and Catholics to live together peacefully) caused a fight at one performance. Patterson was hit on the head by an iron bar and was kicked. He died from his injuries at Tralee on 31 May 1889 at the age of 49.
In 1985 the Irish Circus Fans Association paid for a memorial to be placed in Tralee Graveyard to commemorate his internment there. The Plaque was unveiled by Dick Spring
and Johnny Patterson's granddaughter.
, and several plays have been produced about his life. He was a character in Stewart Parker's play Heavenly Bodies along with the figure of Dion Boucicault
representing two different sides of the Irish theatre. The Barabbas theatre group produced 'Johnny Patterson: The Singing Irish Clown' in 2010 and 'Johnny Patterson the Musical' was written about his life and relationship with Bridget Donoghue by Declan Mangan and Mick Jones in 2009. Johnny Patterson also had the honour of being painted by the famous Irish Artist Jack Yeats in the 1928 painting ‘The Singing Clown’.
He was born in Kilbarron, Feakle, County Clare
County Clare
-History:There was a Neolithic civilisation in the Clare area — the name of the peoples is unknown, but the Prehistoric peoples left evidence behind in the form of ancient dolmen; single-chamber megalithic tombs, usually consisting of three or more upright stones...
. Both his parents had died by the time he was three years old and so he was raised by an uncle in Ennis
Ennis
Ennis is the county town of Clare in Ireland. Situated on the River Fergus, it lies north of Limerick and south of Galway. Its name is a shortening of the original ....
. At the age of 14 he enlisted in the 63rd Regiment of Foot which was based in Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
at the time. He learned to play various instruments especially piccolo and drums. When a circus came to Limerick he got a part-time job in its band and so bought himself out of the Army. He was soon given a long-term contract and billed as "The Irish Singing Clown." He worked for other circuses in Ireland before crossing to England. Between 1865-1867, he was a drummer performing in a circus run 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 black English circus proprietor, and John Swallows. He remained with Fanque through 1869, performing in Scotland, Ireland, and England. It was Fanque who effectively launched his career. John Nee
John Nee
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.-Biography:...
, an Irish actor who portrayed Patterson in a 2010 stage production about his life said:
In Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
he met and married a circus bareback rider, Selena Hickey. Around this time he composed the song The Garden Where the Praties Grow. His fame grew until he was offered a contract in America in 1876 separating from his wife and family.
In the United States he became one of most famous and highest paid entertainers at the time. He composed several more songs includingThe Hat my Father Wore, Bridget Donoghue, Shake Hands with your Uncle Dan, Goodbye Johnny Dear and The Stone outside Dan Murphy's Door.
At the aged of 45, he was a wealthy man and so returned to Ireland buying a house in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
where he was reunited with his wife and family, but Selena died in 1886. He continued performing and created a circus of his own with an Australian called Joe Keeley. In April 1888 he married Bridget Murray at Castlepollard
Castlepollard
Castlepollard is a large village in north County Westmeath, Ireland. Located in the barony of Demifore, in the civil parish of Rathgarve, it lies west of Lough Lene and northeast of Lough Derravaragh and Mullingar.-Name:...
, County Westmeath
County Westmeath
-Economy:Westmeath has a strong agricultural economy. Initially, development occurred around the major market centres of Mullingar, Moate, and Kinnegad. Athlone developed due to its military significance, and its strategic location on the main Dublin–Galway route across the River Shannon. Mullingar...
.
His political opinions expressed in a song (he wanted Protestants and Catholics to live together peacefully) caused a fight at one performance. Patterson was hit on the head by an iron bar and was kicked. He died from his injuries at Tralee on 31 May 1889 at the age of 49.
In 1985 the Irish Circus Fans Association paid for a memorial to be placed in Tralee Graveyard to commemorate his internment there. The Plaque was unveiled by Dick Spring
Dick Spring
Richard "Dick" Spring is an Irish businessman and former politician. He was first elected as a Labour Party Teachta Dála in 1981 and retained his seat until 2002. He became leader of the Labour Party in 1982, and held this position until 1997...
and Johnny Patterson's granddaughter.
Death and Legacy
Johnny Patterson's songs have been recorded by numerous artists over the years, including his great-grandson Duncan PattersonDuncan Patterson
Duncan Patterson is a Liverpool born musician, best known for his work as a member of Anathema and Antimatter .-Career:...
, and several plays have been produced about his life. He was a character in Stewart Parker's play Heavenly Bodies along with the figure of Dion Boucicault
Dion Boucicault
Dionysius Lardner Boursiquot , commonly known as Dion Boucicault, was an Irish actor and playwright famed for his melodramas. By the later part of the 19th century, Boucicault had become known on both sides of the Atlantic as one of the most successful actor-playwright-managers then in the...
representing two different sides of the Irish theatre. The Barabbas theatre group produced 'Johnny Patterson: The Singing Irish Clown' in 2010 and 'Johnny Patterson the Musical' was written about his life and relationship with Bridget Donoghue by Declan Mangan and Mick Jones in 2009. Johnny Patterson also had the honour of being painted by the famous Irish Artist Jack Yeats in the 1928 painting ‘The Singing Clown’.