Liam O'Maonlai

Liam O'Maonlai plays St. John's Arts Centre in Listowel

During my student days in Dublin in the eighties the most exciting new live band were Hothouse Flowers, with gifted and charismatic front man Liam O'Maonlai. He glowed with musical and physical charm and a youthful exuberance that was beyond cool and, if you were a female, impossible not to adore.

Our attention was effortlessly held by O'Maonlai in the crowded Buttery Bar at TCD or at an open air gig on the UCD campus as he danced, sang, sat smiling at the piano or gleefully hammed it up with his old friend and lead Flowers guitarist Fiachna O'Braonain. Occasional heated duets of 'Fever' were performed with singer Maria Doyle (now Doyle-Kennedy), causing frissons of excitement tinged with envy.

O'Maonlai's love of Irish language and culture was not so much in evidence back then. It was jazz/blues covers and light-hearted countrified ditties all the way.

While Hothouse Flowers have weathered the years and survived Eurovision-related success relatively unscathed to remain a popular act both here and abroad, O'Maonlai now also tours as a solo performer and released his debut album 'Rian' in October 2005.

St John's Theatre in Listowel was packed on a recent cold Friday evening for an O'Maonlai gig. It was a revelation to see and hear O'Maonlai give full reign to his artistic abilities with a mixture of sean-nos, gospel, romantic ballads and lively trad Irish.

A master at the bodhran and tin whistle, nifty at the guitar and his piano playing would make you cry. He has a beautiful, soulful and richly melodic voice. He also read a poem in Irish, which he speaks fluently, composed by him in solidarity with the Shell to Sea movement. Is he human, you wonder?

Well, yes, he is. He was still suffering from the effects of a cold and apologised for "punctuating" the night with his frequent sniffing.

No doubt that was why the gig was somewhat shorter than we expected it to be. But we forgave him, of course. "That's ok, you craythur!" shouted one of my friends. It may be more than twenty years on... but he's still got it. And got it to spare!

St. John's Theatre & Arts Centre is located in the heart of Listowel. For more information please call 068 22566 or log onto