CLUAS Writers: profile of Michael O'Hara

Michael O'Hara began to contribute to Cluas in 2006 when, after a religious experience in the company of The Blue Nile's Paul Buchanan in May of that year, he was inspired to put a new ribbon in the 20 year old typewriter which had been contentedly gathering dust in his attic for well over a decade.

Once upon a very long time ago he contributed to Hot Press where career highlights included comparing scars with snooker's Ken Doherty and asking that bloke from the Manic Street Preachers who went missing a series of prepared questions about his sex life. Once, before a phone interview with Damon Albarn, he even managed to connect the recording device to his walkman incorrectly, leaving him with a tape that consisted only of his questions and the occasional, mumbled, "uh- huh". He hopes to God that the statute of limitations applies to the quotes he subsequently made up.

Michael has seen Joe Elliott from Def Leppard naked. He's been karaoke singing with the late Grant McLennan. He has had Billie Piper in the back of his car, but not in the way you're thinking. He is a member of The Bohemian Football club and almost certainly the only contributor to Cluas, living or dead, who possesses an official handicap from the Golfing Union of Ireland.

Aged 40, he is married to the lovely Sarah, and lives in Dublin where his childlessness, despite his brother's claims, is just the way he likes it, and nothing at all to do with the mumps.

Joined CLUAS: May 2006

Favourite Authors:

Brady Udall, Pat McCabe, John Banville, Tim Parks, Barbara Trapido

Favourite Bands:

American Music Club, The Blue Nile, Sparks, The Flaming Lips, Cathal Coughlan

Favourite Films:

Dumb and Dumber, Blood Simple, Brazil, Memento, Jean de Florette

Album reviews...

Gig reviews...

REM (3rd night) (Olympia, Dublin, July 2007)
Cathal Coughlan live in Wicklow (March 2007)
The 4 of Us live in Limerick (October 2006)
Lambchop live in Galway (July 2006)
Paul Buchanan live in Liverpool (May 2006)