Micho Russell Gussie Russell Packie Russell

Packie Russell
1920-1977

‘I am only an ignorant countryman living on the edge of the Cliffs of Moher, in the county of Clare, on the western coast of Ireland.’

Packie (Patrick) Russell was the youngest of the three Russell brothers. A stone mason by trade he worked locally quarrying Doonagore flagstone. Musically he was gifted. He learned the concertina from his mother and his neighbour, Patrick Flanagan, and he played it with aplomb and passion.

As equal as his brother Micho was to take to the world stage, so too was Packie equal to the stage that brought the world to him in Gus O’Connor’s Bar in Fisherstreet, Doolin. Many on first seeing him were struck by his physical resemblance to the actor Ray McNally. His sharp wit was almost as legend as his musical talent and woe betide the budding bodhranist.

When Topic Records made the famous recording of the Russell Family in Gus O’Connor’s Bar in 1974, it was a rare live recording of the three brothers together. It is also, fortunately, one of the few remaining recordings of Packie. Even though he rarely left his native Doolin such was Packie’s stature as a musical figure when he died on September 4, 1977 it made national TV news.

Further Information: email: info@michorussellweekend.ie or telephone +353 (0)65- 7074595, 7074168, 7074328, 7074133

© John Doorty, Micho Russell Memorial Weekend Committee, 2005 Doolin, Co. Clare, Ireland

Select Bibliography
Coady, Michael. 1996. The Well of Spring Water a memoir of Packie and Micho Russell of Doolin

 Selected Tapes, Records, CDs, Videos
The Russell Family of Doolin, Co. Clare; Micho, Pakie and Gusie Russell. Recorded by John Tams and Neil Wayne in O'Connor's Bar, Doolin January 1974. Published in 1975 by Topic Records.

Under the Cliffs of Moher. Producer: Pearse Gillmore. Xeric Records.

The Limestone Rock. Producer: Brian O'Rourke. GTD Heritage Recording Co. Ltd, Galway.

Micho Russell, Traditional Country Music of Co. Clare. Producer: Neil Wayne. Three Reed.

Ireland’s Whistling Ambassador - Micho Russell of Doolin, Co. Clare, Producer: Bill Ochs, 1995 The Pennywhistler’s Press (Includes a 28-page booklet)