‘Art will be sorely missed’

ONE of Strabane’s best-loved and longest-serving musicians, Art O’Hagan (pictured) has died.

A bass player and vocalist with the internationally-renowned Clipper Carlton Showband, Mr O’Hagan passed away yesterday (Wednesday) at Altnagelvin Hospital, Derry.

The last-surviving member of the Clipper Carlton, widely recognised as the first Irish showband, Art O’Hagan enjoyed a phenomenally- successful career, helping fill dancehalls across Ireland with music and memories in the 1950s and early ‘60s.

popularity

Arguably the most popular live act in Ireland at that time, the Clipper Carlton also inspired a next generation of showbands.

Back in 2020, Mr O’Hagan, then aged 94, was honoured with a mayoral reception at his Strabane home to mark the 70th anniversary of the formation of the Clipper Carlton.

Leading the tributes in the wake of Art’s passing was singer and broadcaster, Hugo Duncan.

Hugho Duncan said, “This is a really sad day for the local music industry.

“Art and the other members of the Clipper Carlton Showband were true pioneers and put the ‘show’ in showband.

“Art was a great entertainer and was a very good musician and had a great voice. Art and his brother Fergus used to do great impressions of Laurel and Hardy and they were great show men.

“Art was a true trailblazer and a really great guy. The Clipper Carlton were the first real showband and a lot of the acts today have a lot to thank them for.

“Even in recent years when I saw him he was always smiling and will be sadly missed.”

Speaking to this newspaper in 2017, Art O’Hagan recalled his fond memories of his musical heyday.

“When the showband era was at its height, the whole of Ireland was buzzing,” Mr O’Hagan said.

“At one stage there were 400 showbands in Ireland. It was a fantastic era to be part of.”

Requiem Mass for Art McCrory will take place at St Mary’s Church, Melmount tomorrow (Friday) with interment afterwards in the adjoining cemetery.