2023 Obit: Mick McGarry (ossonflags)

Subject: Obit: Mick McGarry (Ossanflags)
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 02 Mar 23 - 10:48 AM

I have just received the sad news that Mick McGarry, from Hull, died last night. Mick was a singer with a big voice who will be fondly remembered by the many who saw him at singarounds in Hull and the East Riding and those who saw him over many years at Hull shanty and folk festivals. He was well known for his individual singing and also for performing with a number of Hull based groups such as Spare Hands and The Hillbilly Troupe . Mick often posted here on Mudcat under the name Ossanflags.
Love and best wishes to Mary and the family
Hull's Luckiest Sailor sung by Mick McGarry     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hihlVnV4ztg
The Hillbilly Troupe performing Dirty Old Town @ Costa Del Folk 2014    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCzZixJB3ik

Subject: RE: Obit: Mick McGarry (Ossanflags)
From: r.padgett
Date: 02 Mar 23 - 01:41 PM

Thanks Geoff ~ just got the news ~ Mick and Mary were on holiday it seems and he had a fall ~ he had been in ICU for some days in a hospital a long way away ~ looks as though they had been on cruise ship

RIP Mick as you say Geoff a fine singer and man and condolences to their family and friends

Ray

Subject: RE: Obit: Mick McGarry (Ossanflags)
From: Raggytash
Date: 02 Mar 23 - 02:14 PM

Indeed a great singer, who also had the talent of surrounding himself with great musicians to showcase his voice. I was fortunate to share many wonderful sessions with him. Rest easy Mick.







Just one small point his Mudcat name was Ossonflags.

Subject: RE: Obit: Mick McGarry (Ossanflags)
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 02 Mar 23 - 02:17 PM

Yes, a sad day for all. He will be sorely missed on the Hull scene and further afield. A strong GMB union man even into retirement. He crewed on Barraclough's barges before joining the MN and sailing on the Wilson Line. A stalwart of the Hull folk scene since the 60s. At one point when the Council dropped out he almost single-handedly kept the Shanty Festival going. We will keep his memory alive by singing his songs.
RIP, old pal.(Ossonflags)

Subject: RE: Obit: Mick McGarry (Ossanflags)
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 02 Mar 23 - 02:47 PM

I don't think I met him but I enjoyed his posts on here. Another good one gone. RIP.

Subject: RE: Obit: Mick McGarry (Ossanflags)
From: Rigby
Date: 02 Mar 23 - 03:58 PM

I only met Mick a few times briefly at the Minerva singaround, but he made a big impression. RIP.

Subject: RE: Obit: Mick McGarry (Ossonflags)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Mar 23 - 04:44 PM

ossanflags logged on posts and as GUEST, ossonflags

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Mick McGarry (Ossonflags)
From: Matthew Edwards
Date: 02 Mar 23 - 05:18 PM

Very sorry to hear this. I met him a few times in the Minerva, and he came over to Liverpool on occasion to join in shanty sings at the Baltic Fleet. He was a lovely singer with great voice. I hadn't seen him for some years now, and I was sad to hear he was ill. Condolences to all his family and friends.
Matthew

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Mick McGarry (Ossonflags)
From: Ian
Date: 02 Mar 23 - 06:03 PM

Only got the sad news today. Our condolences to his family. We only met him in 2021 at the Minerva and Vintage. We had received weekly third hand reports of his condition since his fall. A fine singer with a love for the songs.
Haul away to heaven Mick.
Ian & Maggie.

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Mick McGarry (Ossonflags)
From: MoorleyMan
Date: 02 Mar 23 - 08:11 PM

Real sad news. A great singer and genuine good guy. He will be missed.
Condolences to his family.
RIP mate.

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Mick McGarry (Ossonflags)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 02 Mar 23 - 09:47 PM

I think it needs to be recognized how important the Hull folk music community has been here since the establishment of Mudcat, and Ossonflags has been a big part of that. May he rest in peace. It's so sad to see so many people leaving us. It's been wonderful to know them all.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Mick McGarry (ossonflags)
From: Acorn4
Date: 03 Mar 23 - 04:08 AM

Met him and had a chat a few times on his forays to Midlands festivals - knowledgeable chap and, as has been said by so many, a great singer. RIP

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Mick McGarry (ossonflags)
From: cujimmy
Date: 03 Mar 23 - 04:31 AM

Very sad to learn of this, a fine powerful Folk singer and a man who will be sadly missed RIP Mick.

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Mick McGarry (ossonflags)
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 03 Mar 23 - 05:38 AM

Memories of Mick McGarry on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MM45Hull

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Mick McGarry (ossonflags)
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 03 Mar 23 - 06:51 AM

Very sad, a great singer and a nice guy. RIP Mick.

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Mick McGarry (ossonflags)
From: Skipjack K8
Date: 03 Mar 23 - 08:40 AM

I had the pleasure of playing squeezer for a few gigs in Punch The Horse, Mick's pub band, in the noughties. He was a formidable floor singer, but with a mic he was magnificent, filling the venue.

There is a Mick-ism I occasionally use when someone is muscling in on one of my ideas; it originated from the time a well-respected musician of this parish was also in Punch the Horse, and had the temerity to suggest tweaking a musical arrangement, and was firmly told "It's my fookin' band, Dave"

Sail on, old friend.

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Mick McGarry (ossonflags)
From: Waddon Pete
Date: 03 Mar 23 - 10:41 AM

I never met up with Mick but thanks to the links on this thread I can see that he was a force to be reckoned with. I send my condolences to his family and friends and have added his name to the "In Memoriam" thread. RIP

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Mick McGarry (ossonflags)
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 03 Mar 23 - 01:34 PM

Thanks, Pete.

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Mick McGarry (ossonflags)
From: Les from Hull
Date: 04 Mar 23 - 07:16 PM

As a long-term friend and bandmate of Mick's I'm pleased to see so many responses from people whose lives have been enhanced by his music and his wicked sense of humour. We've been keeping his memory alive in the last few days by singing the songs he loved to sing and listen to.

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Mick McGarry (ossonflags)
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 04 Mar 23 - 07:22 PM

Sad news again! I saw (and heard) him at the 2009 Hull Shanty Festival of fond memories. RIP Mick, and thanks, Geoff, for letting us know.

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Mick McGarry (ossonflags)
From: r.padgett
Date: 05 Mar 23 - 02:52 AM

"Ossonflags" from the Hull accent equates to

"Horse on the flags" ~ that is a reference to the noise and size of a Police horse for example on the pavement made by a iron shoed horse ~ well that's my story which I believe!

We have of course used and abused horses, donkey and the like for many many years

Pavement stones are being stolen and replaced by tarmac

Ray

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Mick McGarry (ossonflags)
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Mar 23 - 03:36 AM

R.I.P Mick i had a drink in remembrance last night

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Mick McGarry (ossonflags)
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 05 Mar 23 - 04:26 PM

Ray,
there's a bit more to it than that. The local saying is when somebody in a latrine is peeing rather loudly with the pee splatting on the porcelain, the saying is 'It sounds like an 'oss on flags.'

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Mick McGarry (ossonflags)
From: r.padgett
Date: 06 Mar 23 - 03:04 AM

Thanks Steve ~

Ray

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Mick McGarry (ossonflags)
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 06 Mar 23 - 01:58 PM

My statement of 5th inst. is not quite accurate enough so I now revise it. The actual sound is produced by peeing heartily into the toilet bowl and the sound produced is by the stream hitting the water and then enhanced by the acoustics of the bowl:-)

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Mick McGarry (ossonflags)
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 10 Mar 23 - 06:00 AM

Celebration the life of Mick McGarry at Hull Minster on MONDAY, 27 MARCH 2023 AT 11:00:Facebook posting.   https://www.facebook.com/events/767384301761196/?ref=newsfeed

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Mick McGarry (ossonflags)
From: GUEST,guest
Date: 13 Mar 23 - 09:20 AM

Is this date the funeral announcement?

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Mick McGarry (ossonflags)
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 14 Mar 23 - 12:09 PM

Effectively, yes.

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Mick McGarry (ossonflags)
From: Les from Hull
Date: 21 Mar 23 - 12:18 PM

To hear more of Mick's excellent singing you can listen to the band he and I (and others) were in.

Sparehands.org.uk

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Mick McGarry (ossonflags)
From: Les from Hull
Date: 21 Mar 23 - 12:46 PM

Spare Hands, Hull's maritime folk band

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Mick McGarry (ossonflags)
From: Eric the Viking
Date: 24 Mar 23 - 01:42 PM

Sad to hear this news.

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Mick McGarry (ossonflags)
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 27 Mar 23 - 11:15 AM

Just back from Mick's commemoration at Hull Minster. What a good gig. Lots of great songs and good singers. The Minster was packed with folkies, trade unionists and relatives. He'd have loved it.

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Mick McGarry (ossonflags)
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 28 Mar 23 - 02:36 PM

What a wonderful tribute to a well-loved man! Brian Lavery, he of The Headscarf Revolutionaries, directed the tribute in the Minster and the contributions from the family were very poignant. Fellow GMB Unionist Les Dobbs gave a great speech on Mick's national contribution to the TU cause. Great sets from Rory McCleod, Reg Meuross and many local singers including Mick's 2 bands, The Hillbilly Troupe and Spare Hands. All organised by Mick's loving wife, Mary. What a star!

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Mick McGarry (ossonflags)
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 04 Apr 23 - 02:23 AM

Yes!

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Mick McGarry (ossonflags)
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 11 Apr 23 - 02:38 AM

.