The incredibly sad news which broke last night is that talented West Cork singer-songwriter Fergus O’Farrell of Interference has passed away. He was 48.
The first band to be booked in 2003 for the then fledgling Other Voices series, O’Farrell has been described by Glen Hansard as “A true artist and hero of mine. And I love him so.”
“I am completely knocked out by the passing of Fergus O’Farrell from one of the great Irish bands,” added another close ally, Mundy.
"Another voice into the ether, sail on," says Duke Special while Ronan Keating proffered: "Thank you for the music but in particular the one that shone like 'Gold'."
"Oh, his voice is gonna be so missed," says Richie Egan. "It sounds so familiar..."
"Just heard about Fergus O'Farrell's passing," are the heartfelt words from Joe Chester. "I'm rocked to the core. Heart stopped In its tracks. A finer man and artist you couldn't meet."
Formed in 1984, Interference were one of the Irish music scene’s better kept secrets until their song ‘Gold’ made it onto the Once soundtrack, and the plaudits started flooding in from all corners of the globe.
The band’s live activities were limited by the fact that Fergus suffered from muscular dystrophy, a progressive wasting disease.
"I'm very excited by the renewed interest in my music," he poignantly said in 2003 ahead of a Vicar St. celebration of Interference where Gavin Friday, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Liam O Maonlai and Iarla O Lionaird were among the guests. "I'll be lucky if I have another 10 years of life so I want to record and write as much as I possibly can."
It was that drive, determination and unbridled passion for music, which made Fergus such a very special talent and gorgeous human being.
Just last week he'd paid tribute himself to his Schull neighbour and friend Colin Vearncombe, AKA Black, who died as the result of injuries sustained during a car crash.
It really has been a desperately dark start to 2016.

[link]hotpress.com/Interference/music/reviews/live/Interference/2663538.html[/link]