Patrick Brock better known as Paddy, who turned 65 on the 16th March ahead of St Patrick’s Day, is a Caretaker at Bowbridge Court Care Home. Patrick was born in Dún Laoghaire, County Dublin in Ireland and is a true Irishman who loves a pint of Guinness and has a love of Irish dancing.
Paddy has now lived in Newark-on-Trent in England for the last ten years following moving to England in January 2017. Paddy’s parents enrolled him on Irish dancing lessons at the age of eight years old and continued to do this throughout his younger years at a dance school.
Paddy soon picked up the ability for Irish dancing and continued to pursue Irish dancing throughout his school years. As well as Irish dancing, Paddy also took up the hobby of Irish football as a child.
At the age of 13, Paddy entered his first Irish dancing competition, the World Irish Dancing Championships. This is the same competition Michael Flatley who is better known as Lord of the Dance entered and won in 1975.
However, as Paddy was getting ready to go on stage, he saw Michael Flatley perform first and after seeing how good he was, Paddy decided to withdraw from performing in the competition, stating that he did not feel as though he would be able to beat Michael Flatley.
To this day, Paddy has regretted this decision and wishes he had gone on stage to perform as he could have been the next or first Michael Flatley. Paddy is a man of many talents and now partakes in doing Neil Diamond tributes at home but no longer performs in public for anyone except his family.
Paddy is no longer able to carry out Irish dancing but still loves performing and singing. Paddy likes to keep residents living at Bowbridge Court entertained by telling them stories from his days of Irish dancing.
Patrick Brock, HC-One’s Bowbridge Court Caretaker, said:
“It was good fun – the best part of my dancing days was definitely the music! I made some long-term friends from doing Irish dancing and I can't wait to go back to Ireland to visit.”
Debbie Cook, HC-One’s Bowbridge Court Care Home Manager, commented:
“Paddy is a very talented man and has a side to his personality that we don't all see, which is his performative side. Paddy loves a pint of Guinness, so maybe we can all celebrate his birthday by having a pint of Guinness or two and we might get him dancing again.”