WHEN Brian O’Sullivan stood on a bar counter in Killorglin and sang a song in memory of his close friend, Ger Foley, last Thursday night, little did he think that a camera phone recording of the moment would go viral on social media within hours.
But late on Sunday night there was an even greater twist to the story when one of the biggest rock bands of the 21st century acknowledged Brian’s performance and suggested that he would be a worthy stand-in for their lead singer.
Brian, a former Kerry footballer, gave a rousing rendition of Mr Brightside by The Killers in memory of Ger ‘The Farmer’ Foley who was laid to rest last Thursday. The 45-year-old married father of two, who had battled with Cystic Fibrosis throughout his life, passed away peacefully at Cork University Hospital.
On Sunday night, in a sensational development, The Killers, fronted by the charismatic Brandon Flowers, posted a message on Twitter suggesting that Brian’s performance left them more than impressed.
The Tweet from the US-based band read: “Brian O’Sullivan, if Brandon ever needs a fill-in, we’re calling you!”
And in a touching reference to Ger ‘The Farmer’ Foley the band added: “May we all have friends like this. #farmersrule”.
The Killers also shared a recording of Brian’s performance captured on camera phone by Tim Clifford from Killorglin.
The superstar rock band, formed by Brandon Flowers in Las Vegas in 2001, have sold an estimated 22 million albums worldwide and they have a whopping 2.79 million followers on Twitter.
Ger Foley loved nothing more than a good singsong throughout his all too short life so his friends could think of no better way to pay tribute to the much-loved local than to burst into song at a post-funeral get-together in his local pub (link below).
Brian, who starred alongside Ger with the Killorglin Pantomime Group, performed Mr Brightside from on top of the bar counter in the packed to capacity pub.
“Ger was salt of the earth, he will never be replaced but we will remember him forever in our lives,” said Brian.
“The most appropriate song that you could ever get for this man is Mr Brightside.”
