Billy Teare: tributes paid to ‘gifted’ storyteller, author and entertainer who was born in Ballycarry

Born William Hume Teare at Redhall, Ballycarry, Billy grew up in the village and attended the local primary school before moving on to Greenland Secondary School and then Technical College.

A well-known figure in the east Antrim area, he was an accomplished storyteller, entertainer, and published author.

Billy also acted from a young age, with his mother taking him to concerts in Ballycarry when he was at primary school. His cousin, Dr David Hume said: “He later joined forces with his good friend Arthur McQuitty to form a successful comedy duo, The Mopheads, who performed to acclaim at many venues near and far.

"Billy had a number of short-term jobs before obtaining a position in the Civil Service - something which involved serving summonses in Belfast at the height of the Troubles.

"On occasions he also performed at army barracks, something equally dangerous during the Troubles, but his stage skills were being honed and he later went out on his own as an entertainer, which included hypnotism, memory tricks, storytelling and song.

"He was one of the original Tullycarnet Yarnspinners in Belfast, who blazed a trail for storytelling in its early days in Northern Ireland, and he performed at festivals across the British Isles as well as in North America, with performances in Texas and Tennessee among them.”

Known also for his remarkable memory skills, Billy could memorise the names of people as they entered a church hall for a concert and recall them all later that evening, David added: “He could also memorise items from magazine pages and [was] able to tell what day of the week someone was born in within a few seconds of being given the date - often checked on the internet and always correct.

“Billy gained plenty of attention at Ballyclare May Fair in previous years for hypnotising hens, a skill he claimed to have perfected with the fowls on his uncle’s farm in Ballycarry.

“He was also a keen supporter of charity, regularly raising funds and performing for groups and organisations throughout the area.”

Through his involvement with a traditional folk group at Eden, Billy managed to resurrect an old tune, Hume's Hornpipe, written by his grandfather William James Hume.

The notes from the sheet were fed into a computer programme at the group, allowing Billy, who could not read music but learnt by ear, to pick up and play the tune years after its creator had passed away.

In 2013, Billy teamed up with his long-time storytelling partner Kathleen O’Sullivan to co-write Antrim Folk Tales.

His passing is a “great loss to us all”, David said.

In a social media post, Larne Museum and Arts Centre recalled how Billy's songs, music, poetry, magic and juggling provided lots of entertainment over the years, adding: “His regular visits to the museum will be missed.”

Fellow storyteller Liz Weir, who performed with Billy at a number of festivals, said: “He was a one off, a very gifted person.”

Son of Duncan and Molly Teare, nee Hume, Billy is survived by his daughters Lee in Northern Ireland and Grace in the Isle of Man; his grandson Robbie, and family circle.