"Mercy" - New Single Out Now!

“The Americana-infused track tackles one of the countries most stigmatised issues, supporting victims of clerical and state abuse.”

— Hot Press

“ This is a powerful film for a powerful song and an important message. Musicians find immovable objects inside people's pain and this is an important work.”

— Holly Csiga

“We didn’t want to face up to it… You cannot say people didn’t understand what was going on. There was a colluding silence. And that colluding silence supported a state that didn’t want to intervene and assisted this institutional regime.”   
- President Michael D Higgins
Taken from the Book The Best Catholics in the World by Derek Scally. Published 2021. 

Mercy - Pete Kavanagh

Out Now!

Mercy is a testament from an Irish working man in support of the victims and survivors of clerical and state abuse in Ireland, and indeed worldwide.

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Debut Album

Soulful and captivating, the album combines alt-country, folk and rock with an overriding Americana feel.
 

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About

pete kavanagh performing in Tommy Fletchers Naas. [Photo by Paul O'Rourke]
“I've always been drawn to ‘story’ songs with vivid imagery and characters I can relate to.”

— Pete Kavanagh

About Pete Kavanagh

Pete Kavanagh is a singer-songwriter, a musician and storyteller from Co. Kildare, Ireland. His style is best described as Americana-infused folk. His sound invokes the vintage quality of his musical influences (Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, David Bowie and Tom Waits), but a contemporary feel that is unique to him surges through it. 

He weaves dark themes in his songwriting, exploring psyche and despair of human nature while wryly holding onto hope for something better.

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Link to purchase Pete Kavanagh's single Mercy

Mercy

Hold On

Hold On

To Hold the Red Rose

To Hold the Red Rose

VIDEO PREMIERE - New Single "MERCY"  

My new single 'Mercy' was released on Friday 15th October. This song is accompanied by a very powerful video that premiered on 16th October on Facebook and YouTube.

"The video - directed by Mary Duffin and shot in black and white - tells the story of a man journeying to confront the priest who abused him in his youth. Pete Kavanagh himself plays the protagonist, while his son portrays the younger version of the character. Ominous close-up shots and heavy use of Christian iconography hint at the dark underbelly of the story without having to spell it out." - HOT PRESS

“This is a powerful film for a powerful song and an important message. Musicians find immovable objects inside people's pain and this is an important work.” – Holly Csiga

 

Mercy was originally inspired by ‘Dear Daughter’, the Christine Buckley documentary which moved me to tears. Her voice was strong and her convictions unwavering. She bravely spoke about her horrific experience of life at St. Vincent’s Institutional School in Dublin (Goldenbridge). She had the courage to speak out and worked tirelessly, campaigning on behalf of the survivors of clerical and state abuse and was instrumental in opening a door to enable other victims/survivors to be heard. The struggle continues to this day as the survivors relentlessly continue their fight for justice. 

This has been a huge team effort. I was so lucky to have had the opportunity work with some amazing people on this single - Hallymusic, Graham Hopkins, William McCormack, Pam Kavanagh, Mj Smyth, Mary Duffin, Mary Power-Cooney, Brian McCabe and my son. 

Stream/Download - https://petekavanagh.fanlink.to/Mercy 

Buy Digital Track on Bandcamp - https://petekavanagh.bandcamp.com/track/mercy 

#StandForTruth