Pete Kavanagh

13 musicians were involved in the recording of my debut album Join Up the Dots.  To perform it live, I hired 8 musicians.  Favours were called in and friends helped me out and we set the launch date for the album at The Moat Theatre and then a follow up show at Riverbank Arts Centre in Newbridge. Both shows sold out and were an absolute joy to perform, but the logistics of taking such a big production out to other venues nationwide proved too much.  I simply couldn’t afford it and my numerous applications for grants went nowhere. It was done. 

Soon afterwards, I joined The Muddy River Band with Willie Headon, Patrick Silke, Joe Ryan and after a few changes in line up, we are joined by Baz Daly, Lee Murphy and Dave Mulhall and sometimes Shay Cosgrave. We perform the songs of Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Van Morrison and are currently on tour nationwide for 2025/26 .  We have received a standing ovation at every show we've played so far and return bookings for most venues.  For upcoming shows, go to linktr.ee/themuddyriverband

The Muddy River Band is now a regular gig for me. It takes a lot of time, commitment and effort, which is fantastic and I am certainly not complaining, but I also need to make time for my original music.

I have gotten back into folk music in a big way and am listening to a lot of Bob Dylan, Christy Moore, Leonard Cohen, Luka Bloom, Nick Drake, John Spillane, Planxty, Joni Mitchell (Blue in particular) Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, Nic Jones, Van Morrison and Richard Thompson to namecheck a few.

 I was always drawn to acoustic driven story songs with sparce, atmospheric arrangements. Most of my songs are composed on acoustic guitar and then layered up with other instrumentation after I've recorded the basic raw track live. Big sounds.

But could I take all my songs and rearrange them for solo acoustic performance? Would it work? I wasn’t sure at first.  Folk Music with a Rock n’ Roll Heart.  Back to Basics.  Some of them would work for sure, but big sounding songs like To Hold the Red Rose, Mercy, Hold On, Say You Will and Tonic for a  troop and some of my new ones, would they work without layered arrangements, overdubs and effects? How would they sound stripped back to just an acoustic guitar, one vocal and a harmonica?

At first. they just sounded empty -too bare and lacking real depth-I wasn't serving the song.  I worked really hard on new finger-picking patterns and arrangements, key changes, song structuring, inverted chords, melody interludes, alt tunings, harmonica breaks and vocal stylings, percussive stumming and story telling presentation.  It was very tedious at times and so frustrating, but I worked diligently on my technique and stylings until something deeper and brighter shone thro’ in the songs and performances. As I was working on the arrangements, I was also writing new songs and naturally applying the same approach. 

The first of these new songs was ‘Darkness Before Dawn” , sang in my raw Kildare accent, with no flourishes or effects; just straight up bog-man vocals certainly took getting used to. My wife remarked on how I sounded like Christy Moore.   As Christy and me are both from County Kildare, we share that lilting, open plains accent, so of course there are similarities, especially on songs that are acoustic guitar driven with a one man vocal. He is certainly a huge influence and I greatly admire the man, but I am not trying to imitate him.

 I am reaching to sing from somewhere ancestral, somewhere ancient, straight from my soul.  In my formative years and beyond, the influences of Americana certainly seeped in and softened my delivery in tone and phrasing. I have echoed the Elvis croon, the Johnny drawl, The Leonard lean, the Hank howl, the Dylan twang and the Waits growl, again not so much imitating these artists as drawing from the same well to present the song. I have sang along a thousand times or more with the songs of these artists and marvelled at their vocals, imagery and overall musical delivery. I studied their tone, their phrasing, their timing, their lyrics, their emotion undertone-all of it. I have absorbed these songs into my very being.   We are all influenced by those who came before us. However, I aim to go beyond that with my new songs and live performances. 

Then, to my utter astonishment and delight, Christy Moore recorded my song ‘Darkness Before Dawn’ and it features on his amazing album ‘A Terrible Beauty-a beautiful album.

Christy also sent me on a song he had written with Wally Page called ‘The Night We Went to Bob Dylan’ with an invitation to record it.  What a gift.   

For my recording of Darkness Before Dawn, I had sent on my solo take (Ac. Guitar, Harmonica and Lead Vocal) to Martin Leahy in Cork, who then very kindly added Pedal Steel, Bass, Percussion, Guitar and BVs to his production of the track.  I took inspiration from this approach and recorded Christy and Wally’s song with just my Ac. Guitar, Lead Vocal and Harmonica. My wife Pam added a BV and we invited Joe Ryan and Shay Cosgrave from The Muddy River Band to add Pedal Steel and Bodhrán respectively.  My wife Pam took on production duties and recorded and blended all these instruments at home and sent on this mish mash to Hally (Co Producer of Join Up the Dots) to mix and master.  Hally also added some magic production touches, including a BV.  Again, this new approach to recording had worked out well. 

“Pete Kavanagh is a great songwriter and a great singer”

— Christy Moore

Two tracks in, recorded and released and I'm back up and running. Both these songs work really well as solo performances or with a small band accompaniment. The authentic, raw and real new sound I am reaching for is shining true. 

I now have a full album’s worth of new songs ready to record/perform live, but I’ve learned a lot from the experience of recording my debut album.  I need to let these songs breathe and take them out regularly for a walk.  They need time, road testing in a few venues, before I lay them down as recordings.  Maybe some of the live performances will be recorded and will feature on the album-who knows. Maybe, it’ll end up being a live album.  I don’t really know yet.  What I do know is these songs are straight from the soul songs. Folk songs. From the core and indeed beyond my being. I can’t wait to share these songs in performance and I am likely to turn up at any Songwriter sessions that'll have me, any support slots that I'm offered or featured artist gigs, my own shows, basically where ever and when ever I can. If you're reading this and like the cut of me jib, then drop me a message and let's talk. 

I have already performed some of these new songs at ‘Songwriter in the Round’ gigs, Culture Night at The Moat Theatre and a Songwriter Session at The Seantí Bar in Kilkenny.  I have a few nice gigs already lined up for 2026 and I’ll be sharing details on those soon enough. 

I certainly have the Grá and belief back and here's some good news to share:

I am performing a headline set with a band at The Cat and Cage Folk Club Dundrum on Wednesday 19^th November 2025.  This will be a very special night.  I will be joined by Baz Daly on Bass/ Mandolin, Lee Murphy on Electric Guitar/ Mandolin and Trevor McEvoy on Percussion. 

Tickets are now on sale from this link: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/pete-kavanagh-band-live-at-the-cat-cage-folk-club-wed-19th-nov-tickets-1449732822899 

Stick it in your diary and please come along.

On a sentimental note, it is also my birthday so it'll be a celebration of sorts-a gathering.  

This is the beginning of the new chapter in my musical journey and I would love to meet you there or somewhere on the road.

Love and Peace

Pete

My latest recording, released as a single on Friday 25th July 2025, is a song called 'The Night We Went To Bob Dylan', written by two of Ireland's greatest songwriters, Christy Moore & Wally Page.

For me, this recording is a celebration of Dylan, Christy, the stories that shape us & the songs that keep it all lit. 

I just love a good story song like this one and some of my favourite artists have released some beauts too - 'The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll' (Bob Dylan), 'Beeswing' (Richard Thompson), 'Tower of Song' (Leonard Cohen), 'Folsom Prison Blues' (Johnny Cash), 'Tecumseh Valley' (Townes Van Zandt), ‘Lua’ (Bright Eyes), ‘Desperados Waiting for a Train’ (Guy Clark), to name but a few and all those songs listed regularly feature in my live set. 

Anyone who knows me knows I'm a massive fan of Bob Dylan. His songs have helped form the core of my artistic and personal outlook. I'm lucky enough to have witnessed him perform live 5 times so far, including the show that is referenced here in 'The Night We Went to Bob Dylan'. 

Christy Moore's songs have equally been a lifelong companion for me. His iconic work with Planxty, Moving Hearts, his storytelling, humanity and honesty in his solo work have all deeply resonated within me. I have witnessed Christy perform 10 times to date and I treasure those moments and memories.

Both Dylan & Christy have taught me more about history, civil rights, political protest, song-writing, performance and cultural identity than any classroom or mainstream media ever did.

My song ‘Darkness Before Dawn’ is a story song, detailing a tragedy that occurred in Newbridge during the War of Independence. This song found it's way to Christy Moore and to my delight and amazement, he recorded a version for his extraordinary album 'A Terrible Beauty'. That stands as a pivotal moment for me, both personally and as an artist and I pinch myself every time I hear it. 

During a conversation with Christy about 'Darkness Before Dawn', we wound up talking about Bob Dylan. He asked me if I was gigging much and I told him I was in a band called The Muddy River Band, who perform the songs of Neil Young, Van Morrison and Bob Dylan nationwide. Christy mentioned a song he had written with the late Wally Page about Dylan called 'Zozimus & Zimmerman' and he was reworking it by adding new verses and taking Zozimus out of the story. 

To my utter astonishment, he offered to send on this revised version of the song for me to have a go at it. I was humbled and honoured at this offer and determined to give this song the care and attention it deserved.

What a gift and I can only hope I've done it justice. I gave it my best. It took two attempts, the first of which was in Newbridge with the mighty Rubber Keogh. That recording is a mellow, travis picked arrangement, a lovely harmonica part and features some tasty mandolin licks from Rubber, who also recorded, mixed and mastered it. However, I still didn't feel it was right. I hadn't gotten into the story across in my vocal performance and felt it needed more weight, more grit. Back to the drawing board. 

My wife Pam offered to help with the recording and production. I laid down the vocal, acoustic guitar (strummed) and harmonica at home and Pam then added her vocal to the take. We were on track. We then got my friends Shay Cosgrave and Joe Ryan in to add a bodhrán and Pedal Steel Guitar respectively and we sent it all on to Hally at Arthouse Studio, who added a few magic touches before he mixed and mastered it. 

So here it is - ‘The Night We Went to Bob Dylan’. Out in the world now on all the usual streaming platforms. 

I am very proud to be a part of this song's journey and extremely grateful to everyone who helped bring it to life. I hope you enjoy it.  

CREDITS 

Written by Christy Moore and Wally Page

Pete Kavanagh: Vocals, Acoustic Guitar and Harmonica

Pam Kavanagh: Vocals

Joe Ryan: Pedal Steel Guitar

Shay Cosgrave: Bodhrán

Hally: Backing Vocals and additional Instrumentation

Produced by Pam Kavanagh & Hally

Recorded by Pam Kavanagh

Mixed and Mastered by Hally at ArtHouse Studios

My Da and I both shared and expressed a deep passion for music and I am blessed for it today.

I was tuned into music from a very young age and my earliest memories are hearing my dad play and sing in our home. I bawled my heart out when I first heard him sing 'Ol Shep' long before I heard of Elvis and I'd cry tears of laughter when he'd perform Old MacDonald or The Laughing Policeman at community events. He was a natural entertainer and could light up a room with a song.

When I finally got a guitar, I'd join him for many a jam session in the house and then at the Care of the Aged Centre, family gatherings or some other event. Good times.

I'd hear songs like Raglan Road, Bye Bye Love, It's a Sin to Tell a Lie and many more sung at sessions and I'd be learning the chords for weeks. Showtunes, old cowboy country songs, Irish ballads, I would learn from my da. High Noon, Your Cheatin' Heart, Blueberry Hill, The Black Hills of Dakota, Little Ole Wine Drinker Me, The Curragh of Kildare, The Rare Auld Times and a hundred more besides…

He's 6 years gone from us today and I miss him dearly. He was a force of nature, a family man - a friend. He was my da and I love him dearly.

Here I perform one of his favourite songs, Pete St. John's Rare Auld Times. For me, it'll always be my da's song. Peace and love. Offer a prayer, a song or a toast to him today.

‘Dubs’ is a contemporary Irish play that took to the stage at The Moat Theatre in Naas recently, one that crackles with relevance, urgency and raw emotion. Set inside 15 Usher's Island Dublin, the iconic James Joyce house, this play doesn’t shy away from the big stuff. Homelessness, Ireland’s housing crisis, politics, protest, activism, love, utopian dreams, corruption and youth culture - it’s all there, rolled into one bold, electrifying production.

This play acts as a mirror held up to our messy, beautiful and broken society. You’ve got drama, comedy, heartbreak and hope. There’s poetry, strong dialogue and powerful music. There’s musicians, influencers, leaders, bleeders, gangsters, journalists, homeless souls, a ghost, charlatans, mavericks, artists and activists, all thrown together in this chaotic assembly.  

Performed by the immensely talented Teen Theatrics group from Naas, Dubs lit up the Moat Theatre for two powerful nights. If you were lucky enough to be there, you’ll know what I mean. The group donated proceeds from the ticket sales to Jigginstown Manor, a local charity run by Tiglin that provides transitional supported housing for young people who are at risk of homelessness. 
 
Now, please do allow me my proud dad moment. My son Cayden plays Ruaidhrí, an angry, passionate young man with a bold idea to turn the Joyce house into a museum. But as the story unfolds, that vision is tested and Ruaidhrí is forced to confront his own beliefs. It’s a role with depth and Cayden brought it to life with fire and soul.
But it’s not just the acting. Cayden also wrote an original song for the play, “Wolf at Your Door”. It’s a haunting, powerful protest ballad calling for change, echoing the voices of those crushed by the housing crisis - the ones too often forgotten, the homeless.

In the final act, Cayden/Ruaidhrí picks up a guitar and alongside Lily who plays Lizzie, a homeless person, they perform this song live. It’s a moment that hits hard, full of tenderness, urgency and raw truth. And let me tell you, sitting in that audience, heart in my throat, watching my 16-year-old son deliver something so brave and honest... I was absolutely floored. As a fellow musician, I know what it takes to put yourself out there like that. It takes balls and he did it with guts, grace and purpose. Fair play to you, Cayden. You’ve got this gift, and now you’ve found a way to use it. I’m proud beyond words. I love you. You’re on your way.

A huge shoutout as well to Mary Power Cooney, who directed Dubs and who pours her heart into Teen Theatrics. What she’s built isn’t just a drama group - it’s a sanctuary. A place where young people can be themselves, spread their wings, speak their truth and find their tribe. It's theatre, it's therapy, it’s a community - a palace of dreams.
Long may it run. 

And lastly, here’s a little phone video (captured by a very proud mam!) of Cayden and Lily performing “Wolf at Your Door.” Trust me, it’s worth a watch.

My song 'Darkness Before Dawn' is inspired by the story of the Doran family and the harrowing events that occurred on the 7th of July 1921, in Newbridge, Co. Kildare, during the final days leading up to the Anglo-Irish truce. That night, the IRA targeted the NAAFI (Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes) on the Moorefield Road, seeking to seize goods from the British military. Bill Doran, the caretaker, lived above the store with his wife, Bridget, their ten-month-old baby, Kathleen and his two sons, William Jnr. and John. As a consequence of this raid, the Doran family were torn apart.

The IRA's intention was to liberate supplies and destroy what they could not take, pouring paraffin over the remaining goods. However, a catastrophic fire broke out, claiming the lives of Bridget and John. Bill and baby Kathleen survived, as did William Jnr., though he suffered severe burns. The tragedy shocked the town and opinions were divided - some sympathised with the IRA, while others criticised the consequences of their actions.

'Darkness Before Dawn' is a ballad that reflects the anguish, sorrow and conflicting emotions that surfaced in the wake of such a heartbreaking tragedy, emphasising the profound cost of war and the enduring impact on a community torn apart by its struggles.

'Darkness' got its first outing in June 2023. I performed it for a few friends from the Red Hot Music Club in the snug in Fallons of Kilcullen. One of these was my good friend Noel Heavey, who is also friends with Christy Moore. Join up the dots! Noel was very taken by the story of the song and asked if he could send it on to Christy.

It's an incredible honour to have Christy Moore record 'Darkness Before Dawn' for his latest album, ‘A Terrible Beauty’. Collaborating with him on this ballad has been incredibly fulfilling, allowing this important story to be heard by a wider audience. As a young fella of 12 or 13, when I first started playing songs to the walls of Sarto Park, Christy Moore was there. This is the stuff of dreams and a significant milestone for me. One of the big moments in all of this was meeting Christy with my wife Pamela at the Killashee hotel after he had performed 'Darkness Before Dawn' for the first time.

A Terrible Beauty by Christy Moore is available on all the usual platforms from Friday November 1st 2024. It's also available on Vinyl or CD from your local record store, including my favourite The Record Rack in Naas, Co. Kildare  https://therecordrack.ie/ 

“We remember the Doran family all these years on
And reflect upon our freedom in the Darkness Before the Dawn”

“Pete Kavanagh from Naas wrote this ballad…when he sang it in The Red Hot Music Club in Kilcullen it was heard by my friend Noel Heavey. Noel tipped me off about this song and I set off in pursuit of Pete Kavanagh. Pete sent me the song and allowed me adjust it to “my fit” …. it’s short and complete  and describes a reckless and subsequently disastrous IRA raid on the NAAFI store in my home town of Newbridge…. It would have been a justifiable raid on the English Army of occupation had there not been an innocent civilian family asleep upstairs. This awful event took place 100 yards from our home in Moorefield Terrace. Yet I heard nothing of this tragedy until Pete’s fine song came my way.” 
- Christy Moore 
Source: https://www.christymoore.com/october-2024/

This story, buried for so long in the past, has resurfaced thanks to the work of James Durney and the Kildare County Archives and Local Studies. Through his detailed research, he has brought the memory of that night back to light, ensuring that the lives of the Doran family and the tragic events on the Moorefield Road are no longer forgotten or written out of history. With 'Darkness Before Dawn', I’ve tried to capture that legacy in song, giving voice to a moment in history that deserves to be remembered.

A special nod of gratitude to Naas playwright and schoolteacher at Naas CBS Tom Noone, who first brought this story to my attention. It all started, as it often does with a conversation…

There’s something special about the Lily Sessions, a songwriter's night that happens every month in the upstairs room of Jones' Bar in Clane, Co. Kildare. Run by three sound lads - John, Stephen and Josh - the night has become a sort of home for songwriters to share their craft to a friendly, listening audience.

I’ve had the pleasure of playing at the Lily Sessions a few times now. Recently, I had the incredible experience of sharing the stage with my fifteen year old son Cayden. He carries the same passion for music that I do, bringing his own voice and original songs to the stage. It feels like a passing of the torch in a way, but also like we were sharing the fire together. I'm incredibly proud of him and it's a joy to watch him grow and develop as a songwriter and musician. 

📸Josh Fogarty 

The Lily Sessions is a place where everyone’s welcome, whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been playing for years.  Do yourself a favour and check it out. 

Connect with The Lily Sessions on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lilysessionskildare
Website: https://lilysessions.com/