Irish music legend, Peter St. John, has passed away aged 90.
President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, has led tributes for the passing of his friend and much-celebrated singer and songwriter, Peter St. John.
Songs like ‘The Fields of Athenry’ and ‘The Rare Ould Times’, written by St. John, are a staple in Ireland’s music history.
The singer passed away aged 90 and many people across Ireland have been paying their respects.
Inspiration – Ireland’s history and how the country had changed
Peter St. John, known formerly as Peter Mooney, left Ireland on a journey to work across Canada, the US, and the West Indies in a number of different jobs.
When he returned to Ireland in the 1970s, he was moved by how the country he called home had changed.
He went on to write and compose some of Ireland’s most famous songs of all time. His music would be recorded by class acts such as The Dubliners, Dublin City Ramblers, and Daniel O’Donnell, to name a few.
Tributes flooding in – praised by many
Tributes for Peter St. John have been flooding in since his passing.
Michael D. Higgins said it most poignantly, “Pete had the rare gift of being able to write songs that while new and original creations, immediately assumed a timeless quality and central place in all our lives.”
He outlines how much the songs of Peter St. John shaped not only his career, but also the lives of many in Ireland.
Also, Higgins stated the poignancy of his passing on the day Ireland played England in the Six Nations. ‘The Fields of Athenry’ has long had ties with Irish sport.
Higgins’ was one of many tributes for Peter St. John. Messages of love and remembrance also came from Ireland’s rugby team, The Wolfe Tones, and many more.
The Fields of Athenry – a song for the ages
St. John’s music was heavily influenced by the times. ‘The Fields of Athenry’ was inspired by the famine. It tells the story of a man sentenced to transportation to the Australian penal colony at Botany Bay for stealing corn to feed his family.
The beautiful and heartbreaking song has been sung by some legendary Irish musicians. Most famously, The Dubliners.
One of his other most famous songs, ‘The Rare Ould Times’, has also been recorded by The Dubliners and Danny Doyle and more modernly by Kodaline.
‘The Fields of Athenry’ was played and sung by fans and players alike at the rugby on Saturday. It held a different kind of poignancy, paying tribute to the man who introduced it to the world, Peter St. John.
