Austin Gaffney
Prodigious singer, who presented his own RTE TV and radio programmes
AUSTIN Gaffney, who has died aged 89, was one of Ireland’s foremost entertainers and a world-class baritone.
Austin was born in Dublin in 1930, and from a young age, showed a prodigious talent for singing. As a boy soprano, he sang with the Palestrina Choir in Dublin’s Pro Cathedral. He recalled going there earlier than usual one Sunday morning, because of a heavy fall of snow overnight. On arrival at the Pro Cathedral, he looked back up Marlborough Street to see the only set of footprints in the snow was his own, “I was the first person up in Dublin that day”.
Many other firsts were to follow. At school in O’Connell’s CBC, he excelled at music, while in athletics he competed at schools and Leinster level. His voice developed into a rich baritone and after school he studied music, winning the gold medal and Baritone Cup at the prestigious Feis Ceoil in Dublin. On foot of this, Austin was awarded a scholarship to study in Hamburg for three years under the renowned Wagnerian baritone, Rudolph Bocklemann.
On his return to Ireland Austin was invited to perform in the Theatre Royal, the Gaiety, Olympia and in theatres around the country. In addition he became a regular performer on RTE Radio and on BBC Radio’s Friday Night is Music Night, broadcast live from London.
With the Irish Festival Singers, Austin toured the United States, meeting a young Grace Kelly in Hollywood in 1955 on the set of the movie High Society, along with Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong and Celeste Holm. Princess Grace, as she later became, returned the favour 20 years later by coming to see Austin singing in Dublin, the two delighting the audience by taking to the dance floor during the evening.
Over the course of his career, Austin performed in every US state, as well as in Britain, across Europe and in Ireland, where he remained a perennial favourite all over the country. In musicals, he became synonymous with certain leading roles like the Red Shadow in The Desert Song, Billy Bigelow in Carousel, Professor Higgins in My Fair Lady and Tevye in Fiddler On The Roof, as well as lead roles in The Merry Widow, Die Fledermaus and Oklahoma and performed alongside Veronica Dunne, Liam Devally, Maureen Potter, Rosaleen Lenehan and Des Keogh.
Austin was known for his warmth and good humour. He excelled, singing the music of Percy French and he enjoyed recounting the story of checking-in to a midlands hotel for a Percy French recital in the local theatre, after which the receptionist welcomed him with the words: “Enjoy your stay, Mr French.”
He presented his own TV programme on RTE and his own radio programmes. In 1987, he sold-out three nights in the NCH in a tribute series that underlined his popularity.
The challenge of Lieder music was where Austin rose to his peak as a classical singer and he performed Lieder throughout his career. In 1989, his recital at the John Field Room in the NCH was regarded as a tour-de-force by critics.
Austin devoted many hours to tutoring younger singers. Despite late hours and gruelling touring schedules, it was not unknown for Austin to perform twice daily at the Gaiety after which he would go straight to Jury’s Irish Cabaret until midnight, then spend weekends and mornings coaching the next generation of singers.
He recorded extensively but his widest audiences were reached through broadcasting, be it the music of Percy French or light opera, often with his friend and accompanist Michael Casey. His faultless rendition of Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal, accompanied by Jenny Reddan remains a masterclass in singing and his many collaborations with conductor Gearoid Grant were widely acclaimed.
In later years, Austin toured less, presenting programmes on RTE Radio where his rich, baritone voice and natural ease were perfect for broadcasting.
Austin married Agnes Murphy in 1959 and they had five children, Irene, Anne, Una, Paul and Colm. While Irene followed in her father’s footsteps into the world of music, all of the family emerged as talented performers. Their family home in Dublin was always alive and welcoming to the many who visited, but in 1990 the family were devastated by the death of their mother Agnes after a short illness.
He found love a second time and in 1994 married the renowned Irish ladies golfer Susan Gorman, living in Dublin and later retiring to Co Wicklow.
Austin’s love of sport was a constant throughout his life. In his teens he had excelled at athletics. In later years he was a keen golfer and a member of Woodbrook Golf Club and as a spectator he was passionate about all sports.
In recent years, Austin’s health declined and it was in Dublin’s St Vincent’s Hospital that he was diagnosed with cancer, moving to the Blackrock Clinic for his final weeks.
Austin Gaffney died on February 14 and is survived by his wife Susan, his five children and five grandchildren.