Tributes paid to the late, great Ron Kavana

‘ABSOLUTE LEGEND’ FROM FERMOY PLAYED WITH MANY MUSICAL GREATS

“He will always be remembered in Fermoy as a legend in the music industry,” said Cllr Noel McCarthy about the late Ronnie Kavanagh who passed away on Saturday, May 4 after a long illness.

The Fermoy born international musician, singer and songwriter who was known to his fans as Ron Kavana enjoyed a stellar career.

He played with some of the world’s most influential musicians in folk, rock, soul, and blues.

He played with legendary figures such as The Pogues, Elvis Costello and Sinead O’Connor.

He was renowned for being hugely influential as a songwriter and performer.

After cutting his early musical teeth in a R&B band, the Wizards, Kavana moved to London in the late 1970s where he enjoyed great success.

Fine Gael councillor Noel McCarthy paid tribute to the late Mr Kavana. “He was a fine musician. He was well known and well respected.

I would like to express my deepest sympathies to all the family. He was a great musician and so talented. He was great to support the music industry. He was so popular in the music scene.”

Cllr McCarthy said Mr Kavana will always be ‘remembered’ as a legend in both Fermoy and in the music industry. “He was a legend. He is one of our legends. He will always be remembered in Fermoy as a legend in the music industry.”

William ‘Hammy’ Hammond, who is involved with the Cork Folk Festival, also paid tribute: “He was an absolute legend. At one stage he had one of the biggest festival bands with Juice on the Loose in England. There would be 20,000 people at some of his concerts. He was huge.

“He played with lots of soul musicians. He played with Charlie Watts, the drummer from the Rolling Stones, at one stage. He played all over Europe and then went to the States.”

“He was so talented,” said Mr Hammond. “In the early years it was all electric guitar. He was in one of the first productions of Children of Lir for his voice. He was one of the singers.

“He then went into the trad and folk world. He learned how to play the mandolin. He must have about 20 or 30 albums to his collection.

“He spent his later years in Clare, and he would be collecting traditional songs. He wrote a lot of stuff. He was an all-rounder. He just wanted to be an ordinary man playing music. He was amazing. His legacy is his music,” he added.

Predeceased by his wife Breda, Mr Kavana is survived by his daughter Georgia, his grandsons Matthew, Liam and Cillian, brother Paul, son-in-law Matthew, his family and friends.