Cork singer’s book set at time of Great Hunger

CORK singer-songwriter Cahal Dunne has long had a fascination with the Great Famine.

Cahal represented Ireland in the 1979 Eurovision Song Contest with Happy Man - one of only two to do so from Cork, the other being Bambie Thug this year.

He moved to America soon after, where he still performs - and has also written a novel set in Ireland during the Famine,

Cahal explained that singing the iconic Fields Of Athenry during his shows led to a long interest in that devastating era.

“Invariably, the audience approached me after the show to learn more about that song, and to reveal they had no idea that there was plenty of food in Ireland at the time, but the Irish were not allowed it. 

They were in total disbelief at the utter cruelty of the British landlords!

“I became more interested in the Famine history and started reading anything extensively, as my own knowledge of those harrowing times needed nourishing.

“Within a few years I had about eight copybooks full of facts and interesting characters, with a view to some day writing a book.”

Cahal found his window of opportunity when Covid stopped him from singing.

“The resulting novel, Athenry, is my tribute to the strength and forbearance of the Irish race,” he said. 

“It is told through the lives of two families so terribly affected by the famine. It’s a love story, against all odds between two fictitious characters, Liam and Marie O’Donoghue.

Everything the Irish might have used to be able to fight the famine had been taken from them. I’ve been researching this period for the last few years.

“I hadn’t paid much attention to history in school, unfortunately, so it was nearly all new to me. I now love world history - I guess I’m a late bloomer!”

Malachy McCourt of the New York Times described Athenry as “an epic story! A delightful read with a poetic flow”. There has also been talk of a TV mini-series based on the book, which is available in Ireland on Amazon and Kindle.

Cahal adds: “It is my second book, the first, Put Your Rosary Beads Away Ma!, is the story of me trying to make it in Ireland, also available on Amazon and Kindle.”

Cahal explains how he ended up leaving his beloved Cork for the U.S.

“Winning the National Song Contest in 1979 unfortunately coincided with Ireland’s worst recession since the 1950s,” he said. “Our band travelled throughout Ireland in the waning days of the showband era. Challenges of petrol shortages and sky-high mortgage rates meant people simply could not attend local dances as regularly as before.

Bookings reduced and the writing was clearly on the wall. The game was up!

“Tastes were also changing. Disco and cabaret were now in fashion, presenting me with two choices, emigration or get a full-time job!”

Cahal left Cork in 1977, initially to live in Dublin, and he decided to emigrate. 

“I had no obvious plan in how to manage such a move,” he said, “as I had no relations in America, but wanted to continue with my music.”

Cahal landed a job through a friend providing the entertainment at a golf club in Michigan

“Soon, I was playing six nights a week there. Sundays were spent travelling, looking for other work. One Sunday night, in Chicago, it was recommended to me by a friend George Casey to play at Fox’s pub.

“George was a fine comedian from Clare. I auditioned and was awarded a two month contract, beginning in January.

“I started the new contract in Chicago and, when finishing up, George rang me to say his mother there was very ill, and he needed to fly back to Ireland, but needed cover for his gigs in Pittsburgh.

Forty years later, I’m still in Pittsburgh. I love it here, its hills and valleys remind me so much of Ireland. Thankfully, George’s mother made a full recovery.

“The owner, Tom O’Donoghue from Listowel, another great character, booked all the top Irish entertainers into his place, and cajoled their agents to give me a shot elsewhere, and so I started playing all over America.

“My shows are a mixture of Irish, Broadway, Doo Wop, Country, Classical and some of my own songs. I also like to tell a few jokes along the way.”

Cahal also has family in the U.S

About 35 years ago, I met the love of my life, Kathleen. She came into a place where I was playing one night,” he said.

“We had dinner the next night, were married a year later, and now have two sons, Shaun, from her first marriage, and our own son Ryan, who is 33, and getting married next month.”

So, corny as it sounds, Cahal is still very much a ‘Happy Man’.