'Bright light for Limerick': Late Johnny Duhan laid to rest

GLOWING tributes have been paid to late singer-songwriter Johnny Duhan, who has been laid to rest following a tragic accident.

A Limerick native and treasured musician, Mr Duhan has been laid to rest in Killaan Cemetery, Woodlawn in Co Galway, following a tragic accident at sea. 

The 74-year-old’s body was found following a search after he was reported missing, having not returned from his daily swim at Silver Strand beach in Galway Bay on Tuesday, November 12. 

The late Mr Duhan, who grew up on Wolfe Tone Street in Limerick city, is most well known for having written The Voyage, regularly performed by  Christy Moore.

Mr Duhan’s funeral took place on Friday, November 15 at St Killian’s Church, New Inn. Mr Duhan had lived in Barna in Galway for much of the last 40 years.

READ MORE: In his own words: Limerick not just another town for Johnny Duhan

Limerick always held a sacred place in Mr Duhan’s heart, however, as he previously told the Limerick Leader his album Just Another Town is “a hymn to the city I grew up in”.

“In fact, each of the 17 songs that make up the collection were achieved after deep meditation on memories of the hometown and on the family, friends and neighbours that I grew up among on Wolfe Tone Street,” he said.

“The horn that features on the opening song Another Morning is an echo of the trumpet from neighbouring Sarsfield Army Barracks that used to wake my brothers and sisters and I when we were growing up.

“Some of my oldest, grittiest memories of Limerick centre on the Shannon and the harbour area around the docks, mainly because my father was a merchant sailor when I was young.”

Mr Duhan was the lifelong friend of the late Ger Tuohy, also a Limerick man and founder of one of the most seminal beat groups to come out of Ireland in the 1960s, Granny’s Intentions.

Hyde Road native and musician, Mr Tuohy passed away at Milford Care Centre following a lengthy illness in 2019. 

He was said to have played a major role in the acclaimed career of Mr Duhan.

Mr Duhan was once quoted as saying: “I joined Ger Tuohy’s group The Intentions (later Granny’s Intentions) and we formed the mad idea of aiming for the stars.

“I have always found it ironic that, though I left Limerick in the mid-60s at 16 to pursue a career in popular music in Swinging London with Granny’s Intentions, it wasn’t until I returned to live in the west of Ireland after my rock adventures were over that I discovered that the real source of creativity for me resided back in the place of my genesis, Limerick city.”

Taoiseach Simon Harris has led tributes to Mr Duhan, saying he was “a renowned and much-loved songwriter.”

“Thinking of his family and loved ones at this very sad time,” Taoiseach Harris wrote on social media.

A treasured and talented musician, Mr Duhan also wrote songs for The Dubliners, Mary Black, Dolores Keane and Mary Coughlan.

He wrote the song Whiskey Didn’t Kill the Pain, for Mary Coughlan, with Ms Coughlan remembering Mr Duhan fondly on RTÉ Radio One on Wednesday morning, saying: “The Voyage, the song that Christy made famous, is very poignant now and very sad.”

Mr Duhan is deeply missed by his heartbroken wife Maureen with whom he started his voyage 54 years ago.  He is treasured by his beloved five children Ronan, Niamh, Kevin, Ailbhe and Brian,  daughter-in-law Siobhan, sons-in-law Padraic and Ian, and Brian’s partner Emma.

Adored by his precious grandchildren Aoibheann, Alanna, Caitlin, Saoirse, Hannah, Aimee, Dylan, Ryan, Sonny, and Paidi. His brothers Eric, Barry, Michael, and sisters Joan, Kay, Patti, and Suzanne, along with the Biggins family Paddy and Sarah, and Dorry and Teresa and along with his in-laws and all of his dear friends, neighbours and devoted fans.

Many people have left heartfelt condolences with most thanking him for his “beautiful music” and branding him a “national treasure”.

One person wrote: “Heartbroken at this terrible, terrible news. Ireland has lost a true songwriting legend. My deepest condolences to his family. Rest easy Johnny.”

Another wrote on RIP.ie: “His music has comforted many people and will be his legacy as is his beautiful family. God rest him.”

 “Johnny, you were on all our minds when we were growing up and you continued to be a bright light for Limerick throughout your life. Rest in peace.”