Pre-deceased by his wife, Susan, the well-known and much loved Irish singer and songwriter Mr Pete St John has sadly, passed away, while in the care of staff at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, yesterday, Saturday March 12th, 2022.
Aged in his 90th year, Mr St John is survived by two sons.
Born Peter Mooney in 1932, the folk musician is best known here in Ireland and internationally, for writing the well known songs which include ‘The Rare Ould Times’, ‘The Ferryman’, ‘The Fields of Athenry'(1979), ‘Ringsend Rose’ and perhaps the lesser known ‘Waltzing on Borrowed Time’. His award-winning work has been recorded by numerous musicians, including ‘The Dubliners’, ‘Paddy Reilly’, ‘Brendan Grace’, ‘James Last’, ‘Brendan Shine’, ‘Dublin City Ramblers’, ‘Danny Doyle’ and ‘Mary Black’.
The Dublin-born musician worked abroad as a young man both in Canada and in the US, hence many of his songs reflect on how his home town had become a city and regretted the loss of two symbols of old Dublin; namely Nelson’s Pillar and the Metropole Ballroom; following his return in the 1970s.
Winner of several awards, Mr St. John was winner of the Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO) “Irish Songwriter of the Year” award.
Residents of Co. Tipperary joins with friends and fans in offering their condolences to his extended family.
In ár gcroíthe go deo.
VERY SAD.