Pete St John was a proper song writer and a proud Dub

TRIBUTES have been paid to singer-songwriter Pete St John, who died on Saturday, March 12, aged 90.

The folk musician is best known for writing The Fields of Athenry and The Rare Ould Times.

Born Peter Mooney in 1932, and originally from Inchicore, he was educated at Scoil Mhuire Gan Smal and Synge Street CBS, and worked as an electrician before emigrating to Canada.

He returned to Dublin in the late 1970s.

His songs have been recorded by the Dubliners, Mary Black, Daniel O’Donnell, Brendan Shine and many others. He also penned The Ferryman, Luke Kelly’s Land and Ringsend Rose, and more recently composed on topical themes. This included a song Never Drink and Drive for the Road Safety Authority.

Tributes flowed in from far and wide for the popular musician, with the likes of the Wolfe Tones, President Michael D Higgins, the FAI, IRFU and Glasgow Celtic FC.

Musician Phil Coulter said: “Deeply saddened to hear the news of the passing of the great Pete St John, a gentleman, a proud Dub and a proper songwriter who contributed at least three classics to the Great Irish Songbook. Ar dheis De go rabh a anam dilis.”

Pete St John, who died at Beaumont Hospital, is survived by his sons Kieron and Brian Mooney and was predeceased by his wife Susan.