LEGENDARY Limerick folk singer-songwriter and guitarist Johnny Duhan has died following a drowning tragedy off the west coast of Galway.
The 74-year-old, who had for many years resided in Barna in Galway, had ventured into the sea for a swim at Silverstrand near his home this Tuesday morning.
As a major emergency search operation swung into action after Mr Duhan failed to return home, it also emerged that a woman in her 30s was missing having also gone for a swim off the same stretch of beach.
Gardaí said they were treating both incidents as separate tragedies and did not believe both parties were known to each other.
Despite poor visibility due to heavy fog, Mr Duhan’s body was recovered after a few hours following a search operation involving Gardaí, Galway RNLI, the Coast Guard, Galway Sub Aqua, and local volunteers.
Mr Duhan was one of Ireland’s premier songwriting performers, best known for penning the internationally famous romantic modern folk classic The Voyage, which was also carried across the airwaves by fellow singer Christy Moore.
Mr Duhan had written songs for an host of other artists, including The Dubliners, Mary Black, and Dolores Keane, and he regarded as an accomplished singer in his own right.
He began his musical career aged just 15 as the front man for Limerick band The Intentions, later Granny’s Intentions, which over the years featured many accomplished musicians, including Johnny Hockedy, Cha Haran, and Guido Di Vito to name a few.
Duhan and the rest of ‘The Granny’s’ signed to the Deram Records label and released one album, 1970’s Honest Injun, which featured the late legendary guitarist Gary Moore.
Gardaí said they understood that Mr Duhan and the missing woman had separately frequented the beach for daily swims, and both would have known the area well.
Paying tribute, Taoiseach Simon Harris posted on X that the news of Mr Duhan’s passing was “terribly sad”.
“Johnny Duhan was a renowned and much loved songwriter. Thinking of his family and loved ones at this very sad time,” Mr Harris wrote.
Limerick TD Maurice Quinlivan also paid an online tribute to Mr Duhan, describing him as “a Limerick legend – I am a sailor, you’re my first mate – safe voyage. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.”
Reacting to the sad news, Irish folk group The High Kings offered: “God bless Johnny Duhan. We are so sad tonight. What a gentleman. What a genius. What a loss.”
Mr Duhan’s death notice published online this Tuesday evening stated: “On Tuesday, the 12th of November, songwriter and musician Johnny met his untimely death while taking his daily swim in Galway Bay.”
“He is deeply missed by his heartbroken wife Maureen with whom he started his voyage 54 years ago. Treasured by his beloved crew of five children: Ronan, Niamh, Kevin, Ailbhe, and Brian, his brothers Eric, Barry, Michael, and sisters Joan, Kay, Patti, and Suzanne … and all of his dear friends, neighbours, and devoted fans.”
Quoting a line from The Voyage, the funeral notice added poignantly: “May Johnny’s gentle soul Rest In Peace. ‘In troubled waters (love) keeps us afloat’, The Voyage – Johnny Duhan.”
A search is to resume at first light on Wednesday for the missing woman who is believed to be from Spiddal in County Galway
