Legend of Luke Kelly

Celebrating the memory and music of a true Irish musical legend.
On 30th January 1984 it is said that the whole of Ireland grieved the early death of Dubliner Luke Kelly. He has left an indelible mark as being the greatest folk artist of the 20th Century and his music is widely regarded as one of Ireland's cultural treasures.

Dublin man & multi-instrumentalist Chris Kavanagh has been singing & playing music since he was three years old. His Grandmother instilled a love of folk music in him from this tender age, with bands such as The Dubliners and The Clancy Brothers played regularly in his childhood home. Chris is well known for his passionate performances of folk singer Luke Kelly's songs with his successful band "The Legend of Luke Kelly", but he is also an extremely skilled songwriter & composer. His 2011 album "Voice of the People" showcases his skills to perfection, & Chris's musical arrangements around the songs, coupled with his exceptional singing talents bring a long-awaited freshness to the folk music scene.

In 2011, Chris was asked by the late Al O'Donnell to perform at one of his shows remembering Luke Kelly, & it was there that he met The Dubliners for the first time. On hearing Chris's album, John Sheahan asked him to perform with The Dubliners on their German tour. Chris received rave reviews in Germany, with the audience on their feet from the moment he sang his first song. Shortly after this, Chris was asked to perform with The Dubliners again at their 50th anniversary concert in Dublin's Vicar Street, which is a regular haunt for Chris, as he performs a yearly concert to mark Luke Kelly's anniversary. With the regular attendance of John Sheahan & Luke's family, as well as past special guests such as Damien Dempsey, Declan O'Rourke,
Shay Healy & Christy Dignam, it is always a very special occasion. The January 2019 concert was particularly memorable, as President Michael D.Higgins and his wife Sabina attended.

Chris & his band have performed all over Ireland as well as abroad, in countries such as the UK, Germany, Switzerland & Australia. He is currently working on a new album with his co-writer Hilary Kavanagh & traditional musician Joe Finn, co-composer of the haunting tune "Falcon's Call" (uilleann pipes, flute/whistles, fiddle) & Gerry Tully (Singer/song writer guitarist).