With a heritage rooted deep in the ancient soil of the Emerald Isle, the Kavanaghs flourished for centuries and stamped an indelible mark on their nation’s history - at the forefront of many of Ireland’s most bloody military encounters and unswerving in their determination to retain their freedom and independence.
Others have achieved fame and acclaim through a range of endeavours and pursuits.
Born in 1904, Patrick Kavanagh is recognised as having been one of Ireland’s greatest poets, with his poem On Raglan Road, set to the traditional air The Dawning of the Day having been performed by artistes who include Sinéad O’Connor and Van Morrison.
In addition to providing some of vocals for the soundtrack for the film The Commitments, Niamh Kavanagh is the Irish singer who won the Eurovision Song Contest for her country in 1993 with the song Singing In Your Eyes.
Presented here is the vibrant tale of the Kavanaghs.
Kavanagh Irish Clan Name Mini-Book Excerpt
"On a rather infamous note, Lawrence Kavanagh, born in about 1805 in Waterford, was destined to end his life on the gallows in Australia, far from his native Ireland.
Convicted of burglary in Dublin in 1828, he was sentenced to transportation for life, and his career thereafter was a dramatic and colourful catalogue of violent brushes with the authorities, imprisonment, escape, further imprisonment and even further daring escape.
A notorious outlaw, but one who nevertheless captured the romantic imagination of Australians in the same manner as the equally infamous Ned Kelly, he was finally run to ground and hanged in October of 1846."
