Richie Kavanagh facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Richie Kavanagh
Background information
Birth name	Richard Kavanagh
Born	(1949-03-19) 19 March 1949 (age 76) Fennagh, County Carlow, Ireland
Genres	Country and Irish, Comedy, novelty
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter
Years active	1970s–present

Richard Kavanagh (born on March 19, 1949) is a famous Irish singer and songwriter. He is known for his funny songs and lively performances. Even though he faced challenges with his hands due to a skin condition called psoriasis, he became a very successful musician.

In 1996, his song "Aon Focal Eile" became a huge hit across Ireland. It was first played on local radio and then became popular on national radio, reaching the top ten charts.

Richie's Early Life and Start in Music

Richie Kavanagh grew up in a place called Raheenwood in Fennagh, County Carlow, Ireland. He still lives there today. His local area is also famous for a racehorse named Danoli.

Richie's primary school teachers encouraged him to write songs and funny stories. He was also inspired by traveling shows that visited his town when he was a child. He loved watching the performers and would go home to act out what he saw on his kitchen table!

Before becoming a full-time musician, Richie had many different jobs. He worked as a lorry driver, made decorative fountains, and was even a chef.

Beginning His Music Career

Richie started his music journey in the 1970s. He began writing his own songs. For a short time, he was part of a duo called Dave and Dick before deciding to perform by himself. He had an early popular song called "Face Her For Mount Leinster." He was becoming well-known as an entertainer.

In his comedy shows, Richie often used a funny character he called 'Johnny'. In 1991, his song "Holey Ireland" became popular on local radio. This song was about the many potholes on roads in Ireland. People even started calling him 'The Pot Hole Man' because of this song's success.

Richie's stage clothes, including his gloves and hat, became his special look. He first wore them to cover his psoriasis, but they soon became part of his famous style.

Richie's Big Musical Success

By 1996, Richie Kavanagh was a popular performer in the southeast of Ireland. He would sell out small concert halls and even opened for famous entertainers like Niall Tóibín.

The Story of "Aon Focal Eile"

In March 1996, Richie's son told him that a song Richie had written years ago, "Aon Focal Eile," was being played on the radio. However, it was a different singer's version! Richie, along with his managers Tommy and Jimmy Swarbrigg, decided to promote Richie's original version of the song. He had not thought it was one of his best songs before, but now it was time to share it.

The song became very famous in Ireland. It caused some discussion because it used the Irish word focal, which means word. However, it sounded similar to a rude English word. Because of this, some radio stations in the UK would only play the song late at night.

"Aon Focal Eile" was in the top ten of the Irish music charts for over six months in 1996. It was even number one for eight weeks! It kept other big international songs from reaching the top spot. In May 1996, Richie had two albums, "Travellin' Man" and "Aon Focail Eile - 15 Best Comedy Songs," in the Irish top ten album chart at the same time.

Richie won an IRMA award for Best Single of the Year in Ireland for 1996. His hit song is still one of the best-selling singles in Irish chart history.

Other Popular Songs

Richie has had many other popular songs. These include "The Mobile Phone," "Stay Wut Her Johnny," and "Chicken Talk." His songs are often known for their funny and sometimes cheeky lyrics.

On February 9, 2011, Richie shared that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. This is a condition that affects movement. Despite this, he promised his fans that he would keep performing.

Richie's Music Releases

Songs That Made the Charts

Here are some of Richie Kavanagh's songs that became popular on the music charts: