GUITARIST Dennis Cahill who collaborated to great acclaim with Feakle’s Martin Hayes passed away last week.
Born in Chicago to Kerry parents, he was widely regarded as an exceptional talent.
A statement on Cahill’s website written by fellow musician Jimmy Keane announced his passing, this Monday, June 20.
“Our dearest Dennis passed away peacefully on Monday evening, with his beloved Mary by his side as she has throughout his journey.
“Just moments before — we were comforting Dennis while The Lament for Limerick from Dennis’ album with Martin was on in the background — and as the track advanced to My Love is in America, Mary turned off the player, leaned over to hug and kiss Dennis one last time – and then he was gone…”
President Michael D Higgins paid tribute to Dennis.
“It is with great sadness that those with a love of traditional Irish music across Ireland, his native Chicago and around the world will have heard of the death of Dennis Cahill.
“Dennis brought a unique and innovative style to his guitar playing, while being deeply respectful of the essence of traditional Irish music.
“He will, of course, be best remembered for his collaborations with Martin Hayes both as a duo and within the group The Gloaming.
“Together they explored new musical territory and helped create a phenomenal interest in traditional music among a whole new generation of people both within Ireland and across the world.
“I had the pleasure of hearing Dennis perform on many occasions and will always remember in particular the performance by The Gloaming as part of the concert ‘Ceiliúradh’, held in the Royal Albert Hall in London in 2014 as part of my State Visit.
“On behalf of Sabina and myself, I would like to express my deepest sympathies to Dennis’s wife Mary, to his family and to all his friends and colleagues across the world.
“Tá oidhreacht luachmhar cheoil fágtha ag Dennis do na glúinte atá le teacht. Suaimhneas síoraí dá anam uasal.”
Dennis is frequently mentioned in Hayes’ recently published memoir Shared Notes and he said of him, “One thing that was obvious to me from the start was that he was a very talented guitar player.”
He also stated that while there was little musical chemistry the first time they played together, they would go on to “have a future partnership and deep friendship that would shape both our lives in huge ways”.
Writing about their collaboration on his own website, Hayes stated, “We believe that less is more and that the beauty of the melody should be central to all the choices made.
“Dennis has created a guitar style with a very precise use of rhythm and subtle use of harmonic colorings that amplifies the mood and power of the melodies in new and innovative ways,” wrote Hayes.
“We are always looking to find the emotional centre and rhythmic power of each tune and then subtly, in the course of our live performances, use these tunes to construct an extended musical arch.
“The power and beauty is already latent in the music, our job is to simply reveal it. In fact the process feels more like allowing the music to happen rather than forcing it into existence.”
The two made critically acclaimed albums together and performed all over the world.
Owen Ryan has been a journalist with the Clare Champion since 2007, having previously worked with a number of other publications in Limerick, Cork and Galway. His first book will be published in December 2024.