Pete (Peter) St John (Mooney)

1932 – 2022. Pete St John (born Peter Mooney in Dublin in 1932) died peacefully on March  12th at Dublin's Beaumont Hospital. He was preceded in death by his loving  wife Susan.

He was a traditional music legend best known for writing songs such as The  Fields of Athenry, The Rare Ould Times, The Ferryman, Danny Farrell, Waltzing  on Borrowed Time, and the Furey Man, amongst many others. He also authored  several well received books such as Jaysus Wept, Ambushed by Ideas, and  Beggar at the Window.

His songs were recorded by hundreds of performers, including The Dubliners,  Paddy Reilly, Danny Doyle, Johnny McEvoy, Mary Black, Dublin City Ramblers,  Brendan Shine and Daniel O'Donnell. He won many awards for his work  including the IMRO songwriter of the year award and the Variety Club of Ireland  'Gold Heart' Award for his outstanding contribution to Irish music and song.

Pete was educated at Scoil Muire Gan Smal, Inchicore and Synge Street C.B.S.  He served his time as an electrician and then emigrated to Canada,  eventually settling in the USA as electrical contracting executive. His deep and  long-standing love for Ireland and the City of Dublin drove him to return home  in the early 1970s. Many of his songs looked at how his native city had  changed over the years, and his works were often his way of making social  commentary through song and verse.

In his own words " Songs are magic carpets. They can tell a story over and  over again without boring the pants off the listener and maybe take us out  of ourselves for a few moments of peaceful escapism. With easy to remember  melody lines the words can tell of times and events in our daily lives that  are worth noting or remembering. That’s what the world of Pete St John is  all about. Writing what I know about in it’s own time and in a simple way.  Poems, essays, verses, plays and books depicting the flow of events and  images that are a part of the life that happens around me".

Pete was a husband, father, grandfather, sibling, uncle, great uncle,  colleague, and friend to many. He will be remembered for his intelligence, wit and  ability to connect with many through his writing. He is survived by his  sons Kieron and Brian Mooney, their wives Mary-Beth and Stephanie, his siblings  Kieran, Kathleen, and Joy, and his granddaughters Aislinn and Kiera.

Reposing in Stafford's Funeral Home, North Strand on Friday, 1st April, from 4pm to 7pm with family in attendance. Funeral on Saturday, 2nd April, in Church of the Holy Child, Whitehall arriving for 10am funeral mass so Pete's many family and friends can say farewell and share memories of their time with Pete with cremation afterwards in Glasnevin Crematorium (Due 12:40).

The Funeral Mass and Cremation Service can be viewed live on the link below:

This funeral can be viewed live at 10am on Saturday from the church and then from the crematorium at 12.40: 

https://funeralslive.ie/pete-st-john/