BIG READ: A Day in the Life with legendary Kilkenny singer Davey Cashin

Growing up in Ballyfoyle, County Kilkenny, Davey Cashin was surrounded by Irish music from an early age. His father Adrian is well known in Kilkenny as an entertainer and great banjo player, so it was no wonder Davey mastered his chosen instruments at such a young age and become the passionate musician that we know today.

Like his band mates Tommy, Josh and Michael, Davey is a huge Kilkenny hurling fan and his own sporting achievements included winning many provincial and national handball titles. We have been lucky enough that the Kilkenny hurlers have been successful over the past 10 years, and The Kilkennys are always the chosen band to welcome our team’s home, be it a win or lose homecoming.

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Davey attended school in St Kieran’s College and spent a short time in college afterwards. However, his main passion was music and he soon realised it was his ‘life-calling’. This is evident through his performances with The Kilkennys, and their success in playing sell out concerts across Europe and America. When he is not touring, Davey lives in this beloved Kilkenny City with his wife Sarah.

Here is a glimpse into Davey’s life…

Davey you bring a huge list of traditional Irish instruments to the sound of The Kilkennys, including banjo, mandolin, guitar and Irish whistles. Who are your influences?

My musical influences would have to include the Clancy Brothers, the Wolfe Tones, Christy Moore, Sharon Shannon and The Dubliners.

 I first started singing with my father, who is one of the biggest influences in my career and life.

The Kilkennys are a band that have worked tirelessly to spread the word about Kilkenny, while gigging all around the world.

We are called The Kilkennys and we like to promote everything about Kilkenny. We are from here and we think its only fair that everywhere we tour, should know what a fantastic place it is.

We even have ABBA recording songs with the mention of Kilkenny! It’s a great place, we just want more people to come here and experience where we live. So, I am happy to carry the name The Kilkennys all around the world.

You've spent time presenting on local radio.

Like everyone, we thought it would only last a couple of weeks. As the months rolled on, people started to reshuffle and rethink things. I decided if this thing is going to drag out longer, I want to come out the back end with a new skill or be productive in some way.

I decided I wanted to learn Irish, I always felt it would be a good skill to have, to learn our native tongue. I was just about to get stuck into that when my good friend Eddie Hughes said, ‘why don't you try something on the radio?’.

In Irish?

No, give us the chance Siobhan!

However, Eddie did bring me in every Friday, to sit in on his show ‘Friday Night Live’ in KCLR. So, I sat in to observe, to see the workings of a desk etc. You could say I was his apprentice; he has been at it for years and is a natural on the mic.

I sat in with him on his show for about six to eight weeks, and after the news one evening, he turned to me and told me I was going to guest present the second half of the show. I said, ‘no way, I am not ready’, to which he responded, ‘get in there, you are either going to sink or swim!”.

So, I did. I suppose I swam because I stayed on for a full hour after the news! From there, I got my own show, called the ‘Guest List’.

Congratulations, and I believe you had had some amazing guests too.

Yes, I have a different guest in every week, and we talk about their life and their careers in the entertainment industry. It could be artists, singers, poets or presenters. We've had Mary Kennedy on, Phil Coulter, Paddy Cole - all super guests. The great Christy Moore is on this week with me. We also have local acts and artists; I love having them on too.

I’m really enjoying it, I'm getting used to presenting on the mic, as well as all the extra bits of working the desk. So, you might return the favour Siobhan and join me on the ‘Guest List’ soon.

Oh heck, a Day on the Life on me, that I was not expecting!

Everybody has a story. Oprah Winfrey proved it years ago, she used to open the phone directory during her show and pick a random person. Her producers would ask them onto her show, and their initial responses were always the same - ‘I don’t have a story to tell’.

However, the most phenomenal stories where unearthed when the producers went digging and they made the best interviewees.

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