Irish Music Icon Brian Kennedy Set for Buncrana Show

Music lovers across Inishowen are in for a very special night as MRK Live presents Brian Kennedy at Buncrana Cinema on Saturday, 18 April. Tickets are €33.00 and are on sale now from tickets.ie, and demand is expected to be high for one of Ireland’s most treasured voices.

He is widely regarded as one of Ireland’s most inspired and revered musical ambassadors. A multi-platinum recording artist, prolific songwriter, and master interpreter of lyrics, Kennedy has spent more than three decades captivating audiences around the world. 

Raised on the Falls Road in West Belfast during one of the darkest chapters of its history, Kennedy’s journey to international acclaim is nothing short of extraordinary. He has spoken openly about how music became his salvation. “It’s a miracle that I survived my childhood and became a singer, really, given where and how my life started,” he once said. “But somehow my voice had other plans and saved me in the end.”

From harmonising with ambulance sirens as a child to busking on the dangerous streets of Belfast regardless of the political climate, Kennedy’s early determination was remarkable. At just 18, he fled to London, singing unaccompanied in underground stations and outside the Dominion Theatre, often simply to survive. It was there that he was discovered by entrepreneur and manager Simon Fuller, setting him on a path that would change his life forever.

A defining chapter of his career came when Belfast legend Van Morrison spotted Kennedy and invited him to rehearse. That invitation led to Kennedy joining Morrison’s legendary Blues & Soul Revue as guest lead singer, touring the world for six years. 

Despite relentless touring, Kennedy continued to release chart-topping albums of his own. A Better Man (1996) and Now That I Know What I Want (1999) both reached No.1 and went platinum, earning him Irish Best Male Artist and Best Male Album awards.

In recent years, the You Raise Me Up singer has faced significant health challenges, having been diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2016 and suffering a massive heart attack in 2021. In 2024, he stepped away from live performances on doctors’ advice, before returning to the public eye this year as a contestant on Dancing with the Stars.

READ NEXT: Gleneely honours Paddy Lafferty while supporting local dementia care

Now, with a 19th album on the way and plans for special concerts marking the 30th anniversary of A Better Man, Brian Kennedy’s return to the stage is being warmly welcomed by fans. His Buncrana appearance offers a rare opportunity to experience one of Ireland’s great voices up close.