Daniel O'Donnell leads tribute to much-loved country music legend Kevin Prendergast

TRIBUTES have poured in from all around Ireland and further afield in the aftermath of the news of the sudden death of Kevin Prendergast this week.

The 83 year-old country music icon enjoyed massive popularity on the country and Irish music circuit for over five decades and attracted big crowds to shows around Ireland and England all down the years.

A vast amount of tributes have been pouring in from both sides of the Irish Sea as well as from the USA since the news broke.

Daniel O'Donnell took to social media to pay his respects, posting a photo of himself and Kevin on Facebook.

"It is with sadness today that I learned of the passing of Kevin Prendergast," the accompanying caption read.

"Through the years Kevin and I were on many shows together. He was a true gentleman. My sympathy to his family at the sad time. Rest in Peace Kevin," Daniel continued.

Margo O’Donnell, Ireland’s queen of country and Irish, was among those leading the tributes to Kevin on Monday evening. “I’ve known Kevin for what seems like forever. I loved him and he loved me. We were like from the same stalk. We spoke the same language.

“Kevin was very special and he touched the hearts of so many people. I recall with fondness the great chats we had on the Gertie Byrne cruises in the Caribbean when we would walk the deck together to stay fit. He never went to Donegal without calling to visit my mother in Kincasslagh. She loved to see him call to the house. He was part of what I was about and we sang from the same hymn sheet. Another good one gone, he was a real gentleman,” said a tearful Margo.

Like thousands more, Kevin crossed the Irish Sea in the 1960s. It was in Manchester that he started singing songs in the clubs and pubs, getting various breaks in places like the Ard Rí and the Carousel Club. Manchester provided the grounding that was to serve him well in later years.

In 1980, Kevin wrote a song called 'Let’s Go Back To County Mayo', which became hugely requested at his gigs in Manchester, London, Birmingham, Coventry, Leeds and Liverpool. It was the first song he recorded, released on a four-track at the time.

With the advent of the pirate radio stations in the mid1980s, Kevin’s songs took off in style. He secured a contract with Paschal Mooney’s record company and, for the next decade, Kevin's albums were massive sellers in the West of Ireland and much further afield, easily outselling many of the so-called big pop acts from England and America in the region.

When Midwest Radio came on air as the new legalized station for the region, the very first song to be played on that July morning back in 1989 was Kevin Prendergast singing 'My Old Home In Mayo'.

Kevin had resided at Lohan Park, in Brickens, for close on two decades after moving back home from Manchester after living there for almost 40 years.

Many mourners posted their condolences online.

"Sincere condolences to Kevins family a lovely man who will be sadly missed but who has left so many lovely memories for so many and he will never be forgotten .May his gentle soul rest in peace," one commenter wrote under Kevin's notice.

His reposing will take at Donnellan's Funeral Home, Clare Street, Ballyhaunis on Thursday evening from 5 o'clock until 7 o'clock. Funeral will arrive to St Mary's Church, Logboy on Friday for Funeral Mass at 12 noon with burial afterwards in Tulrahan Cemetery.

Funeral mass can be viewed live on Donnellan Undertakers Facebook page. Family flowers only, donations to Lohan Park Comfort Fund, c/o Donnellan Undertakers, Ballyhaunis. House strictly private please.

Kevin, who was predeceased by his parents John Austin and Ann, and his brothers Seán, Brendan, Tom, Ray and Gerald, will be greatly missed by his sisters-in-law Marian and Eileen, nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, relatives and a large circle of friends.