Ray Kelly, singer, songwriter, guitar player and frontman of the popular New York Irish band Mickey Finns, passed away suddenly on Wednesday, January 9.
Kelly, 46, originally from Whitegate in Co. Clare, played regular gigs with his band at Paddy Reilly’s on Second Avenue, where the band’s Irish traditional and rock and roll hybrid sound attracted a devoted following.
It’s understood that Kelly, who also worked as a construction worker, received a blow to the head at work but didn’t seek immediate medical attention. Later on, after returning to his home, he passed away from the injury in circumstances that recall the accident that befell Irish screen star Liam Neeson’s wife Natasha Richardson when she died after suffering a head injury on a ski slope in Canada in 2009.
It’s not yet known if Kelly was working for his usual construction firm or if he had taken on another job under contract at the time of the accident.
Read more: 'Prayers and Idle Chatter' from the Mickey Finns
Band drummer Brian Tracey told IrishCentral: “Ray was the catalyst for making our first band The Prodigals as successful as they became. He was one of the key reasons we gelled so well once we founded the Mickey Finns.”
Friends for over fifteen years, the shock of Kelly’s passing has hit Tracey hard. “I’m doing my best to keep it together. Every day I get twenty-five voicemails, twenty-five texts and about forty emails asking about him. But right now my main concern is spending time with his young son Jude. He’s doing well, he’s a very strong kid.”
Kelly also had two other children, Robert and Rachel, who live in Ireland. Tracey told IrishCentral that issues with Kelly’s daughters’ passport are holding up their arrival to the US.
The fatal accident happened at a site in Lakeville in Connecticut, Tracey says. “I know that site, I’ve actually worked there. It’s a lake house and fairly isolated and you’re kind of by yourself, as Ray was.
“We don’t know the circumstances yet. His wife Liz said he had an accident and he passed away on his own. He was found by a fellow worker later in the day.”
“At the end of the day I have just lost my best friend. It really doesn’t matter to me a whole hell of a lot what the exact circumstances were. There was never a moment that we weren’t working on music or just hanging out.”
Meanwhile, fans of the band told IrishCentral of their shock and sadness over the loss.
“The Mickey Finns were a great hybrid of Irish traditional and New York rock and roll,” Sean Murphy of MurphGuide.com told IrishCentral.
“They played regularly at Paddy Reilly’s, which itself has a long tradition of promoting emerging New York Irish bands from Black 47 up through the Prodigals (of which Kelly was once a founding member).”
Dennis Callaghan, former head of the New York Celtic Meetup Group was also a major fan of the band.
“I knew him mainly through his music,” Callaghan toldIrishCentral. “We’ve been going to see those guys at Paddy Reilly’s for about four and a half years, right up till New Year’s Eve this year in fact. They were just a really fun band to listen to and watch live and they were the friendliest bunch of guys you could ever hope to meet.”
Kelly is survived by his wife Liz, sons Jude and Robert and daughter Rachel, along with the extended Kelly family in Ireland, and band mates in the Mickey Finns, Brian Tracey, Matt Mancuso and Eric Kaye.
Brian Grady, publisher of the Irish music blog Shitenonions.com.com told IrishCentral, “I guess Brian Tracey, the drummer in the band is the hardest hit. He’s known Ray for almost 20 years now, they started his first band The Prodigals together.”
Read more: 2012 was a great year for Irish music - a rundown from Luka Bloom to Patrick Clifford
Grady admits he only heard that a worksite accident had led to Kelly’s passing on Monday.
“It was a shock to everybody, but no one has heard the details of what happened yet. Let’s hope he’s remembered for the work he’s done. He founded two great bands,” said Grady.
“He was the driving force behind them. Hopefully the Mickey Finns will find the courage to go on because they’re all very talented musicians too. They could keep his name going.
“Ray’s personality and his voice live, when you saw him live with the passion and the fire in his eyes, it turned you into a fan.”
Funeral and memorial arrangements have not been announced.
Below is a video of The Mickey Finns, featuring Ray Kelly on guitar & lead vocal performing “Sweet Clare Girl:
11 Comments
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.saraindc | Jan 31, 2013, 07:25 PM EST
great talent, terrible loss. go neiri on bothair leat - here's hoping his legacy for music lives on in the band
Searlit | Jan 20, 2013, 11:05 PM EST
What a terrible loss. My heart goes out to his family and friends. It's not right to have to work alone on a construction site.
nycceol | Jan 17, 2013, 02:52 PM EST
You people ought to be ashamed of yourselves. You say you respect their wish for privacy, yet the very questions being asked are the antithesis of any kind of respect. It doesn't matter what exactly happened; at the end of the day, a beloved person is gone, and it is a tragedy. There is no conspiracy. A family is grieving, and that they chose to take any time at all to release any details regarding a very personal matter when their world is turned upside down is more than any of us could or should ask for. Imagine if someone you loved passed away suddenly and you not only had to deal with that profound loss but also hundreds of fans, questions from people you don't even know and who didn't really know him, reporters calling, going through the horrific process of making funeral arrangements, all while trying to figure out how to just even keep breathing. Grow up, have some respect, and think of his family and friends more than yourself. Please. He was a good man - he and his loved ones deserve a little consideration.
jane13 | Jan 17, 2013, 09:10 AM EST
the article states ""Later on, after returning to his home, he passed away from the injury"" it then goes on to say ""he had an accident and he passed away on his own. He was found by a fellow worker later in the day.”"" So was he at the job site or at home? its contradicting the statements or am I understanding it wrong?
olovely | Jan 16, 2013, 07:17 PM EST
The article says the family aren't releasing the details of what happened - yet. Makes me wonder what happened but I'd respect their wish for privacy too.
franner | Jan 16, 2013, 12:05 PM EST
Very vague report. Why a full week after the accident?
butlerreport | Jan 16, 2013, 12:03 PM EST
Injuries such as these are called 'walk and drops.' it is imperative that a head injury be seen to immediately, even if the person insists that they're fine. Swelling in the brain or a bleed can be fatal. RIP.
Shmrck5S | Jan 16, 2013, 11:46 AM EST
The Mickey Finns were a popular mainstay at the Weston Irish Fest. Ray will be sorely missed.
norm2012 | Jan 16, 2013, 10:31 AM EST
very talented man, sad for his family.
Mortimer74 | Jan 16, 2013, 09:25 AM EST
Very sad. Condolences to his loved ones.
CroughPatrick | Jan 16, 2013, 09:17 AM EST
sad story...3 kids without a father but way too much unexplained info. where does he live? how did he get home after the accident? Lakeville Conn. is pretty far from even Yonkers. He was working by himself? but a coworker found him? was he unconscious when he was found? it might not matter because he is dead now but some lawyer will be able to help those 3 kids if the job site wasnt safe.or are the other circumstances that people just dont want to talk about when a young person dies.