I’ve just read on Pat Boran’s new Dedalus Press blog that Peter Kavanagh, brother of the poet Patrick Kavanagh, died yesterday in New York. May he rest in peace.

I quote from Pat:

His death will no doubt revitalise the discussion and debate which surrounds not so much his relationship to his famous poet brother, but his relationship to so many others of Patrick’s living friends and admirers.

RTÉ reports that Peter Kavanagh will most likely be buried in Inniskeen, his native place and where Patrick is buried.

Katherine Kavanagh is also buried there, with her husband Patrick, but her resting place was desecrated by a person or persons unknown, as I witnessed with MacDara Woods when we were in Iniskeen, and when the President of Ireland made a speech over the grave to mark Kavanagh’s centenary in November 2004.

See MacDara Woods’ powerful Remembering Kavanagh speech at the Kavanagh seat on the Grand Canal, 17th March 2005, which in part reads:

The same grave that has been desecrated, the headstone with Katherine’s name on it broken up and thrown in a field. Any and all record of Katherine excised from the area. The rearranging of the grave and surround to make it appear that Kavanagh alone is buried there.

I haven’t been back to Inniskeen since then, so I don’t know if amends have been made, but if not perhaps this outrage will come to public notice amidst the publicity surrounding Peter Kavanagh’s funeral.

Katherine Kavanagh also deserves to rest in peace.