Finbarr Donnelly joined the 27 club on June 18, 1989. The cause of death is recorded as: Drowning accident
Finbarr Donnelly was a singer and songwriter from Northern Ireland, who rose to prominence as the vocalist of the post-punk band Five Go Down to the Sea? Born on April 25, 1962, Donnelly and his family moved to Cork city when he was young to escape The Troubles. It was in Cork that he met guitarist Ricky Dineen in 1978, and together they formed a band initially known as Nun Attax.
Five Go Down to the Sea? gained a local following in Cork through their energetic live performances at venues like the Arcadia ballroom. The band recorded their most acclaimed EP, Knot a Fish, in 1983, and moved to London later that year. Their time in London saw them recruit various second guitarists and the cellist Úna Ní Chanainn, as well as gaining the attention of Creation Records and their label head Alan McGee.
Donnelly's stage presence and absurdist lyrics influenced a generation of Irish musicians. During their gigs at Living Room, Donnelly would snatch pints from audience members and shout surreal lyrics while his bandmates played ramshackle rhythms. However, despite releasing the Singing in Braille EP on Creation in 1985, sales were disappointing, with only 600 copies sold. The difficulty of working with Creation, as well as their unconventional behavior, likely hindered any potential long-term relationship with the label.
After Five Go Down to the Sea? disbanded in 1985, Donnelly and Dineen remained in London and played gigs using a drum machine in 1986 but failed to attract industry interest. They reformed as Beethoven in 1988 and released Him Goolie Goolie Man, Dem on Setanta Records in 1989. The EP was praised by critics, with NME's Steven Wells awarding it "Single of the Week." Tragically, Donnelly's career peaked again just before his death when he accidentally drowned while swimming in Hyde Park's Serpentine Pond on June 18, 1989, at the age of 27.
Despite his untimely death, Finbarr Donnelly left an indelible mark on the Irish music scene. His striking stage presence and absurdist lyrics influenced a generation of musicians in Cork and beyond. Although their commercial success was limited, their impact on the underground music scene in Ireland and London was significant. Donnelly would have undoubtedly continued to push boundaries had he lived longer, leaving fans to wonder what could have been.