Interview with comedian, actress and singer Katherine Lynch about how growing up in a small community “prepared the very soul of her for life”, her deep pride in her family tie to her grand uncle poet Patrick Kavanagh, her thoughts on melancholy and living in the fear of perfection, and the
powerful meaning behind her beautiful song “Settling Dust”.
Show notes;
Meeting this lady in person and talking to her about the things that matter most to her, such as her close link to her family and community, was a breath of fresh air as I realised that the same things matter to most people. Have a listen to this podcast where Katherine speaks about how being
brought up in small community in Mohill, Co. Leitrim, “prepared the very soul of me for life”, and how she is welcomed back home each time as “everyone dies famous in small town” no matter who you are and which path you choose in life.
Katherine bravely shared that “my darkest moment was when my father died” and spoke about the impact of this loss on her and her family. As part of the show is asking guests to choose a song which resonates with their life journey, Katherine chose her hauntingly beautiful song “Twilight Romance (Maureen’s Song)” from her debut album “Settling Dust”. Following the passing of her father, she wrote the song about a dream her mother had had about her father waiting for her under a street light: “In the measure of eternal life they would dance and meet again in heaven”. What a meaningful tribute to her parents. How poignant that writing her album was “her best form of therapy”...
When speaking about her deep pride in her family tie with her grand uncle and poet Patrick Kavanagh R.I.P., Katherine shared “He was divinely connected to something bigger. For me he is my connection to God. I use his poetry as my bible. To have him in my DNA is the most divine thing I feel”.
Regarding his poetry, Katherine said “Melancholy is a beautiful warm blanket and often forgotten in mental health. It’s ok not to feel ok. As a teenager it’s ok to lock yourself in your room listening to Bob Dylan. Melancholy means you have the heart and soul to know you might feel hurt
but you have the control and creativity to express it. We live in the fear of perfection and there is no such thing”.
We spoke about the fine line between the control you feel over your feelings in a melancholic state and the need to seek help for issues if feelings are overwhelming and taking over your daily life. This was spoken about in light of the recent loss of comedian Caroline Aherne R.I.P. who had openly struggled with mental health issues due to the many pressures she felt.
When I asked Katherine what she most values in life, she shared “My family and my friendships are what matter most and are priceless”. Interestingly she said that her career comes way down her list of priorities “You’re not going to have the commissioner of RTE at your bedside when you are dying”. No disrespect to the commissioner of RTE but she was dead right and seems to have her priorities straight.
Relationships are what matter most. When asked how her ability to adapt so easily to many different genres, ranging from being an early poet to being a stand-up comedian, to creating and acting out her stage personas, to making her serious album, to reviewing literature and offering social commentaries, Katherine said “I generally let things happen organically. I let the ebb and the flow happen. I don’t feel I have ever worked a day
in my life”.
To sum up using my Psychology hat, Katherine struck me as being very grounded in her approach to life and in her creative endeavours. Her early experience of family and community seems to have prepared her well for life and her work, as she has a centredness about her which contributes to her wellbeing as a person and as an artist. My sincere thanks to you the ever talented Ms. Katherine Lynch for joining me, it was an absolute pleasure.