PAY ATTENTION: Mark YEN.com.gh as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!
Irish singer and songwriter Catherine "Cat" Dowling has tragically passed away at the age of 54, her family confirmed on Sunday, August 9th, 2026. She had been living with a long-term illness, a condition that has significantly impacted her health and well-being.
Dowling was born in Ferrybank, Co Kilkenny, and grew up in Cabra, Dublin. The daughter of the late Fine Gael county councillor and TD for Carlow-Kilkenny, Richard William Dowling, she is survived by her three children: Rachel, Ódhran and Juliette, their father Brian, her mother Máirín, a sister and four brothers.
Dowling first emerged as the frontwoman of Babelfish, a band that later evolved into Alphastates and released their debut album, *Made From Sand*, in 2004. She continued performing as a solo artist and remained a respected presence on the Irish music scene throughout her career. Her contributions to the Irish music landscape were particularly notable during her time with Babelfish, establishing her as a significant voice in the burgeoning indie scene.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow us on Instagram – get the most important news directly in your favourite app!
Her voice reached new audiences as recently as March last year, when her cover of The Pogues’ *A Rainy Night in Soho* was selected as the soundtrack to the Department of Foreign Affairs’ St Patrick’s Day campaign. This unexpected choice highlighted her musical versatility and appeal to a wider demographic.
In January 2026, she participated in the Dublin launch of Rock Against Homelessness, a benefit initiative in aid of Focus Ireland, demonstrating her commitment to social causes.
The outpouring of grief from the Irish music community has been immediate. Fellow musician Jerry Fish described Dowling as “Hot Press editor Niall Stokes called her: “Reposing will take place at Power’s Funeral Home in Ferrybank on Tuesday, 11th August, from 2:30pm, with removal at 6pm to The Sacred Heart Church, Ferrybank. A Requiem Mass is scheduled for Wednesday, 12th August at 1pm, followed by burial at Glenmore Cemetery. A memorial service will be held at 3pm.
@Angie O’Brien wrote: @Kathleen O’Donoghue Taylor commented: @Sarah Connolly added: @Sheena O’Donovan wrote: Below is a poignant Facebook post mourning Cat Dowling’s death.
Don’t miss out! Get your daily dose of sports news straight to your phone. Join YEN.com.gh’s Sports News channel on WhatsApp now!
Godwin Nii Armah Okine, Entertainment Editor, joined YEN.com.gh in May 2025 and is head of the Entertainment Desk. He graduated from the Ghana Institute of Journalism with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Studies in 2014 and has over a decade of experience in digital journalism. He covered the 2014 Africa Youth Games in Gaborone for the African Olympic Committee and the International Sports Press Association. Avance Media named him the No.2 blogger in Ghana in 2020. Contact godwnii-armah.okine@yen.com.gh
Watch Related Video
Source: Music
