Dave Keary - Limerick's Guitar Maestro

 

Limerick’s Unsung Guitar Maestro

Dave Keary

 

By Kieran Beville 

The name Dave Keary (legendary guitarist from Limerick) is a name that resonates deeply among musicians across Ireland and well beyond. In an industry often dominated by flash and fleeting trends, Keary’s story is a reminder that sometimes mastery wears a modest face, and sometimes, the most profound influence comes from the person just out of the spotlight’s glare. Dave is a man who dwells in the shadows of the spotlight and his musical journey is astonishing.

The Sound of a City

Dave Keary’s musical journey mirrors the evolution of Ireland itself—a nation finding its voice in a modern world while never forgetting its ancient roots. Limerick, with its fusion of urban grit and pastoral calm, offered a rich soundscape. Like many musicians of his generation the young Keary soaked up what was being played in smoky pub sessions until his career became defined by subtle brilliance rather than spectacle.

From Local Gigs to International Stages

Keary’s early years were marked by relentless gigging around Limerick, playing with local acts whose names are now footnotes in Irish music history. But it wasn’t the size of the venue that mattered; it was the connection made with an audience—even if that audience was a small group sipping pints on a rainy Tuesday night.

By the late 1980s, Keary’s reputation as a guitarist of rare sensitivity and technical control had grown. Unlike many players chasing the next big thing, Keary had a knack for restraint: the spaces between his notes often spoke louder than the notes themselves. Fellow musicians took notice.

In the early 1990s, he co-founded Tuesday Blue, a rock outfit that flirted with the mainstream and earned critical acclaim for its melodic sensibilities and textured soundscapes. While Tuesday Blue’s moment in the limelight was brief, the experience opened doors for Keary, proving that a Limerick-born guitarist could hold his own on national and international stages.

The Van Morrison Years

The real turning point came when Keary began collaborating with the legendary Van Morrison. To play alongside Morrison—a famously demanding artist with little patience for anything less than excellence—is no small feat. Keary didn’t just meet the standard; he became a cornerstone of Morrison’s live sound, contributing to tours and recordings that spanned years.

With Morrison, Keary’s playing reached new heights. His blues-influenced phrasing and jazz-tinged chord voicings complemented Morrison’s soulful voice perfectly. Yet true to form, Keary never stole the spotlight; he coloured around it, shaping songs with a craftsman’s care.

It wasn’t just about technical ability. Morrison’s music demands emotional honesty, and Keary delivered in spades. At times, his guitar seemed to act as a second singer, echoing the longing, defiance, or joy in Morrison’s lyrics.

The Quiet Heartbeat of Limerick Nights

Yet even with tours, studio sessions and high-profile collaborations, Keary never lost his local anchor. Today, he still plays occasional gigs around Limerick that feel almost like well-kept secrets among the city’s music lovers.

At The Commercial bar, tucked away on Catherine Street, Keary often appears with a stripped-down band, playing to a small but devoted crowd of discerning listeners. There’s an intimacy there that seems to suit him: close enough to hear a string bend, close enough to catch the wry grin he flashes after a particularly tasty lick.

In The Blue Bar at Punches Cross, another cherished local venue, Keary’s sets draw a mix of veteran fans and curious newcomers, each show a reminder that live music is as much about conversation as performance.

And then there was Nancy Blakes—for years, one of Limerick’s most beloved music pubs. Keary’s occasional gigs there were legendary among those who knew, blending deep musicianship with a relaxed, good-humoured energy. That residency has ended now, to the genuine regret of local fans who remember those nights as something special, a kind of magic that lives only in memory.

These aren’t gigs for stadium crowds, nor are they meant to be. They’re part of the city’s cultural heartbeat: evenings where a master musician plays not for acclaim but because, quite simply, that’s what he loves to do.

Studio Maestro

Beyond the stage, Keary established himself as one of Ireland’s most sought-after session musicians and producers. At his Red Door Productions studio in Limerick—a space that feels as much like a creative retreat as a recording room—Keary has guided many projects.

His production style mirrors his playing: detailed and intuitive. Artists from across genres sought him out, drawn by his ability to translate raw ideas into finished tracks that still felt authentic. “Dave has this way of making you sound like yourself—only better,” said one local singer-songwriter who recorded at Red Door. “He doesn’t impose; he elevates.” It’s a subtle but rare gift, and it speaks to Keary’s ethos: music is a conversation, not a monologue.

Fingers on Many Strings

If there’s a single thread running through Keary’s work, it is versatility. His playing can glide seamlessly from the slow burn of a blues solo to the clean articulation of jazz chords, from traditional Irish textures to soulful rock riffs. He never sounds like he’s imitating; rather, he sounds like himself in every context.

Humility and Wit

What sets Keary apart is humility. Despite a CV that could impress any music executive, Keary has never let ego take root.  He’d rather tell a story about a missed note in a pub gig than brag about a sold-out concert in London. It’s an authenticity that resonates with those around him. In an industry often fuelled by image and bravado, Keary’s quiet approach is not just refreshing—it’s grounding.

The Man Beyond the Music

To understand Keary fully, it helps to understand the context in which he works. Limerick city is a place of fierce pride and artistic depth. Keary embodies that spirit in the determination to keep going, and the sensitivity to create art that matters.

Despite offers that might have taken him to Dublin, London or further afield, Keary chose to stay rooted. His studio isn’t just a workplace; it’s a statement of belief that creativity can thrive anywhere—not just in the big cultural capitals. And through it all—international tours, acclaimed sessions, cherished local gigs—he remains utterly devoted to the quality of music.

Why It Matters

In an age where musical success is often measured by social media metrics and viral moments, Keary’s career offers a different lesson: excellence takes time. Influence isn’t always loud, and substance outlasts style.

His legacy isn’t confined to any single solo or album credit. It lives in the artists he’s helped shape, the recordings made richer by his touch, and the audiences moved by his playing—even if they didn’t always know his name.

A Living Legacy

Today, well into a career spanning over four decades, Keary shows no signs of slowing down. He continues to tour, record, produce, and, crucially, to play those small local gigs that mean so much—to the listeners who quietly file in ready for a night of music played from the heart.

There’s something comforting and inspiring in that. While trends rise and fall Keary’s dedication to craft remains constant. He is living proof that you don’t have to shout to be heard—or to leave a mark that lasts. The secret to his success is that he doesn’t play for glory, but for love.

Growing up in Limerick, Dave Keary was immersed in a local music scene that was unusually rich, eclectic, and resilient. In the late 1970s and early ’80s, Limerick wasn’t the first place people thought of when they thought about Irish music — Dublin and Cork dominated the national conversation. But that outsider status turned out to be part of its creative strength.

Limerick didn’t just give Dave Keary his start. It shaped his musical character: rooted in melody, open-minded in style, fiercely authentic, and always grounded in the belief that music should move people — whether it’s a few listeners in a bar or thousands in an arena.