Kiev Connolly

Kevin "Kiev" Connolly (born 5 April 1956){{fact|date=February 2024}} is an Irish songwriter, producer and musician. His group, Kiev Connolly and The Missing Passengers, represented Ireland at the 1989 Eurovision Song Contest.{{cite web|url = https://eurovision.tv/participant/kiev-connolly-and-the-missing-passengers | website = eurovision.tv | title = Participant - Kiev Connolly and The Missing Passengers | accessdate = 20 February 2024 }}

Early life and education

Born in Ballymote, County Sligo, Connolly attended school in Cork.{{fact|date=February 2024}} He moved to Germany in 1978, and worked as a studio musician and producer in West Berlin.{{cite web|url = http://www.esctoday.com/annual/1989/page/3 | website = esctoday.com | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20061121120503/http://www.esctoday.com/annual/1989/page/3 | archivedate = 21 November 2006 | title = Ireland in 1989 - Kiev Connolly and the Missing Passengers - Biography }}

Career

Connolly formed the pop group "The Missing Passengers" in 1985. The group secured a recording contract with Ariola/RCA in Germany and "toured Europe extensively". In 1985, the group performed Connolly's song "Did She Tell You" on both the Extratour program Radio Bremen/ARD, and the Musik Convoy program on WDR/ARD.{{fact|date=February 2024}} Connolly returned to Ireland in 1987.

In 1989, Kiev Connolly and The Missing Passengers represented Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest in Lausanne, Switzerland with Connolly's song The Real Me.{{Cite web |last=Roddy |first=Laura |date=2020-01-01 |title=Inside 1989: What Irish business looked like 30 years ago |url=https://fora.ie/state-papers-1989-irish-business-4937894-Jan2020/ |access-date=2024-02-20 |website=Fora.ie}}{{cite web|url = https://www.rte.ie/archives/collections/news/21332519-ireland-s-eurovision-entry/ | publisher = RTÉ | website = rte.ie | title = RTÉ Archives - Ireland's Eurovision Entry - 30 April 1989 | accessdate = 20 February 2024 }} The song reached number 17 in the Irish Singles Chart in May 1989.{{cite web|url = http://irishcharts.ie/search/placement?page=1&search_type=artist&placement=Kiev+Connolly | website = irishcharts.ie | title = Search - Artist - Kiev Connolly | publisher = Irish Music Rights Association | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20240220101830/http://irishcharts.ie/search/placement?page=1&search_type=artist&placement=Kiev+Connolly | archivedate = 20 February 2024 }} Yugoslavia won the Eurovision Song Contest that year.

In 2000, Connolly established Feature Music Studios.{{fact|date=February 2024}} Connolly was involved in arranging and producing several live performances and albums of The Wolfe Tones. This included credits on the Wolfe Tones' 2001 album "You'll Never Beat the Irish".{{cite web|url = https://www.theballadeers.com/wt_2001_never_beat.htm | website = theballadeers.com | title = The Wolfe Tones - You'll Never Beat The Irish | accessdate = 20 February 2024 }} He also occasionally supported the Wolfe Tones, in performances, on keyboards and guitar.{{cite web|url = https://www.irishecho.com/2018/7/the-wolfe-tones-now | website = irishecho.com | title = The Wolfe Tones now | date = 26 July 2018 | accessdate = 20 February 2024 | first = Alex | last = Fell | quote = They [The Wolfe Tones] are assisted occasionally by [..] Kiev Connolly on keyboards and additional guitar. He is seen on stage from time to time, as well as working behind the scenes with the arrangements }}