U2’s first booking agent David Kavanagh, who went on to manage Clannad and Celtic Woman to global success, has died at the age of 62.

Mr. Kavanagh died at the Blackrock Clinic on Friday morning after a long illness. He had been diagnosed with cancer in 2009.

Mr. Kavanagh started out as the entertainment officer at UCD in 1975 and his Road Runner Agency represented U2, The Boomtown Rats, Christy Moore, Planxty and Thin Lizzy.

He had further success after setting up the Celtic Heartbeat label in 1993 with U2 manager Paul McGuinness.