Tom Dunne: In the music trenches, we saw Cathal Coughlan as officer material 

The untimely death of Cathal Coughlan brought a lot of fond memories, and reminded of what a truly impressive figure he was 

Tom Dunne with Cathal Coughlan a few years ago. 

If punk rock was a sort of revolution, Cathal Coughlan was its Michael Collins. Cut from a similar but superior cloth to us. In the punk trenches he was officer material. He was better spoken, educated, better read. He saw things faster than us. We looked to him. Not surprisingly, those who knew Cathal - and many others who listened to his music - were gutted to hear the news of his recent death. 

I first became aware of him through the legendary Kaught at the Kampus EP featuring Nun Attax, Mean Features and Microdisney live at the Arcadia in Cork. Three unique and quite incredible front men, Donnelly, Mick Lynch and Cathal. There was something happening in Cork.