A powerful story of family and identity unfolds with Peter Cunnah, the talented musician behind the iconic 90s hit 'Things Can Only Get Better'. Behind the glitz and glamour of pop stardom, Cunnah embarked on a personal quest to uncover his roots and find his birth parents.
The journey began in Northern Ireland, where Cunnah was born in a mother-and-baby home in Belfast in 1966. Adopted by Les and Monica Cunnah, he grew up in Londonderry, unaware of the secrets his past held.
'Mind-blowing' is an understatement to describe the moment Monica revealed the truth. As a young boy, Cunnah learned he was adopted, a revelation that left him processing a new reality. He carried this knowledge throughout his life, grateful that his adoptive mother had shared it with him, unlike others who discovered it later, often with devastating consequences.
Fast forward to the early 90s, and Cunnah's life took a turn as he found fame with his band D:Ream. The band's success, however, came with challenges. Cunnah battled addictions to cocaine, ecstasy, and alcohol, a struggle he continues to overcome. But amidst the chaos, he also uncovered more secrets from his past.
A pivotal moment arrived in 1991 when a letter changed everything. Cunnah's adoptive mother, Monica, received a letter from Ann McCrea, his birth mother. Ann's emotional outpouring revealed a desire for a photograph, a simple request that would lead Cunnah on a path to discovery.
He traveled to Strabane, County Tyrone, to meet Ann and was 'blown away' by the revelation that he had three half-brothers and one half-sister. This reunion marked a significant step in his journey, and today, he has known his birth mother longer than he didn't.
But the quest wasn't over. Cunnah's biological father remained a mystery, a ghost-like figure known only as Patrick Dusky. It was a name, but not his real one. It took another 34 years and some detective work by his sister-in-law to track down Patrick Hanna, his father's real identity.
'How do you phrase that initial contact?' Cunnah wondered as he contemplated reaching out. Emails to Patrick and even to Stuart Zender, another famous musician and Patrick's son from a different marriage, went unanswered. But a breakthrough came when Cunnah connected with Philippa Hanna, Patrick's daughter from his second marriage and a renowned Christian musician.
After exchanging photos and talking on the phone, Philippa suggested Cunnah take a DNA test, a decision that would change everything. Six weeks later, the results confirmed what Cunnah had hoped for - a perfect match.
'I made a beeline for Manchester', Cunnah said, describing the moment he finally met his biological father, Patrick Hanna, in Barnsley, Yorkshire. It was an emotional reunion, captured in a photograph that shows the two men in an embrace, both with tears in their eyes.
Knowing both his birth parents has brought a sense of completion to Cunnah's life. Today, he resides in the season village of Fahan, County Donegal, just a stone's throw away from Derry, his hometown, and not far from the mother-and-baby home where his journey began.
And the music continues, but this time, it's different. Free from the shadows of drugs and alcohol, Cunnah's life and his music have only gotten better.
