Peter John McGovern (28 October 1927 – 1 April 2006) was an English songwriter and activist.

Life and career

Pete McGovern was born in

Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...

, England, on 28 October 1927. Both of his parents were Irish. His father, Thomas McGovern, was from Collon,

County Louth County Louth ( ; ) is a coastal Counties of Ireland, county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. Louth is bordered by the counties of County Meath, Meath to the ...

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

and his mother, Annie Dillon, was from Galbally, County Limerick. Pete was born in Regent Street, off the dock road north of the city centre.Ancestry
Accessed October 2013Irish Genealogy
Accessed September 2016 McGovern attended St. Edward's School,

West Derby West Derby ( ) is an area of Liverpool, Merseyside, England, in the east of the city. At the 2011 Census, the population was 14,382. History West Derby Mentioned in the ''Domesday Book'', West Derby achieved significance far earlier tha ...

and Queen Elizabeth's School,

Anfield Anfield is a Association football, football stadium in the area of Anfield (suburb), Anfield, Liverpool, England, which has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since its formation in 1892. The stadium has a seating capacity of 61,276, making it the ...

. He worked for many years on the railways as a telecoms technician and was an active trade unionist and campaigner.The Independent
Accessed October 2013 His main claim to fame is that he wrote "In My Liverpool Home", a song that has become an anthem or folk tune for the people of Liverpool. It was recorded by the folk group The Spinners. The original version of "In My Liverpool Home" was written by McGovern in the early 1960s, but many verses have been added since. The first line of the song is:

"''I was born in Liverpool, down by the docks''"Lyrics Playground
Accessed October 2013

Death

McGovern died in

Trawsfynydd Trawsfynydd (; Welsh language, Welsh for ) is a linear village in Gwynedd, Wales, near Llyn Trawsfynydd reservoir, and adjacent to the A470 road, A470 north of Bronaber and Dolgellau and 10 km (6 miles) south of Blaenau Ffestiniog. It als ...

North Wales North Wales ( ) is a Regions of Wales, region of Wales, encompassing its northernmost areas. It borders mid Wales to the south, England to the east, and the Irish Sea to the north and west. The area is highly mountainous and rural, with Snowdon ...

, on 1 April 2006. He died in his sleep having watched Liverpool win on Match of The Day "McGovern had had a perfect day at his holiday home in North Wales. He had seen Liverpool win and he was delighted that Robbie Fowler had scored, as he had written a song for Fowler's wedding. He drank a couple of glasses of Guinness, completed the crossword and went to bed."

Family

McGovern's granddaughter,

Alison McGovern Alison McGovern (born 30 December 1980) is a British Labour politician who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Birkenhead since 2024, and previously Wirral South since 2010. She has served as Minister of State for Employment since J ...

, was elected MP for Wirral South in the 2010 general election.News BBC
accessed October 2013

References

External links

Lyrics Playground
1927 births 2006 deaths People from Bromborough English male singer-songwriters English singer-songwriters English activists Musicians from Liverpool English people of Irish descent 20th-century English singers 20th-century English male singers 20th-century English male writers {{singer-songwriter-stub