In an exclusive and deeply moving revelation, Peter Cunnah, the Northern Irish frontman of the 1990s dance-pop sensation D:Ream, has shared the profound joy of discovering his birth family in his late fifties. This follows a start in life marked by trauma within Ireland's notorious mother-and-baby home system.
A Painful Beginning in Co Donegal
Peter's life began amidst cruelty in 1966. His birth mother, Ann McCrea, was a 21-year-old unmarried singer who was taken to Nazareth House, a mother-and-baby home near Buncrana in County Donegal. Mere days after giving birth, Ann was forced to her knees in a chapel by a nun, handed rosary beads, and told to "pray for forgiveness, and for your sins of being a harlot."
As she prayed, she heard the clicking of heels in the hallway. The nun coldly informed her that the sound was her child being taken away as punishment for her sins. When a devastated Ann tried to rise, she was restrained. Less than a week old, Peter was given up for adoption. It would be 25 years before mother and son met again.
The Long Search for Identity
Peter, who grew up in Londonderry knowing he was adopted from age four, first connected with Ann in 1991 after she sent a heart-wrenching letter via the Catholic Family Care Society. The letter spoke of 24 years of "hell" and not knowing. Their reunion was emotional, with Ann instantly recognising her son's resemblance to his biological father.
Out of respect for his beloved adoptive father, Les, Peter paused his search for his birth father. It was only after Les's death in December 2024 that Peter, now 59, felt able to pursue the full truth. After endless online research, he contacted gospel singer Philippa Hanna in Bradford, believing her father, Patrick Hanna, might be his own.
A New Family and a Musical Dynasty
The connection was instant and confirmed by a DNA test. Patrick Hanna, who had used the stage name Patrick Dusky as a travelling musician in the 1960s, was indeed Peter's father. He had been unaware of Peter's existence. The discovery unlocked a whole new musical family.
Peter's half-sister Philippa is a professional singer. He also discovered a half-brother, Stuart Zender, the original bassist for Jamiroquai, who also experienced the spotlight on Top of the Pops. "It was like talking with myself," Peter said of connecting with Stuart.
The family celebrated at a D:Ream concert in Manchester in August 2025, where they surprised Peter by wearing T-shirts printed with the lyrics to Things Can Only Get Better: "Now you found us." His father Patrick watched from the front row, beaming with pride.
Reflecting on the emotional journey, Peter stated, "They say boys don’t cry. Well, they do, when it’s important. What was more important than finding family?" He now plans a grand joint celebration for his 60th and his father's 80th birthday this year, finally closing a chapter that began with such pain in a Donegal convent nearly six decades ago.
