Obituary of John S. Corcoran

Peabody - John Corcoran, a well-known Irish folk singer and children’s entertainer who had a second career as a movie stuntman, died Feb. 21, 2020, at his Peabody home. He was 72. John was born in Lynn, the oldest of 15 children, and he lived in Peabody with his wife and three children for most of his life. He built a robust career in the Irish music world, performing and recording with many of the genre’s most respected musicians. John began performing at age 15. As a teen, he appeared at the Ballad Tree tent at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. He later teamed with his brother Brian as The Corcoran Brothers, and they built a national following. John later formed his own group, becoming a mainstay in Boston’s Irish pubs and at The Prince in Saugus, where he performed four nights a week and hosted children shows on weekends. He was known for his charming and rich singing voice, his heartfelt and relatable songwriting, and his humorous story-telling. John was a founding member of the movie stunt company, Stunt Specialists. He worked as a stuntman and actor in dozens of movies and television shows, including “The World According to Garp”; “Ragtime”; “Fort Apache the Bronx”; and “The Cotton Club”. He also was the stunt coordinator for several productions, include the soap opera “Ryan’s Hope,” and the Salem-based PBS production, “Three Sovereigns For Sarah.” John was a 1965 graduate of St. Mary’s High School in Lynn and a 1970 graduate of Emerson College, where he studied acting. The mayor of Lynn recently honored John with a City Hall citation, acknowledging his more than 50-year career, “bringing music and laughter to generations while representing the city of Lynn with distinction throughout the country.” On Jan. 19, dozens of musicians whose careers were touched by Corcoran’s work gathered in Lynn to perform John’s original songs and other folk favorites in tribute. John died from complications related to throat cancer. John is mourned by his wife, Frances; his children and their spouses: Erin and Kevin Grocki of Marlborough; Sean and Linda of Needham; Shane and Lisa of York, ME; his brothers, sisters and their spouses: Michael and Kathy of Amesbury; Dennis and Dale of Ocala, FL; Brian and fiancé Denise Carritte of Lynn; Mary Leonard and Lawrence of Shrewsbury; James and Nancy of Lynnfield; Tom and Jill of Cape Coral, FL; Theresa "Terrie" Moreschi of Lynn; Megg Caira and Carl of Swampscott; Frank and Dareth of Beverly; Emmett and Valerie of Lynn; Christine Salas and Andy of San Pedro, CA. In addition to his grandchildren, Ely, Aiden and Hannah Grocki; Seamus; Claudia; and Mateo; and numerous nieces and nephews. Visiting hours will be held at the Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home, 82 Lynn Street, Peabody, Wednesday, February 26, 2020 from 3-7 p.m. Relatives and friends are invited. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the John Corcoran Memorial Scholarship which will support a student at St. Mary’s High School. Donations accepted online at www.stmaryslynn.com/give/give-online. Click “gift in honor of” and then type “John Corcoran.” Checks accepted at St. Mary’s High School, 35 Tremont St., Lynn, MA 01902. Please write John Corcoran in the memo field. Donations also can be made in his honor to Care Dimensions, 75 Sylvan St., Danvers, MA 01923.