Singer-songwriter Christy Dignam is remembered by fans who travelled across the country to Finglas so they could pay their respects to the much-loved musician.
Locals and fans lined the route of Christy Dignam’s funeral procession to pay their respects to the frontman of Aslan, who were known as the people’s band.
Some were wearing t-shirts with the Aslan logo inverted to read ‘Slan Abhaile Christy’. Others held bunches of balloons in the band’s signature red and black colours and a number of houses in the area had red ribbons running from top-floor windows to the garden wall, as a mark of respect for one of the north Dublin suburb’s favourite sons.
Among the crowd was Helen Moriarty from Tralee in Co Kerry who left home at 3am to say farewell to her musical hero.
Fighting back tears she said: “Christy was just magnificent. I adored him. I travelled the length and breadth of Ireland to see him. He meant the world to me. I was totally devastated when I heard the news that he passed away. He was such a great character. I thought he’d live forever you know. He’s broke my heart. His presence. He was just magnificent.”
John McMahon from Finglas also lined the route from early. He said: “He just means so much to the community. I think he’s just a legend of a man.”
Breda Kelly, also from Finglas echoed those sentiments: “He never forgot where he came from. He was a great singer, a great performer, a great storyteller. He’s loved by all the people of Finglas and apparently all the people of Ireland.”
Avon Cashin who grew up with Christy Dignam described him as the “heart of Finglas”.
Claire Mulvey from Clondalkin described watching Aslan as magical: “I grew up listening to his music. The gigs were magical. It was an amazing experience. I’m so lucky got to attend the gigs. He’s like no other, there’ll never be anyone like him.”
Anthony Kinsella and his son Paul travelled from Ballina in Mayo to pay their respects. He said: “I came to say goodbye to Christy. I’ve been supporting him for the last forty years. So I had to come up to say goodbye.”
Laura O’Neill from Athlone said as a lifelong fan she felt compelled to come and pay her respects. “He was an amazing person. I met him on numerous occasions and he treated me like I was his best friend. He was a fantastic musician but he was a friend to all his fans. He treated everyone the same.”
Emma O’Connell who also travelled from Athlone said: “He hit a chord with everybody and he treated everybody equally. He always took the time to come out and take photos with you and he just sang from the heart.”
John and Theresa Sheehan travelled from Cork to attend the procession. “We’ve been following Christy for 35, 40 years. They were hugely popular in Cork. When you come up here today you feel it in your heart. It’s real.”
Sisters Charlotte, Rosie, Alice and Elizabeth Cooney came from Dundalk. They recounted all the interactions they had with Christy when they went to see him perform and another occasion when they went to visit him when he was unwell
“Nobody bounces back like that, but he bounced back. And when he goes to paradise he’ll have them all bouncing up there too. We met him a few years ago in Beaumont Hospital, and we wheeled him all around the car park, going out for a fag and the whole lot. And he still singing Crazy World. And him sick. He was just unreal.”
The procession began around 9:30am at Cardiffsbridge Road, near Christy’s family home where neighbours gathered to applaud the coffin.
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It then passed St. Fergal’s Boys National School, where his singing career began before proceeding into Farnham Drive outside Erins Isle GAA club, where a large screen was erected and where most people had converged to pay their respects.
Despite the onset of rain, the thousands who gathered clapped and cheered as the hearse made its way slowly down the road.
The cortege paused there and his widow Kathryn, daughter Kiera, son-in-law Darren and three grandchildren emerged from the car.
They shared warm embraces with some in the crowd before watching a 20-minute video tribute to Christy Dignam’s musical talents
After the public celebration of his life, Christy Dignam was taken to Glasnevin cemetery for a private family ceremony.
The eulogy was delivered by his daughter Ciara who acknowledged the long time the family had been preparing for this day.
“I started writing this on the 11th of March. In my head, I’ve been writing it for 10 years but we got used to my Da giving us false alarms and going against every rule in the history of medical science so I didn’t think I was ever actually going to have to finish it.
“Although the last 10 years particularly the last year have been very hard we have been very lucky to have that time to make memories and have holidays and dinners and days that we can remember together and although it will be tough for a while to listen to his music or watch a video we are privileged to have them forever.”