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Christy Dignam leaves this Crazy World

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There was an air of sadness around killarney on Tuesday evening when the sad but inevitable news that Aslan lead singer Christy Dignam had passed away after a battle with cancer.

RIP Christy Dignam Aslan much loved in Killarney. Pictured here performing an impromptu gig on Plunkett St during is visit in August 2018 catching up with his friend Liam O’Connor. Picture Marie Carroll-O’Sullivan

Christy Dignam Aslan pictured singing his massive hit “Crazy World” on visiting Killarney and catching up with his friend Liam O’Connor August 2018 on Plunkett Street. Picture Marie Carroll-O’Sullivan

Christy Dignam Aslan pictured singing his massive hit “Crazy World” on visiting Killarney and catching up with his friend Liam O’Connor August 2018 on Plunkett Street. Picture Marie Carroll-O’Sullivan

Christy Dignam Aslan pictured singing his massive hit “Crazy World” on visiting Killarney and catching up with his friend Liam O’Connor August 2018 on Plunkett Street. Picture Marie Carroll-O’Sullivan

Words: Eamonn Fitzgerald Photos: Marie Carroll-O'Sullivan. 

The Dubliner had a massive affinity with Killarney, Aslan’s countless sell out gigs were a testament to his popularity in this part of the world.

Who can forget his impromptu gig on Plunkett St when he and local accordion legend Liam O’Connor entertained locals and tourist alike during the summer of 2018.

Earlier the same year O’Connor invited Dignam to be guest of honour at his annual St Brendan’s College concert in the school's chapel.

Fittingly, there is a strong Killarney connection to another local secondary school.

Killarney Advertiser sports journalist and now retired Community College principal Eamonn Fitzgerald was one of Christy’s teachers during his stint as a teacher in Dublin in the late 1960s.

Here Eamonn recalls his early days with the prodigious musician.

FINGLAS 1967

I was very fortunate that my first appointment as a teacher in 1967 was in St Fergal’s boy’s national school, Finglas one of the most socially deprived areas in Dublin making the news for all the wrong reasons.

Sure, there were some hard chaws, gougers, gurriers and the no one wants me brigade, but there were also raw uncut diamonds which sparkled when hope beckoned.

Christy Dignam was one of those young boys a mere 10-year-old. I had the good fortune to teach him in fourth class in 1967 and in fifth class for the Confo(Confirmation).

Those two years started a lifelong friendship.

He was quiet, gentle and mysterious, no good at soccer, or the GAAH (GAA). “I’ll leave that to you’se Kerrymen”, but he was respectful, sharp, bright and appreciative of ‘mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí’ .

He was full of humanity and always stood by Finglas. What a wonderful voice enhanced by his Belcanto training. He could reach those highest notes going through the scale. Pop, rock, or John McCormack classics were in his repertoire.

Over the years he recounted so many vignettes of delightful days in national school. He loved stories as a key to learning and communicating.

’You must know your audience and interpret the real meaning behind ‘How can I protect you in this Crazy World? Isn’t that what teaching is all about, as well,” he said.

The same goes for the impromptu free performance of that hit and ‘The Green Fields of France’ on Plunkett Street along with his great friend Liam O’Connor on accordion. That was at 2.00 am. Some great singing some years ago.

FUN

He loved school because it was fun. “I never went on the bounce or did a runner, from your classes.” he said so often, but secondary school was a disaster for him.

“Bleeding Latin and Greek for Finglas, Bejaysus.”

He confided in later life on the abuse by a neighbour, “When I was just a chissler,six years of age. I was tempted by the sweets. Bleeding, brutal bastard.”

He said that set him on the heroin downfall and, cocaine was widespread in America when he was on tour. He recalled being kicked out of Aslan, should have been thrown out by his wife Kathryn as well, but she stuck by him especially during his long illnesses.

“I can’t say I am a Holy Joe, but I know what spirituality is and it stood by me when I went as a hermit to the great Budda in Thailand.”

“Youse know that Jesus fell three times; I fell nine times, fought and fought amyloidosis. That’s what I was singing in ‘The man who stayed alive’.... dada dum .. asking myself can I once again cheat death."

“I am alive when I’m singing,”

No self-pity, but hanging on to see his daughter Keira - an outstanding singer in her own right and just some more time with his grandchildren.

“I love the buzz of entertainment live action interpreting every song and wooing the audiences.

“Youse gave me my first prize ever for spelling the word ‘embalm’ correctly. My prize was a long white pencil and written on it was ‘a present from New York’. Yourself and Mr Gleeson (Mick) were in America with the Kerry team. The buzz and chant of my classmates, 42 or was it 43 in that prefab?”

“ Ger up owre dat Christy…Digo,digo,digo. That was magic, that was buzz. Me ma was so proud of me that she invited all the auld wanes in for a gander at the prize. She would not allow me to pare it but displayed it on the mantlepiece. Ma and Da were chuffed. “

“Youse also showed us the trick of how to spell ‘separate’ correctly. Unless there is a rat in the middle it is wrong. Sep… a rat…e. Remember the day we were so good for the cigire that you gave us ecker [homework] off for the weekend. Small things matter.”

Thanks for all the memories, Christy, the chats, teas, craic, frank discussions, decency, honesty and appreciation.

You told me how and why you wrote your songs ‘This is’ and ‘Crazy World’. When you arrived at the Gates on Tuesday afternoon, you already had the lyrics and the melody for ‘Hello Christy you’ve arrived, at long last."

Comhbhrón o chroí, to Kathryn, Kiera, and grandchildren Cian, Ava, Jake and indeed Joe Jewell, lead guitarist with Aslan and a classmate of Christy in St Fergal’s , Finglas.

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Con O’Leary: Killarney loses a vibrant and popular personality

Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce has led the tributes to the late Con O’Leary, an extremely popular and very successful businessman in the town, who passed away in the […]

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Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce has led the tributes to the late Con O’Leary, an extremely popular and very successful businessman in the town, who passed away in the early hours of Sunday.

Con was a vibrant and popular personality in Killarney where he operated The Laurels on Main Street, a thriving bar and restaurant, which he inherited following the passing of his father, Thado.
The business organisation said from a social perspective, The Laurels became the beating heart of the town and it was a landmark at the Market Cross in the same way as Clery’s clock was in the capital city.
Chamber said Con’s passing really marks the end of an era as he was one of a golden age of inspirational local business people who developed and built Killarney, through hard work, bravery and great commercial flair, and helped create the wonderful tourist attraction and holiday destination it is today.
“Con was very proud of Killarney and he played a very active part in progressing the town at many levels.
“He was a man that was never short of great ideas and his contribution to the business life of the town and as a director of Killarney Race Company was immense,” Chamber said.
“He was ahead of his time in many respects with the introduction by what became known as “the singing lounge” many years ago and The Laurels always led by example through its successes in the annual Killarney Looking Good competition”.
The business representative organisation noted that the O’Leary family has always been very supporting of the town and Con’s daughter, Kate, was a very dynamic Chamber President and is still a very valued member of the executive.
Chamber expressed deep sympathy to Con’s wife, Anne, children Kate, Niall, Tara and Lorna, sons-in-law, grandchildren, sisters, relatives and friends as well as the dedicated staff in The Laurels, past and present, who Con always had great time for and a great rapport with.

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All Roads Lead To Kerry For National Road Safety Conference

Kerry County Council is to host a two-day road safety conference at the INEC Killarney on May 28 and 29. The ‘Safer Roads’ road safety conference is an inter-agency event […]

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Kerry County Council is to host a two-day road safety conference at the INEC Killarney on May 28 and 29.

The ‘Safer Roads’ road safety conference is an inter-agency event focused on improving road safety, reducing traffic-related incidents, and sharing knowledge and best practices for safer road use. It encompasses various strategies and efforts across multiple domains, including road design, engineering, enforcement, forensic collision investigation, technology, education, collision trends, occupational driving, cycling and scooting, e-mobility, active & sustainable travel and on-road events.

In addition to this, AI, Virtual Reality and Driver Simulation will play a significant role at the conference, in improving safety by predicting and preventing accidents, optimizing traffic, and aiding the development of autonomous vehicles.

This ‘Safer Roads’ conference is a non-public event where road safety professionals, speakers and service providers from across Ireland, other EU countries and the UK will attend, including transportation experts, government and local authority officials, roads policing and vehicle inspection agencies, road safety advocates, educators and promoters, collision responders, cycling bodies and community safety networks.

Kerry County Council’s Road Safety Officer Declan Keogh said:
“Road safety has evolved over the years to a much broader scope, in terms of e-mobility, sustainability, technology and engineering for instance. It’s not just about the road or the vehicle anymore, but also about how technology, human behaviour, enforcement, and education intersect to reduce risks and prevent collisions. The ‘Safer Roads’ conference will involve and include every branch of the road safety tree, right across the board, and in doing so, we aim to increase road safety awareness, improve road user behaviour and decrease the collisions and carnage we see on our roads every day,”

The two-day conference also provides an opportunity for exhibitors to attend, and interested state bodies, businesses and service providers are invited to exhibit at the event to showcase their products and services and engage with delegates and officials at the conference.

Further information about the conference and how to register or exhibit can be found here. https://www.kerrycoco.ie/safer-roads-road-safety-conference/

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