Christy Dignam RIP

dublinman1990 · 13-06-2023 5:38pm #1

Ah no. Poor Christy. 😔

http://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2023/0613/1388967-christy-dignam-death/

I hope his family get all the help they need during this sad time.

the 12 th man · 13-06-2023 5:55pm

What a performer/voice,RIP.

Collie D · 13-06-2023 6:03pm

Mustn’t be a decent sized town in Ireland he hadn’t played in. RIP

PTH2009 · 13-06-2023 6:04pm

RIP

What a frontman and voice, 'Crazy World' and 'This Is' are classics

Pic from the last time I saw Aslan in 2018. Every show was amazing

banie01 · 13-06-2023 6:06pm

Great performer and a really huge "what if" regarding Christy and his own demons.

Feel no shame, is IMO one of the greatest debut albums of Irish act. It's a loss long expected, but no less shocking.

Thoughts are with his family and friends. He'll live on in music a long while yet.

elperello · 13-06-2023 6:06pm

RIP Christy.

One of the best.

Luxembourgo · 13-06-2023 6:10pm

RIP Christy

A legend, and a fantastic front man.

blowitupref · 13-06-2023 6:11pm

Had the pleasure to see him live on a few occasions, unique talent and few matched him for stage presence.

One of the gigs I attended Christy walked down off the stage at the end and tried to shake hands with everyone and thanked us all for coming, the type of chap he was.

PGE1970 · 13-06-2023 6:15pm

He played a kunchtime gig with Conor Goff during rag week in Dundalk RTC in 1992. He had been kicked out of Aslan at that time and was a bit rough, to be honest.

Half way through the gig, the electricity failed. Christy decided that they would finish the gig acoustic but with no mike.

You could hear a pin drop, he was that good. He supplied his own electricity.

Whilst This Is and Please Don't Stop deservedly receive the plaudits, his solo stuff like One Man's Dream was excellent.

RIP, what a legacy to leave behind.

hynesie08 · 13-06-2023 6:17pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120710833#Comment_120710833

The only man who could sell out 3 nights in vicar st but you could buy fiver tickets on the door when he played the red windmill in phibsboro.

By all accounts he didn't have a bad bone in his body and had time for everybody, I vaguely remember a story of him missing a CD signing in finglas, so he got the shop manager to collect names and addresses and went to everyones house to sign them. No idea if it's true but I'm still gonna tell it.

Very rare anyone gets a second go at it, but you could argue he had 3 runs, and he had to be in an incredible amount of pain for the last run of shows.

Enjoy your rest Christy, you've earned it.

AMKC · 13-06-2023 6:23pm

Very sad. An amazing talent.

Rest In Peace

JupiterKid · 13-06-2023 6:31pm

Very sad to hear of Christy's passing but given his many health issues over the past 10-15 years, not a big surprise.

Great singer who sang with real passion - I never got to see Aslan live in concert but would have loved to.

Rest well, Christy and thank you for the music. 🙏🕊

https://youtu.be/7gEgGlveoLY

FrancieBrady · 13-06-2023 6:33pm

Spent time with him back when they were prepping for the debut album. A wild child or should I say a wilder child than me.

Had oodles of charm and charisma back then too. RIP Christy, you left some great music.

anewme · 13-06-2023 6:50pm

Legend. Have seen Aslan many times over the years. What a voice. Loved their version of nothing rhymes with the RTE orchestra.

I remember hearing This Is, way way back in the day and being blown away by Christy’s voice. Looking there at the nighthawks version definitely takes me back

waynescales1 · 13-06-2023 6:55pm

Goodbye Charlie Moonhead is some tune.

Leg End Reject · 13-06-2023 6:58pm

RIP, life is not a pretty thing.

Purple Mountain · 13-06-2023 7:01pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120710833#Comment_120710833

I saw him 20 years ago in a ballroom in the middle of nowhere.

I probably didn't appreciate the band as much as I should have, was brought along with a fan but as a more mature person now I cam see his incredible talent.

Plus his lack of ego and true sense of where he came from has to be admired.

And also battling his demons.

Rest in Peace.

riffmongous · 13-06-2023 7:02pm

RIP, This Is is an Irish classic

I didn't know about his childhood trauma until a few years ago, it's a story that always makes me sad to think of, but at the same time a lesson in not to judge anyone by their addictions.

Long Sean Silver · 13-06-2023 7:03pm

RIP Christy.

a great singer/songwriter and performer, but what i admired most about Christy was his honesty. what you saw is what you got, no BS.

mariaalice · 13-06-2023 7:06pm

His gigs were fantastic for sheer entertainment RIP he always seemed like a lovely man.

Leg End Reject · 13-06-2023 7:18pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120710846#Comment_120710846

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120711053#Comment_120711053

Over the years many bands have been dubbed "The next U2" by Irish radios DJs, but Aslan were the band everyone thought could make it.

That debut album, This Is and Christy's voice were just perfection.

orangerhyme · 13-06-2023 7:29pm

RIP.

His music will outlast all of us here. That's the beauty of timeless music.

gigantic09 · 13-06-2023 7:34pm

Loved 'high',one of his last songs ,had a real poignant nostalgic feel to it given his deteriorating health at the time.Rip Christy.

Faugheen · 13-06-2023 7:41pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120711104#Comment_120711104

I can feel this. I worked in a venue Aslan played at a number of years ago before his diagnosis, and I remember enjoying the gig but before that I wouldn't have been overly bothered about them.

So glad I got to see them perform. Since COVID in particular I've made it my mission to see any band/performer that's into their swansong before they go. When I heard Christy was receiving palliative care part of me was devastated but also grateful that I was able to see the best of him even in the years he was ill.

An icon. RIP.

Montage of Feck · 13-06-2023 7:42pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120711093#Comment_120711093

Life's a bitch alright but without the grit you'd have no pearls. Christy left plenty behind.

Sephiroth_dude · 13-06-2023 8:04pm

Saw them at a festival in Bandon in 06, my god the energy from him alone was unreal, he would have sang all night if they had let him , RIP Christy.

Ha Long Bay · 13-06-2023 8:13pm

RIP Christy, A great frontman and most of us will never get to experience being on stage hearing your fans enjoy the show.

In his own words "Goodnight and God Bless"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExLzypi1dzE

apache · 13-06-2023 8:22pm

Poor Christy. Went to his gigs as a youngster in Finglas and then in bigger venues when they got more famous. I'd say I've seen them over 30 times. RIP Christy

Beechwoodspark · 13-06-2023 8:40pm

I’ve said it a few times on boards and other forums but there should have been a major effort last year to give ASLAN fronted by Christy 1 last big night out.

Either the Point or Slane or Croker.

Ppl were sh1te talking about doing something at some stage ... but the end result is it didn’t happen

Beechwoodspark · 13-06-2023 8:48pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120710833#Comment_120710833

Forget towns - Most villages too.

weadick · 13-06-2023 8:58pm

Very sad news. Christy wrote some amazing songs. Where's the Sun and The Gallery are two of my favourite songs ever.

John_Rambo · 13-06-2023 9:07pm

Very sad. I think he met everyone in Ireland he was that accessible. A pure gent that will be well remembered.

L1011 · 13-06-2023 9:09pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120711531#Comment_120711531

There was - in The Point.

He was too ill to play it, unfortunately.

the 12 th man · 13-06-2023 9:23pm

Shocking comment ^^^^^

First time to see them was in the long gone "Danceline Club" in Nth Gt Georges St in Dublin IIRC,it was around 1988,absolutely mental gig,also saw them on a Halloween Night in the Drake Inn in Finglas yonks ago as well,2 whopper nights.

DBB · 13-06-2023 9:51pm

Aw feck. It kinda feels like a part of the life we took for granted in Ireland is gone... Aslan and Christy have always just... been there.

I don't know how many times I saw them over the years, and Christy always, always put his heart and soul into every song, at every show. I remember him climbing up and swinging from the scaffolding around the stage in a rural-ish venue, and he never missed a beat, singing perfectly the whole time 😊

Last gig I went to, we saw the band packing up at the back of the venue as we left... I couldn't pluck up the courage to say anything, but my friend called out to Christy, and told him I was a big fan but too shy to say hello... so Christy ran over to me, gave me a big hug, sang the chorus of Kajagoogoo's song "Too Shy", holding me and swinging me around the yard while the rest of the band laughed 😁

A lovely memory of him, and my heart is sore that he's not here any more 😔

DBB · 13-06-2023 9:56pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120711875#Comment_120711875

Maybe just stop digging now, ffs.

Sephiroth_dude · 13-06-2023 9:57pm

Mod

@Dub. Show some respect, don't post in here again.

13-06-2023 10:03pm

Can’t remember how many times I saw Aslan play live, he was a hell of an entertainer, super live band. Just played their best on Spotify, songs stand the test of time.

cj maxx · 13-06-2023 10:26pm

RIP . Thats why Crazy World was playing on every radio station today.

Goldengirl · 13-06-2023 10:37pm

Lovely tributes here.

Only really listened to him sing in recent years I am sorry to say because I was into different music and missed their first heyday as was abroad.

Got fond of the man first, and loved to hear him talk on tv or on the radio .A genuinely nice man. And his infectious joy.

He had a beautiful voice and he could sing a till receipt and make it sound like a symphony.

Sincere condolences to his family , friends and colleagues and to all his many fans.

Rest in peace, Christy.

Terrontress · 13-06-2023 10:40pm

I know he hadn’t been well, and it was one of many battles he faced, but it still comes as a shock.

As a man of a certain age, I feel like a large part of the 80s and 90s, and my adolescent culture, has died with him. Everyone listened to 2FM constantly in those days and consumed all the same music.

13-06-2023 10:52pm

Super voice. "This Is" is a fecking beautiful song.

Duvet Day · 13-06-2023 11:16pm

Great memories of De Lacey house in Cork many years ago when Christy played some fantastic nights..R.I.P.

13-06-2023 11:47pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120712243#Comment_120712243

Saw them in The Old Oak and hall in Newmarket as well, think it was late 80’s/early 90’s.

itac · 14-06-2023 12:00am

They played that lovely night in Vicar st memory of Tony Fenton a few years back-the energy in the place as he sang “This Is” with Aslan again was just beyond powerful and is a memory I’ll treasure forever. RIP

taxAHcruel · 14-06-2023 7:20am

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofhao4SHXGo

Never seems to be a wrong place to drop this.

Xander10 · 14-06-2023 7:55am

...delete@dub 24

Xander10 · 14-06-2023 8:03am

Sorry, site not letting me delete. What I was trying to say to the actual poster, dub, maybe you know something from a long time ago, but I saw a man who matured into a wonderfully kind person and he left this crazy world much loved by many and rightly so

Baba Yaga · 14-06-2023 8:29am

what a voice,what a talent,RIP

Tea_Lover · 14-06-2023 8:58am

saw them in the harbour bar in rush in the late 90's , i got barred for copping off with an aulwan out the back of the pub , i was only like 17 and she was prob 40's ha ha , the good old days , thank for the memories and choons Christy

also saw them loads in my local in Finglas in the jolly toper when i worked there , absolute gent he was

padd b1975 · 14-06-2023 11:09am

Seemed to be a decent enough guy with more than his fair share of demons.

He did lose some credibility though in hilarious fashion about ten years ago. He went on a rant about the dangers of all thr X Factor type programmes that were popular at the time, a radio station decided to ring him up and offered 5k to Aslan to be the guest star on one of the Irish ones.

He accepted in a heartbeat.

Christy Dignam RIP

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