More power to Grayson Perry and his alter-ego Claire who attended their knighthood ceremony at Windsor Castle last week. I know for a fact on these occasions a recipient goes through agonies about what to wear – suit, tie, frock, elegant trousers and jacket and fascinator or hat. He chose to wear a “burgundy taffeta” dress, inspired by the coronation of King Charles III and a jaunty straw hat trimmed in burgundy. Don’t you wonder what the two of the are talking about. I guess not Harry and Megan who have announced that their commercial enterprise in America failed due to bad luck, covid, the death of the Duke of Edinburgh and the Queen, unfortunate timing they say. Crass.
It’s so sad to watch France burning. That loveliest of all cities Paris is in turmoil, huge glass windows of fashion shops being smashed and shops looted. When a peaceful demonstration turns into a riot you can’t but suspect the thugs have taken over for their own ends. Can the police stop it? I certainly hope so but the damage is terrible. My thoughts go to friends in Lille, usually so peaceful and pretty but now having it’s own fear.
And as I type news coming in of a mass shooting in Baltimore USA.
HE’S ONE MAN FOR ONE MAN
I enjoy meeting people who read this page, I’ve made many friends and acquaintances and I appreciate them stopping to say hello.
One man I had no knowledge off three weeks ago became important to me in just one day and I will never forget him.
I was pleased to be in Donegal when the news broke that Christy Dignam had died. Christy Who? This is what I learned.
After a long illness this man called ‘Legend’ was remembered from the top to the bottom of Ireland. The President, fellow musicians, friends and neighbours all seemed stunned that he was no longer around and thousands lined the route of his funeral procession through his home town of Finglas.
His death from cancer at the age of 63 didn’t really come as a shock as he was diagnosed in 2013 but despite many long hospital visits he battled on, kept singing and kept building his unique relationship with the public. If like me you don’t already know this man I suggest you go to You Tube and ask for Finbar Furey and Christy Dignam on the Late Late Show singing Green Fields of France. When the host of the show at the time, Ryan Tubridy talked to Finbar on the morning of Christy’s death, the man was obviously grieving, hadn’t slept, just played music and remembered. He told Ryan that night on the show was memorable, they just fell into singing this powerful anti-war song he said, no rehearsal, no chatting about what key they would chose, just two men and a banjo in perfect harmony. ‘I hope you died well and I hope you died clean, young Willie McBride was it slow and obscene.’ I find it terribly sad to listen to and it brings tears because I’ve been to those green fields, I’ve witnessed the row upon row of white grave stones of those who died in the First World War and my emotion was one of anger that those young men, and some women too, were sent to be slaughtered. The song they sing is gentle but the emotion is obvious, the wasted young life of Willie McBride.
If Music Be The Food Of Love Play On
Finbar also said that Christy, no longer a young star and front man of Aslan the famous rock group, sang that night from his heart and watching the video it’s obvious, it’s also obvious that Finbar Fury loved his musician colleague, the admiration and tenderness in his eyes and the hug at the end spoke volumes of their friendship and the knowledge that Christy was suffering an incurable illness.
President Higgins said that Tuesday morning 13th June: “People across Ireland and beyond will have heard with great sadness of the death of Christy Dignam. For the last 40 years Christy and his bandmates in Aslan have made an enormous contribution to the cultural life of our nation.” Taoiseach Leo Varadkar called him a legend of Irish music and a great Dubliner. “He was a beautiful man,” said singer Francis Black, “just a beautiful man.”
Fury added that Christie was a true artist rather than just a showman there was truth in everything he said and sang. There was terrible sadness in his life; when he was sexually abused at six for three more years, when in the band Aslan he turned to heroin which resulted in a severe addiction and his battle to free himself of the habit, at one time describing an experience of feeling like there was a praying mantis eating a butterfly on his chest, a demonstration of his ability to express emotion. And then came his diagnosis of cancer ten years ago. There was a lot else between, he admitted he had lead a very full life filled with despair but much happiness.
Devotion To His Fans
Despite having a rare cancer he keep singing and gigging, coping when he felt unwell, dignified, and caring as he came to terms with his future. A couple of months ago he said that, when lying in his hospital bed in the front room, he saw a man walk past the window it hit him he would never do that again,
The group Aslan, called after the Lion of the Beasts in the Chronicles of Narnia, were favourites amongst young people, when they played the Empire in Belfast the old church rocked and Crazy World became their signature tune. He sang with his whole body, his hand emphasising the words, the tattoo of a lion on his shoulder establishing the strength of the man and the band. At the end of his life he retained that showmanship even going out of his house and singing for his neighbours shortly before he died. His wish was that his adored daughter Kiera would take up his legacy and so she has carving out her own career as a singer. The love of his life was his wife Kathryn, they met at 14 and fell in love and despite the ups and downs they solved their problems and remained devoted to each other.
Ryan Tubridy finished his compelling interview by playing the love song Christy Dignam wrote and sang for his wife, A Song For Kathryn begins: ‘The moment I first saw your face my love’ and it takes us through a personal journey with the women who was the love of his life for almost 50 years. It ends: ‘So if we ever say good bye my love, there will never be a need for tears, cause I have never known such joy my love, enough to last eternally.’
Talking of Tubridy
I’ve been fascinated with the committee hearings into the RTE debacle, boy those inquisitors don’t miss the fan and hit the wall. Unlike the wish washy interviewing by parliamentary bods over goings on in the House of Commons these men and women really get down to the nitty gritty it seems often flooring those in the dock.
Unfortunately I can’t get RTE television and radio only on Alexa but I am following what’s going on reasonably well and it is certainly riveting. I wonder if you’re earning big bucks and you have both a company and an accountant to look after your finances do you bother to look at the bottom line? Could it be that Tubridy didn’t notice the extra money in his bank account? I’m told that’s fanciful thinking! And more power to our own Patrick Kielty who’s taking over the Late Late Show seat. He’s a lovely, intelligent, honest man, full of fun on his Saturday morning radio show and his wit is legend. I hope audiences give him a chance, if they do they’ll soon take him under their wing.
And someone needs to take Lewis Capaldi under their wing. This loveable young singer did his best at Glastonbury and he succeeded in ovecoming his cough and his Tourette’s Syndrome symptoms. When he was in trouble the crowd supported him and the music never stopped.
Glastonbury certainly had its moments. Blondie should give it a rest in my opinion and Sir Elton John is wise to consider bowing out when he’s at the top. What a show! Despite the gold suit and the trousers that appeared to keep slipping down, he was sensational.
Had a most delightful lunchtime last Wednesday at the Manor House in Killadeas. The bistro downstairs in the cellars is an excellent eatery, tasty food, not too expensive and a delightful atmosphere. All the better for the two young ladies who looked after us so well, Ciara who lives just ten minutes down the road and Aleksandra who has a background of Spanish and Polish. Thank you ladies.
