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Ireland Loses Two of Its Finest Entertainers  Popular
singer Joe Dolan died after suffering a brain hemorrhage. The 68-year-old
entertainer had been ill for some time and was forced to cancel a series
of concerts in October. He suffered a hemorrhage on Christmas Day and
was rushed to the Mater Hospital in Dublin but doctors were unable to
revive him.
Thousands of fans paid their respects at Gilsenan’s funeral parlor
in the singer’s home town of Mullingar, County Westmeath. A burial
service was attended by numerous figures from the entertainment industry.
Dolan first came to prominence the the 1960s when, with his brother, he joined
“The Drifters.” Dolan went on to have huge hits in the late
60’s with “Make me an Island” one of the the biggest,
going to number three in the UK charts. Taoiseach Bertie Ahern paid tribute
to the singer, saying Dolan was “a fantastic showman, with a great
stage presence, who never forgot his roots.”
Joe Dolan’s death marked a second significant blow to Ireland’s
showbiz world. Christy Hennessy, a much-loved singer-songwriter from Tralee,
County Kerry, passed
away in London aged 62. Hennessy had been suffering from asbestositis
which it is believed he contracted while working on building sites around
England through the 1950’s and 60’s. He released his first
album in 1972 but gained commercial success twenty years later with “The
Rehearsal.” Many of Hennessy’s songs were covered by other
artists. Two of his best-known works – “All the Lies That
You Told Me” and “Don’t Forget Your Shovel” –
were recorded by Frances Black and Christy Moore.
“He was a prince among us,” said Christy Moore, describing
Hennessy as “the most beautiful of men, family man, wonderful friend,
writer and singer of magical songs.” He is survived by his wife,
Jill; daughters Amber and Hermione, and his son Tim. Hermione is also
a musician and singer and was a regular member of Christy Hennessy’s
band. She sang “Amazing Grace” at the funeral service, which
was also attended by musician Luka Bloom, brother of Christy Moore.
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