Aslan’s Christy Dignam Says This Might Be His Last Christmas

The much loved singer fears this will be the last Christmas he'll get to spend with his loved ones. But, almost six years since he was diagnosed with an incurable blood cancer and told he had only six months to live, Christy, 58, has defied all odds.

He said, “When I came out of hospital first, I had six months to live. I thought I was dying at the time. I was told if I had anything on my bucket list, if I wanted to see anywhere, or go to a holiday, to do it now.”

The Dubliner has had chemotherapy three times to keep his condition amyloidosis at bay.

“It really depends on how you respond to the treatment. Like Martin McGuinness, he died from the same condition I have.”

He said: “When you get into a situation like this, everything you do you’re looking at it like it could be the last time you do it. I have grand-kids now and I’m looking at them this year and saying to myself, ‘Is this going to be my last Christmas with them?’

He said: “I could go on for the next 10 years – I don’t know. You can’t just sit on your bleeding arse for 10 years waiting for the thing to kill you.”

It's been a tough year for the Dublin singer, losing three members of the band's inner circle in 2017 and hitting a bad bout of the blues when his illness forced him to stop performing.

“I got into this really dark place. It was only when I started gigging again that it lifted. It was very weird.”

The band have three sold-put gigs coming up in Dublin, something Christy cannot wait to do.

He said: “This Christmas gig we do Vicar Street, we have done it for the past 17 years – I think we skipped one year when I was in hospital or maybe two years. So, for me now, it’s part of Christmas. It’s almost as part of the tradition now. It’s amazing.

“Our first album Feel No Shame is 30 years old this year and we’re touring that album – so that’s what we’re doing in Vicar Street. The songs still stand up today. They’re still great songs.”

Despite his illness, Christy is set for a very busy 2019. On top of releasing his autobiography, he's already returned to the studio and is recording new music.

“When you go through this your whole life changes. That’s obviously going to be reflected in the new songs. The music is going great.”