Christy Dignam’s daughter: My dad didn't speak to Aslan for last seven months of his life
Aslan members, Joe Jewell, Alan Downey, Christy Dignam and Billy McGuinness. Picture: Moya Nolan
The daughter of rock legend Christy Dignam has revealed she has been subjected to a torrent of online abuse for not inviting Aslan - the band her late father fronted - to an upcoming tribute gig.
Kiera Dignam is helping to organise 'Christy Dignam: A Celebration', which is due to take place in Dublin's Vicar Street in May next year in honour of her father, who died in June following a 10-year battle with a rare form of blood cancer.
However, the singer claims she's been targeted online with "disgusting lies" which she insists "almost pushed me to the edge" in relation to her late father's former band not being included in the list of musicians invited to the concert.
Aslan's remaining band members, who are due to revive the band next year with a new singer, have confirmed in a recent statement that they won't be involved in the event.
And now Kiera has revealed that Christy didn't speak to his bandmates for the last seven months of his life for reasons she does not wish to disclose. She also claimed that the former Aslan singer would not have wanted his bandmates involved in the upcoming tribute gig.
In a statement on social media, Kiera insisted there was no truth to what she described as "ridiculous" comments that suggested Aslan were snubbed because she was not allowed to step into her father's shoes and front the band.
Breaking her silence on Facebook about the upcoming tribute gig, she wrote: "This has received amazing support and a generally positive reception, but has also drawn some negativity and speculation around why Aslan will not be part of this gig.
"I would like to address people's questions, but I also want to address the abuse I've received, and the disgusting lies that have been written online in the past few days about me and the situation at hand.
"What I've been put through the last couple of days is nothing short of disgraceful, unwarranted and has almost pushed me to the edge."
She continued: "Firstly, Joe, Alan and Billy have announced that they will continue playing as Aslan which we fully support. The lads are musicians and music is their livelihood. They have to continue to work, and I fully support them going forward. The music is theirs as much as my Dad's so they have every right to continue.
"Some ridiculous comments have speculated that the reason Aslan were not invited was because I was not allowed to front Aslan. I have had my own band and my own music for years now and I have never had any desire to be part of Aslan."
She added: "My dad didn't speak to the other members of Aslan for the last seven months of his life and there are a number of reasons why the band will not have a part to play in this concert, reasons which they are aware of. Although I feel that it is necessary for me to address this due to the needless bullying I've endured, I do not feel that it is right to air dirty laundry publicly and I will not go into detail about these reasons.
"So, in response to those who have felt it necessary to hurl abuse in my direction and claim that I should 'think of what Christy would want' I can assure you all that Aslan having any involvement with this gig is not what he would have wanted. I would ask of you all to please reserve judgement when you have no idea what happened."
Separately, Aslan's remaining band members issued a joint statement in recent days, in which they revealed they will back performing next year with a new singer, who's yet to be announced.
However, the statement acknowledged that it would be "absolutely impossible" to replace the late singer, noting: "There will never be another Christy Dignam."
