Elvis Presley at 90: Irish fans speak on what made him The King of Rock 'n' Roll

Elvis Aaron Presley, aka The King of Rock and Roll, was born January 8, 1935. As his 90th birthday approaches, Jonathan deBurca Butler meets three fans who explain what made him so special. 

Catherine O'Brien smiles at a statue of Elvis which she keeps on her mantelpiece. Picture Chani Anderson

Beatrice Farrelly clearly remembers the summer she lost a hero.

“I had been working in a guesthouse for the summer,” says the Donegal native. “But I was off sick that day and when I heard Elvis had died I felt a lot worse. I remember I went back to work the following day and the boss announced to everyone at the table that I was out because Elvis had died, which of course wasn’t true. I was mortified. I was only 16.”