Tralee bids a tearful farewell to its ‘gentle’ hero

MUCH-LOVED Christie Hennessy never drank alcohol and was yesterday held out as an example to all facing the challenges of a drugs culture.

In a homily at a special Mass for the late singer/songwriter in his native Tralee, Monsignor Dan O’Riordan, parish priest, said he took a vow as a young man not to drink, or smoke, and lived by that.

“In doing that he gave a powerful example in relation to our drink and drugs culture and showed that life could be lived to the full without recourse to drugs,” the monsignor said.