Kerry songwriter brings voice of brother back to life in touching Christmas duet

Jack Patrick Healy first wrote “Christmas Without You” when he was 15. His brother Thomas was killed in a car accident in July this year, aged 14

Jack Patrick Healy (right) and Thomas Healy. Every Christmas the brothers would perform at Sol y Sombra in Killorglin to raise money for Killorglin Hospice Foundation, and young Thomas would sing Jack’s song, 'Christmas Without You'.

A Kerry singer-songwriter has used technology to create a touching Christmas duet with his younger brother, who died tragically before they could fulfill their dream of recording a song together.

Jack Patrick Healy, originally from Killarney and now living in London to pursue his music career, first wrote “Christmas Without You” when he was 15, sitting in his school in Killorglin, and thinking about how his mother Julie would leave a candle lighting in the window every year.

“Of course the rogue that I am, I was kicked out of maths class and there I was and sitting in the hallway. It was all to do with Christmas without somebody you love. At this point, I hadn’t experienced that, but something obviously came over me and I wrote this song,” he said.

Jack is the eldest of four, his younger siblings being Danny, Michael, and “the baby” Thomas, who was sadly killed in a car accident in July this year, aged 14. Jack and Thomas both loved music, and would take time every Christmas to give the gift of music to their community, a tradition instilled in them by their father, Gerard.

"Christmas Without You" by Jack Patrick and Thomas Healy.

Every Christmas the brothers would perform at Sol y Sombra in Killorglin to raise money for Killorglin Hospice Foundation, and young Thomas would sing Jack’s song, 'Christmas Without You'.

“We always had an ambition that we would record this song together, because I always believed it could go somewhere,” said Jack.

“But between the rigmarole of Covid-19 and all the over and back with no flights available between Ireland and London, we never did, and Thomas died on the 7 of July,” he said.

Jack hadn’t thought about the song again until a friend of Thomas’ sent him a video on Instagram of Thomas singing the special Christmas song just a week before he died. Jack used his music editing skills to bring the recording of Thomas to life, and create the duet they always wanted to record together.

“I originally just made this for my parents, and I was worried they would think it’s a bit weird or eerie, but they were just thrilled, they're over the moon,” he said. Jack said that the universal message of the song is touching the hearts of more and more people each day.

“No matter where you're from, every person misses someone at Christmas, and I think that’s why it has such an effect really, because it's so close to the bone for everybody, prince or pauper,” he said.

Jack said that the response so far to the song, which can be found on Youtube, Instagram and Facebook, has been fantastic.

“We would love to get our song featured on The Late Late Show, but I don't know will that ever happen. Really though, it’s just something that meant an awful lot to both of us, and if it can just bring a little bit of health and hope to one family at Christmas well, isn’t that enough,” he  said.