An Irish voice silenced - Don’t forget your Christy

CHRISTY HENNESSY’S life story and death were defined by being born the youngest of nine children in Tralee, Co Kerry, 62 years ago.

Like so many of his compatriots in 1950s Ireland, he was forced to emigrate to find work and it was that work that ultimately killed him. He died of asbestosis, which he contracted during the time he spent on England’s building sites.

Thankfully, between the building sites and his premature death he had an opportunity to greatly enhance the Irish song repertoire. This was an especially admirable achievement as Christy could neither read nor write, a disadvantage that informed his charity work with organisations dedicated to ensuring that each child leaving school could read and write.

He had a natural, easy and genuine charm and, especially for somebody from his background, an ease with describing the intimate emotions involved in a loving relationship.

Just as he warned us not to forget our shovels as we went to work we should not forget our Christy. He was a warm and uplifting voice of our time.