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17th Apr 2023

‘I’d like another 10 years’ – Aslan’s Christy Dignam gives his possible ‘last interview’

Kat O'Connor

Ryan Tubridy said Dignam described the interview as “possibly his last”.

In a new lengthy interview, Aslan frontman Christy Dignam has opened up about the highs and lows of his life, his mortality and what he faces ahead.

The singer entered palliative care in December 2022 after being diagnosed with both amyloidosis and myeloma in 2013.

In an interview released on RTÉ Radio 1’s The Ryan Tubridy Show, which Dignam described as “possibly his last”, the Late Late host spoke to the rocker in his front room, which now has a hospital bed for him.

Dignam told Tubridy that he asked for 10 more years when he was first diagnosed, but that he now wants more time and is scared of dying. He explained:

“Just fear, nobody wants to die. When I first got diagnosed, I remember praying I was like, ‘Please, just give me 10 more years’.

“And that 10 years are up now and you’re kind of saying, ‘I know I only asked for 10 but you couldn’t throw another 10 in there could you, yeah?'”

However, the Aslan frontman also said that his cancer diagnosis has helped him see what is important in life and that spending time with his family has been his main priority. He told Tubridy:

“I’m happy and I get very sad and I get very scared. You know the thing about this diagnosis, anybody with cancer actually, that’s why I used to love listening to Vicki Phelan because when you do get into a particular emotion, you get into it. You know what I mean? You don’t do it by halves, do you know what I mean? Because everything is so serious. Do you know what I mean? There’s no, there’s no time for bullshit.”

The ‘Crazy World’ singer also described palliative care as feeling like “a conveyor belt to heaven” but that he is grateful to be able to spend the time at home.

You can listen to the interview on RTÉ’s website right here.

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