Christy Dignam

Christy Dignam
Dignam onstage, 2008
Background information
Birth name	Christy Dignam
Born	(1960-05-23) May 23, 1960 (age 56)
Origin	Finglas, Dublin, Ireland
Genres	Rock
Occupation(s)	Musician, songwriter
Instruments	Vocalist
Years active	1980—present
Labels	EMI
Associated acts	Aslan, Dignam & Goff
Website	www.aslan.ie

Christy Dignam is the lead singer of the popular Irish rock band Aslan. His career of over twenty-five years has been characterised by numerous successes on the Irish charts as well as recurring problems with drug addiction and recovery.

Born at Holles Street Hospital in Dublin on 23 May 1960, Dignam grew up in the North Dublin suburb of Finglas. He studied the classical art of bel canto singing with teacher Frank Merriman at the Bel Canto House School of Singing in Dublin. At the age of six, he was raped by a neighbour. This continued to occur over a three-year period until, at the age of nine, Dignam sought help from his best friend's brother, a man in his twenties. During the meeting with his best friend's brother, Dignam explained his situation and he was then raped by this man as well. Dignam later suggested his drug addiction may have resulted from the psychological trauma caused by these events.

Dignam formed an early version of Aslan called Meelah XVIII. Meelah XVIII created a recording for The Dave Fanning Show on 2FM in 1980. The Meelah XVIII songs "Toy Soldier" and "Meelah Pt. 2" were included on the Aslan triple CD, The "Rarities" disc from the "The Platinum Collection". Meelah XVIII musicians were Christy Dignam, Tony Talbot, Mick McKenna, Joe Jewell, and Gerry Conlon.

As Aslan singles "This Is", "Please Don't Stop", "Loving Me Lately", "Pretty Thing" and "Feel No Shame" became popular, Dignam's relationship with his bandmates was becoming strained due to his problems with heroin addiction. On Wednesday 7 September 1988, The Star newspaper ran with the headline "ASLAN: IT'S THE END", informing the public of Dignam's separation from Aslan. The remaining members of the band continued as Aslan for some time (with a new lead singer, Eamon Doyle) before the band eventually split. Dignam went solo with guitarist Conor Goff, forming Dignam & Goff.

However, on 11 July 1993 Aslan reformed, for what was supposed to be a "once off gig" in Finglas. With a reignited spark and new material, Aslan continued to become one of Ireland's most successful and hard-working bands. Their studio albums include "Feel No Shame", "Goodbye Charlie Moonhead", "Here Comes Lucy Jones" and "Waiting for the Madness To End". They have had two "best of" albums: Shame About Lucy Moonhead and the triple album The Platinum Collection. They have also had a best-selling live album Made In Dublin and an official bootleg album (available at gigs) called Aslan Live At The Olympia which features appearances from Jerry Fish, Relish and Damien Rice.