Showband Legend Joe Dolan Dies, Aged 68

Iconic Musician Given Tearful Send-Off By Thousands Of Dedicated Fans In Mullingar, Co. Westmeath

More than 2,000 mourners paid their respects to showband legend Joe Dolan before the funeral in his hometown of Mullingar, Co. Westmeath on Saturday.

Hundreds of distraught fans joined leading figures from the entertainment and music industry at a rain-soaked Cathedral of Christ the King in Mullingar, Co Westmeath, for the Requiem Mass.

Among the famous entertainers in the congregation were singers Dana, Daniel O'Donnell, Ronny Drew, Dickie Rock, Red Hurley, Ronan Keating and his wife Yvonne and musician Paddy Cole.

President Mary McAleese and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern were both represented by aides, but ex-Taoiseach Albert Reynolds, who hired the young Dolan and his band, The Drifters, when he ran ballrooms in the midlands in the late 1950s and 1960s, was their to send his friend off in person.

Broadcaster and friend Fr. Brian Darcy paid tribute to the 68-year-old in a homily, in which he told mourners how the performer secretly gave tens of thousands of euro to the poor during his career.

"For Joe the most loyal group that he had were his fans for 45, maybe 47 years," he said.

"And Joe loved those fans and knew them personally and entertained them when they needed to be entertained, lifted their burden when that was needed, and they loved and appreciated Joe.

"They enjoyed him and then they gave him his privacy when he needed it."

Born in Mullingar, Joe Dolan entertained fans across Europe and as far afield as Argentina and Brazil during the showband era of the 1960s and '70s.

His biggest hit, 'Make Me An Island', reached number one in 14 other countries, while the song 'Such A Good Looking Woman' remained a regular feature on Irish radio.

Mr. Dolan collapsed with a brain hemorrhage at his home in South Dublin on Christmas night, and was rushed to the Mater Hospital, where he died the following day.

Plans are now being discussed to erect a permanent memorial to late Irish singing star, Joe Dolan, who passed away over the Christmas period.

Mick Dollard, the chairperson of Westmeath County Council claimed on Sunday; "We will discuss ways of honoring his memory, but I can guarantee something will be erected."

Additional reporting by Mike Fitzpatrick