Watch: Cork pupils dedicate special performance to 'uncommonly kind' Christy Dignam

A group of Cork pupils have recorded a special Lámh sign language version of the beloved Aslan track ‘Crazy World’ dedicated the performance to Christy Dignam

Last month, Mr Dignam’s family announced that he is receiving palliative care at his home and there has been an outpouring of love and support for the singer in Cork and further afield.

Pupils from School of the Divine Child, Lavanagh Centre and Scoil Ursula, Blackrock, have joined forces to perform the well-known song in a collaborative video, and they dedicated it to the writer and performer, sending their message of hope to him.

The project was the brain child of musician educator and performing artist, Clodagh Kearney, who admits to being a big Aslan fan.

Along with her colleague Stephen Manning, who plays guitar on the track, they felt the idea of bringing the two groups of young musicians together for it made perfect sense.

Collaborations such as this are an important part of the Music Generation Cork City programme, where groups from different programmes can meet under the common banner of musical performance and experience new ways to express themselves creatively.

“This will be a collab video between Scoil Ursula and School of the Divine Child in Blackrock — a video of the kids all performing Aslan’s ‘Crazy World’ together using Lámh signs as a special gift to Christy Dignam,” Clodagh said.

Outside of their work with Music Generation Cork City , both Clodagh and Stephen, along with bandmate Tomás McCarthy, perform as Fire & Water. They have performed as an opening act for Aslan in Cyprus Avenue, and met Christy many times.

“We have always found Christy to be uncommonly kind over the years opening for him and encountering him, and the kids are absolutely loving Aslan music the last few years,” Clodagh said.

“And I’m amazed by the way he uses his hands when he’s performing — the gestures and everything, and the kids were always fascinated by it too, so we thought it’d be a really cool idea to bring the two schools together signing with Lámh and send it to Christy. The kids really think he’s class and so do we. So as he’s sick at the moment we just thought it might bring him a smile.”

Clodagh is a professional vocalist and multi-instrumentalist and a long-standing member of Music Generation Cork City’s musician educator team. Her cross-programme involvement sees her working with partner community music providers Cork Academy of Music, Music Mash Up, and CDYS The Hut.

Stephen Manning began his Music Generation Cork City journey as a young participant, honing his musical craft. Now, a multi-instrumentalist also, he is one of the programmes musician educator team.

The gorgeous version of the song was recorded by Alex Pacino Brady and the video was created by Seán Downey (@swaniguess). The project was coordinated by Clodagh Kearney, and was supported by the RTÉ Toy Show Appeal Fundsvia the Community Foundation for Ireland.