It's like a bad dream..as if a bomb's been dropped on us

Fears as Dignam, 62, in palliative care at home. Shattered bandmate admits 'tears are flowing'

- EXCLUSIVE BY EMMA McMENAMY

ASLAN’S Billy McGuinness said the band are praying for a miracle for their gravely-ill lead singer Christy Dignam. 

Christy, 62, was diagnosed with the rare blood cancer amyloidosis in 2013 and his family this week revealed he is receiving palliative care at home.

In his only interview since the devastating news broke, the guitarist who shared the stage with Christy for four decades told of his and the rest of the band’s heartache.

And he revealed the Finglas legend had been planning a duet with U2 frontman Bono for the band’s special 40th anniversary gig in the 3Arena in March.

Billy, 62, told the Irish Sunday Mirror: “The tears have been flowing. I’m absolutely devastated.

“Christy isn’t just a fellow band member, he’s a best friend, all the lads in Aslan are. We are like a family.

“Our manager Denise is part of that family too and we all care for each other so much.

“Joe and Christy go back even further and know each other since they were six or seven years of age growing up in Finglas.

“That’s how far back they go. They are best mates, like brothers.

“As a musician, and I’m speaking for Joe and Alan here too, we have been through everything that a band could go through.

DEVASTATING

“We have broken up and got back together again and this just really hasn’t sunk in with us.

“It’s so hard for us to get our heads around this.”