FAMILY'S TEARS IN PRIVATE FOR A PUBLIC HERO

Daughter Kiera delivers eulogy and sings final song which her dad requested

- SHANE POWER

CHRISTY Dignam's family had been preparing for his funeral for years, heartbroken daughter Kiera revealed yesterday.

A private ceremony and cremation for the Aslan legend, attended by just his close family and friends, heard how much he was loved.

His beloved wife Kathryn, Kiera, and grandchildren Cian, Jake and Ava had earlier been applauded by crowds who gathered to pay their final respects to the iconic singer. Earlier this week Kiera told how her father had wanted a private funeral.

But she thanked the thousands of people for their messages of support since news of his death broke on Tuesday.

Delivering the eulogy at Glasnevin cemetery she said: "I started writing this on the 11th of March.

"In my head, I've been writing it for 10 years but we got used to my a giving us false alarms and going against every rule in the history of medical science...

"So I didn't think I was ever actually going to have to finish it.