WE'LL GO ON FOR CHRISTY

Joe speaks on devastating loss of childhood best friend... | Band-mates Alan and Billy also pay tribute to lead singer

- EMMA McMENAMY

THE heartbroken remaining members of Aslan have revealed how they still haven't come to terms with Christy's death and wish "he had been given 30 more years".

The Dublin singer passed away just over a week ago following a 10-year battle with two rare blood cancers, amyloidosis and multiple myeloma.

Thousands of fans turned out on the streets of Finglas last Saturday to pay their respects to the late Aslan frontman before his wife Kathryn, daughter Kiera and close family and friends held a private ceremony at Glasnevin Cemetery.

Guitarist and vocalist Joe Jewell, who grew up with Christy after they became best friends at the age of nine, said he cherished the time they got to spend together but wished he had been given more.

Speaking to the Irish Sunday Mirror, devastated Joe said: "For him to get ten years for me was amazing but to be honest I wish he had been given 30 more years.

"Hopefully his legacy can now live on through us.

"We are musicians at the end of the day and we want to still play as a band. We could never even attempt to try and replace Christy, he could never be replaced.

"It will never be Aslan in its true form again but we want to continue and let his memory live on through us." Joe said over the course of their lifetimes together, the pair were never too far apart.

Reminiscing over their shared times growing up in the north Dublin suburb, Joe said: "We worked in the same jobs before the band, our mams went to the same bingo hall, it was Finglas, everybody knew each other like that.