Dickie Rock laid to rest as priest tells mourners King of Cabra was the 'last of the legends'
RTE star Ronan Collins described the late star as 'the King of Cabra'.
Showband giant Dickie Rock was remembered as “Ireland’s greatest legends” at his funeral mass on Thursday.
Father Brian D’Arcy told mourners – including RTE's Ronan Collins, Joe Duffy, Aongus McAnally Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald and members of the Miami Showband, that they were gathered to lay to rest “the last of the legends”.
Dickie's son Jason said: “He was more than an entertainer, a singer or a public figure, he was a grandfather, a father, a friend, and most of all, our dad. It fills us with great pride to bring dad back to where it all began for him, here in Cabra West. It's fitting that we're in the church where dad first sang almost 80 years ago.
READ MORE: Father Brian D'Arcy reveals Dickie Rock lived with guilt for years after Miami Showband massacre
READ MORE: U2 star Adam Clayton says Dickie Rock "raised the bar" as tributes flow following singer's death
“This place marked the start of a remarkable journey, but today we focus on what made him remarkable to us.
“Dad always held Cabra close to his heart. He used to love coming back here, driving around and reminiscing about the place where he grew up, stopping off in Clarks for some cream cakes brought him so much joy, he never tired of chatting with the neighbours from around where he used to live.
“Those simple, heartfelt moments meant the world to him. To us, he was so much more than the man on stage. He was a loving, caring father who gave us everything we ever needed, and more. While dad lived a very public life, he worked hard to keep us out of the spotlight, letting us grow up away from the pressures of fame.
“Dad's love for sport was a massive part of who he was, from supporting the Dubs, following the Premier League to watching snooker and golf on TV. Sport brought so much joy. Some of our fondest memories are tied to that love of his. We'll never forget dad brought us to football matches and lifting us over the turnstiles.”
But Jason opened up about the tragedies in his father’s life when he lost his younger brother Joseph in a bike accident and then in 1992 when he and his late wife Judy lost their eldest son Joseph.
Jason said: “It was then, as a teenager that I saw I truly saw the depth of Dad's fatherly love. He grappled with his own grief while supporting us through ours, showing strength and compassion that stayed with me to this day.”
But Jason said losing his late wife Judy was a “devastating loss” to Dickie, saying “a part of dad died that day.”
“Another tragedy stood two and a half years ago when we lost our beloved mum. That loss was devastating for dad. She was the love of his life, and from that point on, he was never quite the same. In truth, a part of dad died that day.”
Jason remembered his father as a prankster whose “sense of humour was infectious”.
“Dad had a way of lighting up a room and reminding everyone not to like take life too seriously. His sense of humour was infectious. Those moments of laughter will stay with us forever.”
“Despite the demands of his career, gigging, five, six nights a week, Dad was always present.
“He brought us to all the sports we played, watched our matches, and do whatever he could to support us. And if he couldn't do it himself, he'd find someone who could help us.”
He said his late father’s “happiest times” were in Spain, playing golf, snooker and spending time with Judy on the beach.
“The joy he felt when he when we joined him, whether it was with the grandkids or just us, wasn't measurable. Those moments of simple togetherness meant the world to him, watching the grandkids play by the pool, sharing a meal, or simply sitting in the sun with his family. They are the memories that brought the biggest smile to his face.
“He was a proud man, always impeccably turned out, and he taught us the importance of self-respect and respect to others.”
Father Brian D’Arcy told mourners at the Church of the Most Precious Blood, Cabra West: “We don’t know whether to be sad or joyous and maybe we should be both who have come to say goodbye to all of Ireland's greatest legends, I suppose, from my years of association with the show bands and entertainment people.
“In all that time, there are many showband singers, over 10,000 people in the business at one point, but always, the cream that came to the top on every occasion were the Blessed Trinity of Brendan Bowyer, Joe Dolan and Dickie Rock.
“And we come now to lay to rest the last of the legends Dickie but we also come to bury a father, a husband, grandfather and uncle, so we must remember that as well.
“I think that knowing Dickie as I did, and knowing Judy as I did, the fact that they're together in heaven now with their lovely son, Joseph, will make that this a great day of joy for them, and I hope that brings some consolation to the family, knowing that they're together at last and looking after all of you from on high.
“But I think also Dickie was very much part of everyone's life, and that's what we must remember as well.
“And I've spoken to the family about this. And while we're coming to the mass today, we're coming to remember the memories that we had in the smoky ballrooms, the men on one side and the women on the other, and everybody half sober and the rest half drunk, but there was no drink there for anybody to get.
“And the bands would come out, and the band had come out and do a warm up number, and then the start of the show would be introduced, ladies and gentlemen, Would you welcome the legend himself, Dickie Rock.
“And Dickie would bounce out over the place and throw the microphone from one hand to the other, and he'd flick into one song, and the whole place would be dancing and diving and jumping, and your worries will be forgotten for at least two hours.
“And that's really what it was. It was a sense of enormous freedom, that we could do these things and that we could travel to see the stars that were Irish stars, and that were part of our communities, to travel the length and breadth of the country, usually in a band, and that wasn't easy.
“It was never easy in the same wagon, traveling with the same fellows for a decade at a time. It was never easy, and there were remarkably few rows even in that situation.
“If you were lucky, you might have got a girlfriend to bring home. And if you had a car, you had a better chance than if you're on a bike. That was Ireland at that time, just a very different, very different Ireland.
“It's been wonderful that still here all those years later, when everything is supposed to be to change and different, all Dickie’s fans and family and friends are here to remember him today.”
He jokingly added that Dickie would be “delighted to see a full house for his last gig”, saying the late star even upstaged Cliff Richard.Two love letters that Dickie wrote to his late wife Judy back in the 70s were also read out at his funeral mass to show his love for Judy while he was on tour in America.Eugene McCarthy – a lifelong friend of Dickie’s performed at the ceremony – while Dickie’s son Richard sang, along with showband veteran Red Hurley.
President Michael D Higgins was represented by his Aide-de-Camp Paul O'Donnell.
One of his most emblematic tracks, Come Back To Stay, began to play as the coffin entered the church as Fr Paul Thornton expressed his gratitude to the family for bringing Dickie Rock home to rest in his native Cabra West.
He praised the star’s extraordinary musical career and blessed his coffin before his grandchildren Reuben, Rosie Rock and Robin Rock carried over symbols of his life, including his microphone and his beloved golf clubs.
Prayers of the faithful were led by Ben Rock, Tony Murray, and Mia and Aisling Rock. A visibly upset Ronan Collins described 88-year-old Dickie as “an extraordinary man”.
He told mourners: “Dickie and I had a strained relationship for a while, and it was one of the great moments in my life when we reconciled because I missed him, and he told me he missed me, and that we had too much together to walk away from it on our own, so to have been asked to speak today to recall my friend, your friend, and a wonderful father. I'm absolutely flattered beyond belief (to speak today).
“He was an extraordinary, astute man. He had a great flair for business as well as a great flair for performance.
“And we used to joke that in relatively recent years, that Dickie may have had 20 hits in the charts, but I think he had more houses than that and lived in more houses than that.
“But he was a believer that houses were bricks and mortar. You could buy them for a few bob and sell them for a few bob more. But what about the family, Dickie? And he said, ‘No, they're houses’ the family, that's the home, and that's where the family are.
“And a lot of memories for all of you tonight, and to be back in the bosom of Cabra West, where, as one of the lads said, it all began for him, and he used to say with great pride, off the stage with thanks to the audience, I'm just a fella from the cottages in Dingle Road in Cabra West,
“But he was the king of Cabra and he remains so,” he added.
Join the Irish Mirror’s breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive breaking news and the latest headlines direct to your phone. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Related
Share this page
Guest Posts by Easy Branches
