Joe Mac pays tribute to Dickie Rock as singer's funeral details announced
And Showband Fellow Who Friend Dickie Mccarthy Joe Rock Tribute Paid Legend Dixies Star His To With
Dickie Rock’s funeral will take place in Dublin on Thursday.
The showband legend died at the age of 88 at St Vincent’s University Hospital in Dublin on Friday, over two years after the death of his wife Judy in April 2022.
His funeral Mass will be celebrated in the Church of the Most Precious Blood in Cabra West at 10.15am on Thursday morning.
The funeral details were published on Sunday morning, as tributes to the legend continued to pour in.
Joe Mac of the Dixies showband, who is now also aged 88, said he had been aware that the legendary Dickie Rock was ill and reflected on times they had shared during the heyday of the showbands era, as well as in more recent times.
Dickie Rock retired in 2021 because of hearing problems which Joe Mac said was apparent on the last occasion they shared a billing in Cork.
He said: “He was a great performer and he had a good voice.”
He recalled: “I would be slagging him a lot. We did a show together in a televised panto — Brendan Bowyer and Dickie Rock were the ugly sisters and I was the fairy godmother. It was in the late 1960s.”
Joe Mac regrets that there is no footage of the event available anymore as the tape on which it was recorded was re-used for other recordings.
A former member of the Defence Forces also paid tribute to Dickie Rock on rip.ie, writing: “Not many will be aware that Dickie and his band travelled on several occasions to entertain our troops in Lebanon, and for free.
"I was directly involved in one of these trips and it was remarkable to see seriously Dickie took each of the concerts for the soldiers on the different outposts.
"He mixed and chatted with the troops during the day and was such easy company. I recall a soldier telling him that his Mum was a big fan he sat down and wrote her a greeting. And he had such a wonderful voice.
"Deepest sympathy to the Rock family at this sad time. May he rest in peace.”
Condolences have also been written by couples who met for the first time at a Dickie Rock concert.
The Dubliner became a legend on the showband scene, with several hit records with the Miami Showband and subsequently with his own band.
Born in Cabra, he also had connections to Cork.
Among the songs associated with him were , , and .
He also represented Ireland at the 1966 Eurovision Song Contest with , and finished joint fourth.
He received a lifetime achievement award in October 2009.