Singer Dickie Rock has been remembered as “one of Ireland’s greatest legends” at his funeral Mass in north Dublin on Thursday.
Hundreds of people gathered at the Church of the Most Precious Blood in Cabra this morning, including President Michael D Higgins’s aide-de-camp, Capt Paul O’Donnell; Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald; broadcasters Joe Duffy, Ronan Collins and Aonghus McAnally; and entertainer Adele King (Twink).
Chief mourners included Rock’s children Jason, John, Richard, Sarah-Jane and Peter, and Rock’s grandchildren.
Rock, who died at St Vincent’s University Hospital aged 88 last week, was one of the biggest stars of Ireland’s popular showband scene as a member of the Miami Showband and later as a solo artist. He was also a former Eurovision contestant.
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Fr Brian D’Arcy, who led the service and was a friend of Rock, joked that he would be “delighted to see a full house for his last gig”. He described Rock as the “ultimate professional” who had given close to 70 years entertaining people and that his friends and family were “heartbroken” at his passing.
Fr D’Arcy said people had come together to remember the memories of smoky ballrooms with “men on one side, women on the other”.
“Dickie would bound out over the place and throw the microphone from one hand to the other and he would flick into one song, the whole place would be dancing, diving and jumping, and worries would be forgotten for at least two hours … it was a sense of enormous freedom,” he said.
He added that the showband era had taken Ireland from a “very dark place” and “changed the face” of the country, which Rock had been very much a part of.
“There was nothing Dickie Rock did not achieve in his life,” he said.
Rock’s son Peter said he was “so much more than the man on stage” and 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,” he said.
He said the passing of his mother, Judy, two years ago was a “devastating loss” for Rock. “She was the love of his life, and from that point on, he was never quite the same,” he said. “In truth, a part of dad died that day.”
He spoke of his father’s love of sport and also described him as “a serious messer”.
Mr Rock said he and his siblings were so proud of their father – “proud of everything you achieved, proud of the man you were, and proud to call you our father”.
“We will miss you every single day, but we take great comfort knowing you’re with mum and Joseph walking every step of the way again in peace, in love, just as it was always meant to be. Thank you, Dad, for everything – you gave us the world, and we will carry your love and your lessons with us always.”
Rock’s other sons Jason and John read out letters their father had written to their mother during their engagement in 1966 when he was on tour in the US.
Ronan Collins said Rock was the “eternal professional” who had “created memories for all of us” and that he would be greatly missed. Mr Collins said while they had a “strained relationship” for a while, one of the greatest moments of his life was reconciling with him.
“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,” he said.
He added that Rock was a “great friend and wonderful father”. Mr Collins also said Rock was a “shy, introverted person” but didn’t do regrets, despite telling him he would have “loved to have had a formal education”.
Offertory gifts included a microphone, a photograph of Rock and his late wife, and a golf club. Singer Brian Hurley performed a rendition of Keeper of the Stars while Rock’s son Richard sang Till.
Music also included some of Rock’s songs, such as Candy Store, Simon Says and Every Step of the Way.
Born in the North Strand in Dublin’s inner city, Rock grew up in Cabra. In 1966, Rock competed in the Eurovision Song Contest in Luxembourg, performing his song Come Back to Stay. Although he came fourth, his song climbed to number one in Ireland.
He departed the Miami Showband and pursued a solo career in the years before the Miami Showband massacre during the Troubles in July 1975. Rock continued to tour until he announced his retirement at the age of 84 in 2021.
Judy, his wife of more than 50 years, died weeks after contracting Covid-19 in 2022 at the age of 77. The couple had six children, the eldest of whom, Joseph, died in the 1990s.
