Ryan Tubridy paid tribute to the loss of both Ashling Murphy, and Shane O’Connor, who recently lost their lives. The presenter concluded his radio show on a sombre note just before Ashling Murphy’s family laid the 23-year-old to rest. The 48-year-old presenter spoke of the tragic loss felt by our nation, following the shocking and tragic murder of the primary school teacher.
Discussing not only the bereavement of Ashling’s family but also Sinéad O’Connor’s, Tubridy shared; “The country is grieving today.” Sinéad lost 17-year-old Shane when he was found dead last month, between Shankill in south Dublin and his hometown of Bray. With Shane’s funeral taking place at the end of last week, the presenter assured listeners that the singer is doing “as well as possible under the circumstances.”
[Horse on the Highway]’s a very beautiful song. The country is grieving today, I just felt that this song, at Sinéad’s suggestion, would be quite a song to play as we say goodbye. It’s a song about grief, it’s a song about a child gone too soon,” Ryan explained to his listeners.
“We mentioned on the Late Late Show, of course, Ashling and we mentioned Sinead O’Connor and Donal Lunny’s son Shane who had also passed away. The musicians wanted to mark that desperate story also,” Tubridy continued. “I had the occasion to speak to Sinead at some length on Saturday. She’s doing as well as can be possible under the circumstances but, she very thoughtfully sent a song to us here last night or in the early hours of this morning.”
Requested to play the song about Shane two years ago, Tubridy revealed; “She wrote it about her son about two and a half years ago and she said, ‘You can play it if you like’. It’s nice, it’s a rough edit as she calls it. It’s called ‘A Horse on the Highway’. I listened to it this morning and it’s actually a very beautiful song.
Feeling the track is “quite a song” to play on a day of mourning, Tubridy explained; “Sinead is grieving, and the Murphy family are grieving today, and the country is grieving today. I just felt that this song, at Sinead’s suggestion, would be quite a song to play as we say goodbye to you today, on this day of days, because it’s a song about grief and it’s a song about the loss of a child gone too soon.”
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