TRIUMPH AND TRAGEDY
Irish Country Hall of Fame winner Declan Nerney chats music and loss
WITHIN a period of 48 hours, Declan Nerney experienced the most terrific triumph of his singing career and the most devastating tragedy to befall his band last month.
Being selected on The Late Late Show for induction into Ireland’s prestigious Country Music Hall of Fame was possibly the highest point of his music career.
But within 48 hours he was hit with one of the lowest when his band’s drummer Christopher Bradley was killed – and two other members seriously injured – in a traffic accident in County Louth on their way home from a gig.
Never before could the words of Declan’s biggest hit, Stop the World (and let me Off) have been ringing so loudly in his ears – but sadly for all the wrong reasons.
“It went from the highest high of getting the Irish Country Music Hall of Fame accolade to the lowest low regarding the road crash, which I’m still trying to come to terms with,” began Declan. “It is still difficult to believe what happened to Chris and the other two lads.
“It’s one of those merciless things that can occur in people’s lives and it’s something you can’t deal with today by hoping that it’s going to be gone tomorrow. It will be there every night that we go out to play for the rest of our time,” said Declan, with sadness in his voice…
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