Calendar An icon of a desk calendar. Cancel An icon of a circle with a diagonal line across. Caret An icon of a block arrow pointing to the right. Email An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of the Facebook "f" mark. Google An icon of the Google "G" mark. Linked In An icon of the Linked In "in" mark. Logout An icon representing logout. Profile An icon that resembles human head and shoulders. Telephone An icon of a traditional telephone receiver. Tick An icon of a tick mark. Is Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes. Is Not Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes with a diagonal line through it. Pause Icon A two-lined pause icon for stopping interactions. Quote Mark A opening quote mark. Quote Mark A closing quote mark. Arrow An icon of an arrow. Folder An icon of a paper folder. Breaking An icon of an exclamation mark on a circular background. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Caret An icon of a caret arrow. Clock An icon of a clock face. Close An icon of the an X shape. Close Icon An icon used to represent where to interact to collapse or dismiss a component Comment An icon of a speech bubble. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Ellipsis An icon of 3 horizontal dots. Envelope An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Home An icon of a house. Instagram An icon of the Instagram logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. Magnifying Glass An icon of a magnifying glass. Search Icon A magnifying glass icon that is used to represent the function of searching. Menu An icon of 3 horizontal lines. Hamburger Menu Icon An icon used to represent a collapsed menu. Next An icon of an arrow pointing to the right. Notice An explanation mark centred inside a circle. Previous An icon of an arrow pointing to the left. Rating An icon of a star. Tag An icon of a tag. Twitter An icon of the Twitter logo. Video Camera An icon of a video camera shape. Speech Bubble Icon A icon displaying a speech bubble WhatsApp An icon of the WhatsApp logo. Information An icon of an information logo. Plus A mathematical 'plus' symbol. Duration An icon indicating Time. Success Tick An icon of a green tick. Success Tick Timeout An icon of a greyed out success tick. Loading Spinner An icon of a loading spinner. Facebook Messenger An icon of the facebook messenger app logo. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Facebook Messenger An icon of the Twitter app logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. WhatsApp Messenger An icon of the Whatsapp messenger app logo. Email An icon of an mail envelope. Copy link A decentered black square over a white square.
Home Entertainment Music

Snow Patrol front man Gary Lightbody pays tribute to ‘funniest’ father

By Press Association
Snow Patrol front man Gary Lightbody’s father has died after battling dementia for years (Aaron Chown/PA)
Snow Patrol front man Gary Lightbody’s father has died after battling dementia for years (Aaron Chown/PA)

Snow Patrol front man Gary Lightbody’s father has died after battling dementia for years.

Jack Lightbody was a legend who created happy memories for so many, his singer-songwriter son said.

The funeral was held on Christmas Eve and Lightbody posted details on his Instagram account on Friday.

He said: “I don’t know what life looks like without him, I can’t even comprehend it, but he’ll be in my heart and all my family’s hearts for the rest of our lives.”

View this post on Instagram

Just before Christmas my dad, Jack, passed away. We had his funeral on christmas eve with family and close friends. I’m not posting about it to make anyone sad and that’s why I waited until after Christmas to say anything at all I just wanted to pay tribute to the man that taught me and gave me so much. He was the funniest man I’ve ever known. Even in the depths of his dementia he could still be as sharp and hilarious as ever at times. He was also the most social person I ever knew. He could talk to anyone. I’m in introvert so I’m shy around strangers but he would walk into a room full of strangers and within ten mins know all their names and their stories and be having the craic with them all. It was a gift he never lost. We would walk into a restaurant and as we were being shown to our table he’d be talking to everyone at every other table we passed: “what are you having there, that looks good” and he’d be standing there chatting while we’d already be at our table waiting on him probably rolling our eyes. Ha. What a legend. All my friends that knew him loved him. The messages I got when they found out were of heartbreak but also each of my friends have been telling me stories of how my dad made them laugh and I’m so glad that all of people’s memories of him seem to be of happy times. My mum Lynne looked after him in his illness for years and her strength in all this has been a mighty thing to behold. She is a titan. Also my mum, my sister sarah (who is also a titan) and my awesome niece honey and myself would like to say a massive thank you to the staff at Oakmont Care Home for their wonderful care of him over the last eight months. If anyone met my dad at an SP gig or feels like they know him through the songs I wrote about him (Soon, I Think Of Home, Lifening) then, if you like, please raise a glass to him the next time you have a wee drink and say “cheers big jack”. He would‘ve liked that. I don’t know what life looks like without him, I can’t even comprehend it, but he’ll be in my heart and all my family’s hearts for the rest of our lives. I love you dad. There were none like you. Your son, gary.x

A post shared by Gary Lightbody (@garysnowpatrol) on

Snow Patrol, who are from Northern Ireland, went from struggling indie outfit to global success with their hit Chasing Cars.

Founding member Lightbody wrote the tracks Soon, I Think Of Home and Lifening about his father.

He paid tribute to a man who he said had taught and given him so much.

He said: “He was the funniest man I’ve ever known.

“Even in the depths of his dementia he could still be as sharp and hilarious as ever at times.”

His father made his friends laugh, he said.

“I’m so glad that all of people’s memories of him seem to be of happy times.”

His mother Lynne looked after him in his illness for years and the singer said her strength has been a mighty thing to behold.

“She is a titan,” he added.