Tributes paid to Limerick legend Dolores on her birthday

LIMERICK singer and lead singer with internationally renowned band The Cranberries, Dolores O’Riordan is being remembered by her band members on what should be her 53rd birthday. 

The youngest of nine children from Ballybricken, Bohermore, in County Limerick, Dolores was known for her distinctive Limerick accent in her singing - something which some Irish singers tend to make sound more British or American to appeal to the masses. 

Dolores died on January 15, 2018 in the Hilton in Park Lane in London. 

The rain was relentless on the day of her funeral, just down the road from her family home, as troves of media from all over the world, including this journalist, gathered in huddles to hear what was being said through the speaker system. 

One part of her funeral, which will always stay with this journalist, is that as the funeral Mass opened, chillingly, it was Dolores’ own voice that rang out, as a haunting rendition of her singing Ave Maria rang out across the damp and gloomy Limerick countryside. 

As her life was remembered at her funeral, Canon McNamara spoke about her love of music and monasteries, her naturally curious and unique mind and how she played the organ for the local choir when she was home. 

On The Cranberries Instagram page today (September 6, 2024), Ferg, Mike and Noel wrote: “Happy birthday Dolores. Thinking a lot about you recently. We’ve been doing some interviews and that always brings up a lot of memories.

“Trying not to be sad, but some days it’s more difficult so we just have to sit and experience the feelings.”

See the post here.

Young Kilbehenny singer songwriter Kellie Lewis was mentored by Dolores on The Voice of Ireland in 2014, when she was a runner up on the show. 

While mentoring the County Limerick singer, Dolores was seen and captured on TV riding a quad bike in the shadows of the Galtee mountains for a home visit to the Lewis family farm for the TV show. 

Kellie Lewis also paid tribute to Dolores on her birthday saying: “Happy Birthday Dolores. I miss you so much.”