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THE CENTRAL BANK has launched a commemorative coin in honour of Thin Lizzy frontman Phil Lynott.
The 2019 coin, marking would have been the 70th birthday of the legendary Dublin guitarist, was launched by President Michael D Higgins at Lynott’s former school St Kevin’s College, in Crumlin.
The school band played a medley of Thin Lizzy songs before President Higgins spoke of Lynott’s contribution to Irish music and culture, saying: “Phil Lynott is not likely to be forgotten.”
President Higgins spoke of the importance of creativity and the arts and encouraged students to allow their creativity to move them.
In the crowd were Lynott’s daughters Sarah and Kathleen.
Phil Lynott was born in the West Midlands, England but grew up in Dublin. After fronting several bands, Lynott formed Thin Lizzy in 1970.
The band first found success with Whiskey In The Jar, followed by several hits in the mid-70s with songs such as The Boys Are Back In Town, Jailbreak, The Rocker and Waiting For An Alibi.
Lynott also enjoyed success as a solo artist with two albums producing the hits Dear Miss Lonelyhearts, King’s Call and Old Town, the music video for the latter showing him walking through the streets of Dublin.
He died of pneumonia and heart failure linked to his ongoing battle with drug and alcohol abuse in January 1986. He was 36.
The coin was designed by numismatic artist Sandra Deiana and pays tribute to Lynott with a depiction of the frontman in a characteristic pose with his bass guitar.
It is the second coin issued in the three coin series entitled Modern Irish Musicians.
A coin commemorating Rory Gallagher was launched in September 2018 by President Higgins, while next year, a coin commemorating Luke Kelly will be issued.
City of Dublin ETB / TwitterMichael D Higgins @PresidentIRL & Sharon Donnery @centralbank_ie launch coin @stkevinscrumlin to commemorate 70 years since birth of legendary past pupil Thin Lizzy rocker Phil Lynott. #CDETB @ThinLizzy_ @rtenews @hotpress @nearfm @Education_Ire @SOLASFET #thinlizzy pic.twitter.com/J87Egb1g3D
— City of Dublin ETB (@CityofDublinETB) November 26, 2019
Central Bank deputy governor Sharon Donnery, who grew up in Crumlin, said the organisation was proud to be issuing the coin to celebrate the musician.
“We are particularly pleased to be launching it in Crumlin: Phil Lynott grew up on Leighlin Road and went to school here at St Kevin’s College,” she said.
Phil Lynott’s iconic status, his contribution to modern Irish music and the enduring popularity of his music is why the Bank has issued a coin honouring him.
The €15 silver proof coins are limited to 3,000 pieces, and will be available to buy tomorrow at 10am for €65.
Proof coins are collectable coins and are not intended for general circulation. They are minted using specially polished dies and blanks that give them a mirror-like finish.
Last month, two one euro stamps, one featuring a portrait of Lynott, and the other showing the cover of his band Thin Lizzy’s Black Rose album, also went on sale in Ireland.
The pair of stamps were launched to celebrate the band’s 50th anniversary.
Earlier this month, it was revealed that Thin Lizzy have been nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the United States next year.
Lynott’s mother, Philomena, a Crumlin native, died in June this year.
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It’s all well and good until Stevie starts humping the microwave during the night
@DarkHorse: That’s a silly comment . This is very serious but the article doesn’t tell us how to access , so its a useless article.
@rory conway: I mean not really, as they haven’t been on sale yet. They’re flying to the States later this month, where a care home will be trialing the beta version.
Can he make a good cup of tae though? Or boil an egg? Or put a few sods of turf on the fire?
As long as it’s used to complement human interaction and not replace it, it’s a good idea. Having spent summers at college working as a home help, i am aware that i was the only person many elderly people spoke to during the day. My being there for a chat was at times more important than my ability to light the fire
@Anne Marie Devlin:
Very good point.
May I be the first to welcome our new robot overlords.
Seriously though, cool bit of tech.
Japan, the US and other places are vastly more developed in the technologies required to implement practical autonomous robotic supports.
It’s a good idea but only if Trinity College collaborates with the best abroad.
As matters now stand, one small country does not have the embedded knowledge base, the centre of expertise, the resources and the funding required to make a massive project of this nature anything more than a prototype.
@Fiona deFreyne: Do you just put everything down? Ireland has produced leading technologies in the past beating those with more resources and been at it longer. They could easily develop key components for the future of all robot via software or hardware.
@Kal Ipers: it is a matter of scale, accumulated expertise, level of previous investment in R &D, historically, accumulated IPR, the legacy knowledge and expertise not to have to reinvent any wheels and the large numbers of highly quality researchers required to develop cutting edge technologies in areas off deep machine learning. The scale of investment required for success is truly huge.
We have talent here but it is fair to say that we have had a brain flow to the US and to Cambridge in the UK in relevant disciplines. There are many reasons for this.
Trinity can’t play a valuable role as an adjunct to leading research elsewhere.
Honda has already achieved much techological success in Japan with robots dedicated to health care for the elderly. I don’t know if there can be technology sharing and cooperation arrangements.
Knowing the scale of the problem is a first step. I would not select Ireland a a base for developing new generation rockets for outer space exploration or other areas of resource intensive projects. Robotics and autonomous intelligence devices is one of the mist resource intensive areas that could be selected.
@Fiona deFreyne: None of that has anything to do with your constant putting down everything. Again I reject your view and that is mostly because it is always negative.
They should really get in touch with the Japanese on this subject. They have been pouring money on this subject for decades and a trip to them could shave years off the project.
Also, the arms are way too short and lack any function. Infact, the whole robot cannot do more than a smartphone. I feel like someone is laughing right now.
Ye it would be if the likes of rich politicians didn’t want to force the elderly out of their home
Sounds like a great idea. I thought they’d need to be a lot stronger though. And have a hoist, or arms, to help them in and out in the bathroom? But they’d never get bored listening to people, I suppose, there’s that.
All the wiley aul fellas will be figuring out how to bypass him so they can slip off to the pub and bookies
Can it make a good cup of tae though? Boil an egg or throw a few sods of turf on the fire?
I assume he meant Kryten from Red Dwarf not Croydon from Deep Space Nine lol
Fck that, sophia the robot destroys stevie
If you want to watch a creepy interview with a robot check this out.. http://uk.businessinsider.com/interview-with-sophia-ai-robot-hanson-said-it-would-destroy-humans-2017-11
@Patrick J. O’Rourke: True, it doesn’t have much to say for itself. It wouldn’t pass the Turing test; you can tell it’s a bot. But there’s always the ELIZA effect. Sure the robot carers are meant primarily for people with no one to listen to them all day. I think there’s a huge market for them considering that retired people are living so much longer.
@Patrick J. O’Rourke: scary stuff! I’d say cults will purchase loads of these and put them out there in homes and such like to brainwash everyone!!
Daughter got a Furbie one year for Christmas thing turned seriously nasty and using bad language and had to be re-set… A Furbie!!! Yup dangerous road ahead…
@Lydia McLoughlin: Maybe they’ll persuade a few people that bus fares aren’t tuppence any more. Mind you, the bad language can’t have been that bad if you understood it.
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