His career of over 40 years was characterised by numerous successes on the Irish charts as well as recurring problems with drug addiction and recovery.

[2] He grew up in the north Dublin suburb of Finglas, attending Naomh Feargal primary school and Patrician College.

This continued to occur over a three-year period until, at the age of nine, Dignam sought help from his best friend's brother, a man in his twenties.

[7] In 1980, Dignam and his childhood friend Joe Jewell[8] formed a precursor to Aslan, named Meelah XVIII.

[2] The band, named for Leon Uris's novel Mila 18,[9] created a recording for The Dave Fanning Show on RTÉ Radio 2 in 1980.

[6] Their studio albums include Feel No Shame, Goodbye Charlie Moonhead, Here Comes Lucy Jones and Waiting for the Madness To End.

He wrote an autobiography (with Damian Corless), My Crazy World, published worldwide by Simon & Schuster in September 2019.

After numerous tests were carried out in March 2013, he was diagnosed with both amyloidosis, in which amyloid proteins build up in the body's organs, and myeloma, a cancer that attacks plasma cells in the bone marrow.

[25][26] Numerous public figures paid tribute to Dignam following his death, including President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins and U2 frontman Bono.