Memory of Dolores lives on in Kerry

STAR’S BRIEF TIME IN KERRY REMEMBERED FONDLY BY LOCALS

THE tragic news of the death of Dolores O’Riordan came as a shock to fans everywhere on Monday afternoon after news broke that the lead singer of Limerick band The Cranberries had passed away suddenly.

Dolores was a Limerick native but was no stranger to Kerry and so when she bought land in Dún Chaoin she wasn’t long meeting a few of the locals.

“When I first met Dolores she was very kind and warm,” said John Moriarty owner of Lord Bakers Restaurant in Dingle.

John said that he first became acquainted with Dolores after he opened his restaurant and his architect Michael Williams introduced them as he had designed Dolores’ ‘mansion’ in Dún Chaoin.

“We developed a great friendship over the years” John told The Kerryman.

“She was a lovely, kind, warm and decent person. Any time she came into the restaurant she would invite me to sit with her and often the nights turned into mornings,” he laughed.

Another person who was lucky enough to know Dolores well was Betty Keane who helped to look after Dolores’ house in Dún Chaoin.

“She was a lovely person”, Betty told The Kerryman on Tuesday.

“She was lovely to the local people and went to mass in the local church. It’s just hard to believe she’s gone,” Betty continued.

Betty, alongside her husband Mártan were closer than most to Dolores, helping to look after the Dún Chaoin house that she owned; the house was sold for £1m in 2000.

“She was there a lot during the earlier years that she owned it but even when she was touring she was always coming and going,” Betty recalled.

She was kind enough to give us one of her dogs that had become attached to us. That’s something I’ll never forget,” she finished.

The death of Dolores was such a shock to the Dingle and Dún Chaoin community.

They will remember her for not only her musical talents but for her kindness, generosity and as part of their community.

Cranberries singer, Dolores O’Riordan who died yesterday.