Aslan's Christy Dignam has opened up about his cancer diagnosis in 2013 and admits undergoing chemotherapy "totally refocused me".
The 59-year-old musician was diagnosed with Amyloidosis, an incurable blood cancer nearly five years ago, and underwent chemotherapy at the time.
Speaking on RTÉ's Today with Maura and Daithi, the Finglas man admits he spent his "whole life running around like a headless chicken" and said his diagnosis made him take stock of his life.
"When I got diagnosed with cancer, and when I responded to the chemo, they said to me 'listen, if you've anything on a bucket list, do it now because we’ll give you six months,’ as it had badly damaged my heart.
"At that moment I remember thinking –the band meant nothing to me, my house meant nothing to me, my car meant nothing."
"The only thing that was important to me was my wife and my grandkids, and just to see their communions and their confirmations."
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"It totally refocused me, and it was actually a good thing, because I've spent my whole life running around like a headless chicken.
"I remember signing a deal with EMI Records and popping champagne and thinking 'this is bull’".
Dignam recently told RTÉ Entertainment that they "wouldn't survive" without their young fans and joked about how their demographic "are all at home minding their grandkids".
RTÉ's Today with Maura and Dáithí airs weekdays from 15:30 on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.
