Kilkenny's Willie Meighan remembered in music

Friends and family of Willie Meighan gathered in Ryans on Friary Street last Thursday evening to remember a kind and gentle man who has left an indelible mark on the heart of Kilkenny.
Just hours after his funeral his friends, many of whom are musicians, gathered to pay homage to a loyal and wonderful man, who made a positive and lasting impact on those he met.
The Barflies, whom Willie helped set up some 25 years ago, played their hearts out during an unforgettable night of music and friendship. The love and warmth resonated as people fondly remembered Willie Meighan and the music played all night. TV Jones and the Tomahawks, John Murry, Shane Joyce, Clive Barnes, Luan Parle, Seamus and John Fogarty, The Midnight Union Band and Steve Scullion of Malojian all performed in what will be remembered for decades as one of the best nights of music, comradery and great banter in Kilkenny.
Malcolm Noonan commented afterwards that Willie’s friends and family gathered that night ‘to sing, dance, cry, laugh, hug, mourn and celebrate’. “His grand plan was to bring us together and stay close to each other through music. It's working…”
Tributes have been paid to Willie Meighan from musicians locally, nationally and internationally. James Yorkston came directly from a gig in Scotland to attend the funeral and Graham Hopkins from The Frames also paid his respects. On the airwaves music was dedicated to his memory of by some of the country’s finest DJs including Tom Dunne and Paul Mc Loone. Rollercoaster Records released Malojian’s album ‘Let Your Weirdness Carry You Home’ last year in what was ‘one of Willie’s proudest moments’, according to his friend and colleague, Darragh Butler. Malojian will play at The Set this Saturday at 8.30pm.
A raffle of the vinyl test pressing of the Malojian album will take place at the gig and all proceeds to the Kilkenny/ Carlow Homecare Team.