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In Schull Colin had ‘found his home'

January 31st, 2016 11:55 AM

By Kieran O'Mahony

Colin Vearncombe died following a two-car collision.

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It was his ‘humility’ that impressed those in Schull who knew Colin Vearncombe, also known as Black, who died on Tuesday.

IT was his ‘humility’ that impressed those in Schull who knew Colin Vearncombe, also known as Black, (pictured, below) who died on Tuesday, following a two-car collision near Cork Airport on Sunday January 10th.

Colin never regained consciousness following the accident, where he sustained serious head injuries, and he died peacefully in Cork University Hospital surrounded by his wife Camilla and his three sons Max, Marius and Milan.

The Liverpool-born singer was known for worldwide hits including ‘Wonderful Life’ and ‘Sweetest Smile’ in the late 80s and he recorded 14 albums under different monikers down through his career. He moved to Schull several years ago and made some great friends in the West Cork town.

Composer Maurice Seezer got to know Colin through the Dog Tail Soup collective that he and a group of friends set up in Schull about 10 years ago.

‘We were all aware of his public personality, his abilities as a songwriter and performer, but what impressed us more was his humility, his enthusiasm for arrangement which allowed him to collaborate on any level with any of the singers in the group,’ Maurice told The Southern Star.  

Relating to one of Colin’s lyrics about ‘finding his way home’, Maurice remembers the sense of belonging that Colin had onstage and within the community of Schull.

‘I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch of the imagination to suggest that here he found the home he had been looking for and here he will stay in the hearts of the many people whose lives he touched while sharing his infectious enthusiasm for music and his unconditional friendship.’

Colin’s death was announced on his Facebook page on Tuesday afternoon and his family paid tribute to the staff at the Intensive Treatment Unit at CUH.

‘Colin received the best possible care from the expert and highly professional staff there and we are deeply grateful for everything they did,’ said the family on Facebook.

Fans and fellow musicians also took to social media to express their sympathy about Colin’s death. RTE Radio 1 presenter John Creedon said on Twitter that ‘Colin graced this studio with his gentle presence on more than one occasion. A profound loss.’

Midge Ure, the former singer with Ultravox, tweeted that it was ‘very sad to hear Black’s Colin Vearncombe didn’t make it. Thoughts are with his family.’ 

Colin’s funeral will be private, but there are plans to hold a memorial service in his native Liverpool in the near future.

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