Additional Coverage:
- Thin Lizzy frontman Phil Lynott’s autopsy exposed heartbreaking detail caused by drug use (irishstar.com)
Remembering Phil Lynott: A Rock Legend’s Tragic Fall
Dublin, Ireland – The rock world continues to mourn the untimely passing of Thin Lizzy frontman Phil Lynott, who tragically died at the age of 36 on January 4, 1986. An autopsy following his death revealed the devastating toll his battle with drug and alcohol dependency took on his body, ultimately leading to septicaemia, pneumonia, and heart failure.
Lynott, the charismatic Brazilian-Irish rock star, achieved international fame with Thin Lizzy, particularly in the U.S. with hits like “Jailbreak” and “The Boys Are Back In Town.” Despite the band’s success, which concluded with their “Thunder And Lightning” tour in 1984, Lynott’s personal struggles intensified. He released two solo albums, neither of which garnered critical acclaim, and his appearances became sporadic in the mid-1980s as his dependence on heroin and alcohol grew, raising significant concern among his friends and family.
The critical decline began on Christmas Day, 1985, when Lynott collapsed at his home in Kew. His mother, Philomena, discovered him and contacted his estranged wife, Caroline.
She swiftly drove 100 miles from Bath to rush him to Clouds House, a drug clinic near Shaftesbury. From there, clinicians transferred him to Salisbury Infirmary, where he was diagnosed with septicaemia, severe kidney, and liver damage.
Despite briefly regaining consciousness and speaking with his mother, Lynott’s condition rapidly worsened. By New Year’s Day, he was placed on a ventilator to assist with his breathing.
Eleven days after his initial collapse, on January 4, 1986, Phil Lynott succumbed to his illnesses in the hospital’s intensive care unit. His official cause of death was attributed to septicaemia, stemming from multiple internal abscesses directly linked to his prolonged drug and alcohol abuse.
Three hundred mourners gathered for his memorial service on January 9, 1986, at St Elizabeth’s Church in Richmond, Surrey, followed by a second service at Howth Parish Church in Dublin on January 11. He was laid to rest in St Fintan’s Cemetery, Dublin.
Fellow Thin Lizzy member Scott Gorham commented at the time that Lynott’s drug and alcohol problems escalated after his wife and children left. “I suppose he thought drugs would help him out of the low spots,” Gorham stated. Bob Geldof, the mastermind behind Band Aid and a close friend, recalled attempts to persuade Lynott to abandon his wild rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle, describing him as “a hard-living sort of bloke, a good bloke, a laugh but a hard nut.”
Phil Lynott left behind his two young daughters, Sara, then seven, and Cathleen, five. He died intestate, leaving an estate valued at approximately $154,076.71.
For individuals struggling with substance abuse, confidential support and treatment referrals are available 24/7 through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) hotline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). Services are offered in both English and Spanish.