20 Facts About Philomena Lynott

Philomena Lynott was an Irish author and entrepreneur.

Philomena Lynott was the mother of Thin Lizzy frontman Phil Lynott.

Philomena Lynott was the proprietor of the Clifton Grange Hotel in Manchester, which provided accommodation for a number of bands in the 1970s including Thin Lizzy.

Philomena Lynott was born on 22 October 1930 as the fourth of nine children to Frank and Sarah Lynott in Dublin, and grew up in the Crumlin district of the city.

Philomena Lynott left school aged 13 and worked in an elderly people's home.

In 1947 Lynott took advantage of a viable job market in England, which needed labour to rebuild damage caused by World War II, finding work as a nurse in Manchester.

Philomena Lynott began a relationship with Cecil Parris, which led to Philip's birth on 20 August 1949.

Philomena Lynott suffered prejudice because she did not marry Cecil Parris and was the mother of a mixed-race son, who she decided would best be raised by her parents in Dublin.

Philomena Lynott had two other children that she placed for adoption.

Philomena Lynott remained close to her son throughout his life but because she only saw him sporadically felt they were more like sister and brother or friends instead of a typical mother and son relationship.

In 1964 Philomena Lynott began a relationship with Dennis Keeley and the couple took over management of the Clifton Grange Hotel in Whalley Range, Manchester.

Philomena Lynott was unaware of her son's history of drug abuse until late 1985.

Philomena Lynott was not present at her son's bedside when he died on 4 January 1986 in Salisbury General Infirmary, having received a telephone call at her house in Kew that Philip was dead.

Philomena Lynott had a difficult relationship with her daughter-in-law, Caroline Crowther, after Philip's death and was forced to apply for a court order to see her grandchildren.

Philomena Lynott found the experience of re-examining the relationship with her son difficult, but rewarding.

The book My Boy: The Philip Philomena Lynott Story was published by Hot Press Books in 1995.

Philomena Lynott regularly attended rock concerts around Dublin, and continued to commemorate Philip's life.

Philomena Lynott was a key figure in getting a bronze statue of him made and placed in Dublin in 2005, and was the special guest at Thin Lizzy fan events.

In 2012, Philomena Lynott objected to Mitt Romney's use of Thin Lizzy's "The Boys Are Back in Town" during his election campaign.

Philomena Lynott died on 12 June 2019, after suffering from cancer for a number of years.