48 years ago today, Thin Lizzy released "Whiskey In The Jar" - with the B-side "Black Boys On The Corner". The single was a #1 hit in Ireland, and spent 4 weeks in the UK Chart's Top 10. To mark the occasion, Ireland's Hot Press is revisiting Peter Murphy's classic interview with drummer Brian Downey - in which he reflects on he and Philip Lynott's school days together, Thin Lizzy's formative years, Lynott's tragic decline, and his afterlife as a global rock icon. Read an excerpt below:

After Thin Lizzy’s farewell tour in 1983, Phil Lynott went on to form Grand Slam. Downey opted out of the project after a few days’ rehearsal. His last performance with Phil was miming to the solo single "19" on Razzamatazz in 1985.

“We went to Newcastle and Kid Jensen was there presenting the show,” Downey remembers. “We knew Kid from way back in the Radio Luxembourg days. And he called me aside and said, ‘I went up to Phil’s dressing room and he’s not answering the door. I think he’s asleep in there. The door’s locked’. So I went up and said, ‘Phil, there’s a dress rehearsal, man! You’d better hurry up!’ So he opened the door eventually. He looked like he was asleep, he came out fairly drowsy looking, didn’t look 100%. He was lucid but he looked a bit sweaty, he was perspiring quite a lot. But we went on, did the show and it was fine. We had few drinks after and he said, ‘Okay, I’ll keep you informed’. I was in good form because I expected at some stage over the Christmas period I’d speak to him and might have a chat about reforming the band and all that. I sent him a card and I think he sent me one.

“But I got a call on Christmas night from Philomena to say that Phil had collapsed. He was being taken care of but she was very, very upset. I got a call next day from her saying he went into this coma and hadn’t come out of it and he had been taken to hospital in a place in Bath. Caroline, his wife, brought him in the car. I got a call from (manager) John Salter one morning and I said ‘Will I go over?’ and he said, ‘Don’t for the moment. Hang on. All the family are here’. But it went on and on. That whole week seemed like a month for me. Then I turned on the radio and the news came on and the newscaster said Phil Lynott had died. That’s how I heard it. About an hour, maybe an hour and a half later, I got a call from Terry O’Neill, who’s a friend of ours from way back, and he confirmed it. I just sat down. I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t ring anybody. I didn’t have the capability of phoning anybody. I was so shocked. That whole day was obviously a blur. And the whole week. Maybe months. But I never got to see him in the end, before he died.”

Read the complete interview at HotPress.com.