Phil Lynott may not have been born a Dubliner, but when he was four years old, Lynott went to live with his grandmother in Crumlin, Dublin. In 1969, Lynott and Brian Downey formed Thin Lizzy with guitarist Eric Bell and keyboard player Eric Wrixon.
Lynott was the main songwriter for Thin Lizzy, as well as the lead singer and bassist. Their first top ten hit was in 1973, with a rock version of the traditional Irish song "Whiskey in the Jar". Their biggest international hit, the 1976 song "The Boys are Back in Town", featured Lynott's lead vocals. The song reached the top 10 in the UK, Ireland and Canada, and peaked at number 12 in the US.
Lynott's last years were dogged by drug and alcohol dependency leading to his collapse on the night of 25 December 1985 at his home. He died of heart failure and pneumonia in the intensive care unit on 4 January 1986, aged 36.
In 2005, a life-size bronze statue of Phil Lynott was unveiled in Dublin, just off Grafton Street.