Phil Lynott's only son – who recently became a father for the first time – has spoken of his regret that the former Thin Lizzy frontman is not around to meet his new grandchild.

Speaking to the Sunday Tribune, 41-year-old Macdaragh Lambe said that although he was "overjoyed" at the birth of his son Rory, his happi­ness was tempered by the fact that Lynott ? who died in January 1986 aged 36 ? was not alive.

"My son was born with a head of black hair," he said. "I would love Phil to have been there, for him and for me. That said, it was the most amazing moment. I suppose as an adopted child, you want to hold your child a bit more."

Born in Dublin in 1968 as a result of a relationship between his mother and Lynott, then a struggling musician, Lambe was given up for adoption and brought up by Oliver and Martina Lambe in Celbridge, Co Kildare.

"All my life growing up, people told me I looked like Phil Lynott from Thin Lizzy so you can imagine what I thought when at aged 35, and after my parents had died, I tracked down the adoption papers and saw my father's name was 'Philip' and his occupation given as 'musician'. I thought, 'How many black musicians could there have been working in Dublin in 1968 named Philip?' That's when I said to myself, 'My dad is Phil Lynott.'"

This was confirmed when Lambe met his birth mother, who told him that Lynott was indeed his father, with whom she had been in a relationship in the late '60s.

"At the time I was born, her father was a colonel in the Irish army and having a child out of wedlock wasn't possible but I have a super relationship with my birth mother now."

Lambe subsequently met members of Thin Lizzy, who have reformed in recent years. "Thin Lizzy's original drummer Brian Downey was one of the first people I met," said Lambe. "When we arranged to meet he was very cautious but when I turned up, he took one look at me and laughed and said: 'You're definitely Phil's son.'

"I met Scott Gorham [guitarist] after a gig they did in Galway a few years ago. Scott was telling me about the day Phil met his own father, Cecil Parris, who he didn't know growing up, but whom Phil finally met one day when he came to the studio in London where Thin Lizzy were recording. I don't think things went to plan."

Now living in Galway and working as a sculptor, Lambe's latest works are being exhibited in Gort community arts centre.