February 20, 201213 yr Well, the name of the thread is 'Northern Irish artists that have had top 40 hits?' :rolleyes: An interesting one is the band 'Relish' from Northern Ireland had a big hit in ROI with 'Rainbow Zephyr', it was then covered by Westlife who changed the name to 'Hey Whatever' and got to no.4 in the UK. The original is much better though, you should check it out. Is there any song where the Westlife version is better than the original? :unsure:
February 20, 201213 yr Surprised nobody mentioned Ruby Murray who had ten top 20 hits in the 1950's including No1 "Softly Softly". Also I remember dance duo Agnelli and Nelson were from NI. They had about 5 Top 40 hits and their best known is No 17 "Everyday" from Sep 1999. Clodagh Rodgers was from Newry/Warrenpoint and she had 5 top 40 including No3 "Come back and shake me" and No 4 "Goodnight Midnight" both in 1969. I am sure someone already mentioned Stiff Little Fingers, No 15 with "At the edge" in 1980. One member of One True Voice was from NI, Keith Semple, they had the infamous No2 Hit "Sacred trust" in 2002. Ronnie Carroll represented UK twice at eurovision, he was from Belfast and his biggest hit was "Roses are red" No3 in 1962. That should help.
February 20, 201213 yr Apparently there were licencing issues with the track, so it was never officially released outside of ROI. Mark McCabe's not from NI though. That is a great song, I was living in Ireland when it spent a massive 10 weeks at the Top of the Irish chart, quite good for the at the time 2fm DJ. Anyone remembers "Father Brian and the Fun Loving Cardinals - Who's in da House"
February 20, 201213 yr Thought it was around 10 weeks or something ridiculous. Wonder how it would do in the uk - a few on this site would love it!!
February 20, 201213 yr Thought it was around 10 weeks or something ridiculous. Wonder how it would do in the uk - a few on this site would love it!! Here is a link for the full list of longest at #1 http://www.irishcharts.ie/facts/most_weeks_at_no1.htm & Maniac 2000 is the 4th best seller of all time in ireland. http://www.irishcharts.ie/top_twenty/toptwenty.htm
February 20, 201213 yr Here is a link for the full list of longest at #1 http://www.irishcharts.ie/facts/most_weeks_at_no1.htm & Maniac 2000 is the 4th best seller of all time in ireland. http://www.irishcharts.ie/top_twenty/toptwenty.htm Great info mate - aul 1990s World Cup Song is the 2nd longest runner at no1 classic - where Joxer goes to Stuttgart though - a much superior song surely?! :D
February 20, 201213 yr Great info mate - aul 1990s World Cup Song is the 2nd longest runner at no1 classic - where Joxer goes to Stuttgart though - a much superior song surely?! :D Joxer was never released as a single.
February 20, 201213 yr The only one not mentioned so far is the many aliases of Paul Masterson (Hi-Gate, Yomanda, etc.). I'm sure the main male instrumentalist behind The Flying Lizards is originally from Coleraine. Oh, and there's also Briana Corrigan, the first Beautiful South vocalist, from the lovely Portstewart (hello Pete). Honourable mentions for fellow Derrymen, four fifths of That Petrol Emotion (who held the record for most Top 40 misses until Gorky's Zygotic Mynci wreslted the honour from them over a decade later), Newry's An Emotional Fish and Belfast's Energy Orchard who never made the Top 40. Also, a 'bout ya to La Faro - who were sound lads when I caught up with them at a gig a few months ago - as well as And So I Watch You From Afar. Also, do any X Factor contestants who appear on those ensemble charity records count? Which would mean Dungiven's Eoghan Quigg and Gortin's Janet Devlin may be added to the list. And I remember a friend of my sister went out with a member of Joyrider before they hit the Top 40 with "Rush Hour"... my nearest connection to a Top 40 artist. Edited February 21, 201213 yr by Col
February 20, 201213 yr Anyone remembers "Father Brian and the Fun Loving Cardinals - Who's in da House" NMR2MbM6L3g There was a follow-up called What's The Time? which got to number 50
February 20, 201213 yr Newry's An Emotional Fish and Belfast's Energy Orchard who never made the Top 40. Think you're mixing An Emotional Fish with The 4 of Us! An Emotional Fish were from Dublin. Met Bap Kennedy from Energy Orchard at an instore in Belfast the other week - nice bloke and his new album is really good!
February 20, 201213 yr Author The only ones not mentioned so far I can think of are Agnelli and Nelson and the many aliases of Paul Masterson (Hi-Gate, Yomanda, etc.). I'm sure the main male instrumentalist behind The Flying Lizards is originally from Coleraine. Oh, and there's also Briana Corrigan, the first Beautiful South vocalist, from the lovely Portstewart (hello Pete). Honourable mentions for fellow Derrymen, four fifths of That Petrol Emotion (who held the record for most Top 40 misses until Gorky's Zygotic Mynci wreslted the honour from them over a decade later), Newry's An Emotional Fish and Belfast's Energy Orchard who never made the Top 40. Also, a 'bout ya to La Faro - who were sound lads when I caught up with them at a gig a few months ago - as well as And So I Watch You From Afar. Also, do any X Factor contestants who appear on those ensemble charity records count? Which would mean Dungiven's Eoghan Quigg and Gortin's Janet Devlin may be added to the list. And I remember a friend of my sister went out with a member of Joyrider before they hit the Top 40 with "Rush Hour"... my nearest connection to a Top 40 artist. Many thanks for those suggestions. I'd forgotten about Yomanda altogether. Wikipedia seems to be suggesting that An Emotional Fish are from Dublin rather than Newry, guess I'll need to look into that. Lafaro is a good band (love Tupenny Nudger). I wouldn't count X Factor contestants nor charity records unless the NI artist in question is the sole or principal performer. For the same reason I haven't counted The Beautiful South, as although their lead singer was from NI, they weren't explicitly an Northern Irish act. I'm going to extend this to inside the top 75, so if anyone can give me a few examples that I've missed it would be fantastic.
February 21, 201213 yr Maybe I am mixing up AEF with The 4 Of Us - I'm sure I remember them being introduced on either radio or TV in the early 1990s as coming from Newry... What number did that solo single from Eoghan Quiff reach in the end? I know it missed the Top 75. Also remembered another NI Top 40 artist - Peter Corry, who was credited on the George Best Tribute EP alongside the previously-mentioned Brian Kennedy. And another Top 40 artist that I've remember and who I'm surprised no one's mentioned yet - the lovely Sinead Quinn from Irvinestown (or the first Fame Academy, but I prefer the former myself). If you're counting albums, fellow Fame Academy contestant Malachi Cush from Donaghmore might also count - he had a #17 album off the back of the series.
February 21, 201213 yr Think you're mixing An Emotional Fish with The 4 of Us! An Emotional Fish were from Dublin. Met Bap Kennedy from Energy Orchard at an instore in Belfast the other week - nice bloke and his new album is really good! Was Bap Kennedy the guy performing in hmv Belfast last week?
February 21, 201213 yr So it seems we're still waiting for a massive international popstar to emerge from Northern Ireland. Hope it happens soon!!
February 21, 201213 yr People consider Snow Patrol N.Irish mainly i think cos Lightbody has an N.Irish accent. I tend to look at things on an island wide basis and its great to see bands and artists like Snow Patrol, U2, The Dubliners, Christy Moore, Bob Geldof and the Riverdance :D coming from these shores!
February 21, 201213 yr Author Was Bap Kennedy the guy performing in hmv Belfast last week? He was indeed, he's playing a gig in B'fast this week for the Nashville music festival.
February 22, 201213 yr He was indeed, he's playing a gig in B'fast this week for the Nashville music festival. The Nashville Music Festival is in Belfast? :mellow:
February 23, 201213 yr Here is a link for the full list of longest at #1 http://www.irishcharts.ie/facts/most_weeks_at_no1.htm & Maniac 2000 is the 4th best seller of all time in ireland. http://www.irishcharts.ie/top_twenty/toptwenty.htm What?! The Ketchup Song is seriously the 10TH BIGGEST SELLER OF ALL TIME in Ireland??? Oh dear.
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