NO ONE CAN deny that Ireland is fertile ground for male vocalists.
Down through the years, Ireland has contributed more than our fair share of singers to the world of music. There must be something in the water that gussies up our men’s vocal cords.
With that in mind, it might be of interest to some Irish men that this week Simon Cowell and his online talent hunt The You Generation are on the look-out for male singers. This category will be personally judged by Simon himself and he’s said he’s searching for a male version of Rihanna or Taylor Swift.
In the spirit of celebrating the auld Irish pipes, we want to hear who your favourite male Irish vocalist is. We’ve compiled a few of our personal favourites to get the ball rolling. Who do you reckon is the best?
Phil Lynott
The effortlessly cool Philo sadly departed before his time. Check out this amazing video for Old Town – it features the man himself cruising around the Ha’penny Bridge, Herbert Park and Ringsend.
YouTube/ThinLizzyFanPage
Bono
Love him or loathe him, you can’t deny that Bono has produced some songs that we all know and adore.
Michael Sohn/AP/Press Association Images
U2 have some belters in their back catalogue, and a large part of their long-standing appeal has been Bono’s dulcet tones.
Daniel O’Donnell
One for the grannies. While you might not agree that Daniel is the best Irish male vocalist, he’s certainly one of the nicest men on our list.
Niall Carson/PA Archive/Press Association Images
Wee Daniel is a bit of a dote, isn’t he?
Van Morrison
Van the man! Van’s voice is idiosyncratic and unique, with its gravelly tones and long drawls.
Gareth Fuller/PA Archive/Press Association Images
We can’t really imagine anyone else singing Brown Eyed Girl but our Van.
Christy Moore
Christy has a rousing voice that fits his songs perfectly. There’s something comforting about listening to Christy Moore’s music and Lisdoonvarna is one track that will never get old.
Niall Carson/PA Wire/Press Association Images
Anyone for the last few Choc Ices?
Rory Gallagher
Another late, great male vocalist. He’s known for his guitar prowess, but Rory also had a powerful voice.
Image: via Rock Overdose
Do you fancy yourself a bit of a singer? Are you up there with Westlife or are you more of a Ronnie Drew? Or maybe even Christy Dignam?
Entries close on the 22 of June, so get practising. Let us know in the comments who your favourite Irish male vocalist is – and whether or not you measure up yourself. You could even be the missing addition to our list…
