Wayne Devlin, a Rat Pack singer from Manchester, is about to hit the big time having been approached by two Irish-based films about using his version of Danny Boy.
The cover has won fans around the world since it was first performed on BBC Radio Manchester, in a spur-of-the-moment decision by Devlin, who has a Northern Irish background.
“I hadn’t planned on singing Danny Boy at all,” Devlin told TEN. “I had brought backing tracks in with me, then the presenter told me we were broadcasting live so I couldn’t use them.
“I had to sing something a cappella, and I instantly thought about practising to sing with my father when I was a child. Danny Boy was the song I was meant to perform at his funeral, but I was too upset to go through with it.”
After the radio appearance, Devlin immediately began to receive calls and requests to buy the song. His wife and manager then booked him into a studio where he recorded and subsequently released it.
“The reaction has been amazing,” he said. “The Irish community has gone mad for it.”
Devlin is also an actor and has a small role in an upcoming film based on the popular book series The Hunters. He has previously appeared in TV shows such as Shameless, Emmerdale, Coronation Street, Hollyoaks and Peaky Blinders.
His version of Danny Boy has also been adopted as the anthem of Newry City Football Club and Irish-Canadian boxer Bobby Gunn has chosen it as his ring entrance song.
“There's no stopping my Danny Boy!” Devlin added.
