Singer-songwriter Tom Grennan has told RTÉ Entertainment that it was while recovering from a violent attack as a teenager that he decided to pursue a career in music.
The 23-year-old "from Bedford and Offaly" has just released his debut album, Lighting Matches, having only become fired up by music in his late teens.
He had been "a big football man" before discovering Amy Winehouse's Back to Black and other albums by artists including Ray Charles, Prince and Led Zeppelin.
After he was attacked by a group of strangers outside a fast food restaurant, music became more than just a hobby for the 18-year-old Grennan.
"The light bulb moment was when I came out of hospital," he recounted. "I was attacked in Bedford and had my jaw broken. I had plates and screws in my jaw and my jaw was wired shut.
"That was the moment where I picked up the pen and started writing. I was writing all these lyrics and melodies. Then when I moved to London and started doing loads of gigs I said, 'Before I leave Uni, I need to try and get signed'. And thankfully I did."
Grennan said that being in hospital for a number of weeks had made him realise what was important in life.
"I lost a close cousin who was my age as well," he continued. "Being in hospital, as well as losing my cousin, I thought to myself, 'Life's way too short to even think about not trying to do what you want to do'. I'm not settling for plan b; that's not an option for me.
"I wrote a song called Lighting Matches and at the time it just felt right to call the album that. It's igniting hopefully a long career and I don't want the flame to burn out. I'm looking for longevity in this, and Lighting Matches is hopefully just the start."
