With Ireland qualifying for Euro 2012 and the draw around the corner it is definitely time for a new Irish soccer theme song. Local Kilkenny man Niall Kenny and three friends have been busy causing a stir all the way down under in Melbourne, Australia, with their song ‘24 years ( We’re Going To Win The Euros )’. They have called themselves The Artistic Differences - better known as Kenneth Downie from Carrick-On-Suir in Waterford, Niall Kenny from Ballyragget, Kilkenny, Jack McCarthy from Dublin, and Ian Tilson from Waterford. The song was written by the four emigrants after Ireland’s Euro 2012 play-offs.
The song which sings praises of the Irish football teams to the tune of Smokie’s ‘Living Next Door to Alice’, already has 22,000 hits on YouTube and has been played on Ian Dempsey’s radio show on Today FM. They have made the front page of the Irish Echo in Melbourne, were profiled in the Daily Star, and have been interviewed on local radio and Newstalk.
When asked by the Irish Echo how the song came about, Kenneth said, “Ian and myself were out after the first play-offs, and Ian started singing ‘Living Next Door to Alice’. When he got to the chorus I realised that it had also been 24 years since Ireland were in the Euros, and it just took off from there. For the next few days we started emailing each other and the two other lads, some different lyrics that we could use and then we got together and recorded it on a laptop. We never expected the song to be as popular as it is, but we are delighted. I am from a small town and it has received a bit of airplay on the radio station there.”
The song has become hugely popular, even Dustin the Turkey is a fan. The group has been in touch with the Irish Cancer Society to discuss the possibility of releasing a single and they will donate all proceeds to the charity.
All of the guys are huge Irish fans and the song is a great way for fellow emigrants to be a part of the atmosphere here in Ireland despite being so far from all the action and buzz which they would normally have in their local pub.
