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Ryan O'Shaughnessy

Ryan O’Shaughnessy will represent Ireland at the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest with the song 'Together'.

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Ryan O’Shaughnessy was born in 1992 into a musical family. When he was 8 years old an opportunity arose for Ryan to play the character Mark Halpin in RTÉ’s long-running soap opera Fair City, a role he played for almost a decade. He matured as Damien Halpin’s younger brother and spent his teenage years on Irish Television screens. But by the age of 17, music had become his main priority and he left Fair City to pursue a career in music.

In 2012, while studying songwriting at college in Dublin, Ryan penned his first collection of songs. It was a busy year for him as he also appeared on the finals of both The Voice of Ireland and Britain’s Got Talent. In his opening audition on Britain’s Got Talent, Ryan performed his now well known, self-penned song No Name which has had over 45 million hits on YouTube. Ryan was signed to Sony UK and released an EP which reached No.1 in Ireland and No.9 in the UK charts. During this time Ryan toured the length and breadth of Ireland and the United Kingdom.

In 2013, Ryan took part in RTÉ's new Irish songwriting competition The Hit, competing against (and beating) his former Voice of Ireland coach and 2006 Eurovision finalist Brian Kennedy. Being placed on the global songwriting map at a young age, Ryan has had the pleasure of writing and working with some of the world’s greatest musicians and songwriters. In the last three years O’Shaughnessy has toured the USA and Canada extensively.

About the song writers and composers

Together was penned by Ryan O'Shaughnessy, Mark Caplice and Laura Elizabeth Hughes. The song was purposefully written for the Eurovision Song Contest by the three writers working in The Nucleus, a new Irish songwriting team and hub, founded by Hamlet Sweeney. The Nucleus brings the international model of collaborative songwriting to Ireland.

Ryan said: "As one of three songwriters on Together, I’m delighted it has been chosen to represent Ireland in Eurovision 2018, and on top of that, to be asked to perform for my country is an absolute honour. I plan on doing Ireland proud by bringing a song and performance to Eurovision that we haven’t seen since the days of Rock and Roll Kids. I can’t wait to get onto that stage and perform an honest piece for millions of people."

Music video

Live performance

Lyrics of Together

We were drifting like two icebergs out on the ocean
I was doing all I could to keep you close
There were troubles in the water, you swore it was nothing
You said that we would always stay afloat

Why would true love look me in the eye and lie... lie...
I thought we’d be together till we die
I’ll forever wonder why
I thought we’d be together till we die
I’ll forever wonder why

Why have you been coming home so late in the evening
Is there someone else that I should know about
There’s a smile on your face that I haven’t seen
Since we started going out

How could true love look me in the eye and lie... lie...
I thought we’d be together till we die
I’ll forever wonder why
I thought we’d be together till we die
I’ll forever wonder why
I’ll forever wonder why (You let go of me, you let go of me)

We said until death do us part and then you chose to break my heart
Remember right back to the start
We said we’d be together till we die
I’ll forever wonder why
I thought we’d be together till we die
I’ll forever wonder why

You said we’d be together till we die
(You let go of me, you let go of me)
I’ll forever wonder why
(You let go of me, you let go of me)
I thought we’d be together till we die
(You let go of me, you let go of me)
I’ll forever wonder why
(You let go of me, you let go of me)
I’ll forever wonder why