David O'Connor (singer)
Encyclopedia
David O'Connor is an Irish
singer and former racing jockey from Ferns
, County Wexford
. He participated in the fifth series
of RTÉ One
television talent show You're a Star
, finishing as the series winner on 18 March 2007. During the show he charted in Ireland with a recording of one of his live performances.
O'Connor previously had a racing career and on one occasion represented Ireland in the Karaoke World Championships
.
O'Connor engaged in public performance whilst working as a barman. He was a member of Ferns Dramatic Society, with which he took part in some musicals and variety shows.
. His career was shortened by a back injury in 1998 but he still maintains an active interest as a trainer. In 2008 he was reported to have set up his own training yard.
held in Finland
in 2004.
in Dublin from 2006–2007. He beat rock band 21 Demands
in the final, following the semi-final loss of Maeve O'Donovan
. His prizes included a recording contract, a publishing contract and musical equipment to the value of €
10,000.
O'Connor auditioned in Monaghan
where he sang "Two Outta Three Ain't Bad" by Meat Loaf
and secured his place in the live shows by coming second in the public vote when the audition was broadcast on 10 December 2006. The two acts with the highest amount of votes from each audition progressed to the live finals. He had entered the competition as a way of paying tribute to the recent death of a close friend.
O'Connor performed "Second Violin" and The Verve
song "The Drugs Don't Work
" in the semi-final on 17 March 2007, whilst his rivals and eventual runners-up 21 Demands performed the U2
song "I Will Follow
" and "Footloose
".
O'Connor performed "Love Grows" and "On Borrowed Wings" in the final, whilst 21 Demands performed "In The Morning" and "Courtesan". O'Connor sang the Bryan Adams
and Elliot Kennedy song "On Borrowed Wings" in the play-off. This was released as a downloadable digital single in Ireland one week after his victory.
O'Connor also enjoyed chart success during the series itself. The week prior to the final, his version of the Oasis
song "Don't Look Back in Anger
" charted in Ireland's top twenty. This was beaten only by 21 Demands who entered the chart at number two. Tracks by both act were made available for download, alongside one each by Maeve O'Donovan and fourth-placed Scuba Dice
. This was the first occasion on which songs from a talent show in Ireland or abroad were made available for download before the series had finished.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
singer and former racing jockey from Ferns
Ferns, County Wexford
Ferns is a small historic town in north County Wexford, Ireland with a population of about 900. It is 16 km from Enniscorthy, where the Gorey to Enniscorthy N11 road joins the R745 regional road...
, County Wexford
County Wexford
County Wexford is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wexford. In pre-Norman times it was part of the Kingdom of Uí Cheinnselaig, whose capital was at Ferns. Wexford County Council is the local...
. He participated in the fifth series
You're a Star (series 5)
The fifth series of You're a Star was broadcast in Ireland on RTÉ One from 26 November 2006 until 18 March 2007. David O'Connor from County Wexford beat 21 Demands in the final at The Helix in Dublin. He sang "On Borrowed Wings" which was later released as a download with accompanying physical...
of RTÉ One
RTÉ One
RTÉ One is the flagship television channel of Raidió Teilifís Éireann , and it is the most popular and most watched television channel in Ireland. It was launched as Telefís Éireann on 31 December 1961, it was renamed RTÉ Television in 1966, and it was renamed as RTÉ One upon the launch of RTÉ...
television talent show You're a Star
You're A Star
You're a Star was a singing contest in Ireland,similar to th X Factor in the United Kingdom and American Idol in the USA created by Screentime ShinAwiL and Radio Telefís Éireann. It was shown weekly on RTÉ One over the winter months of each year...
, finishing as the series winner on 18 March 2007. During the show he charted in Ireland with a recording of one of his live performances.
O'Connor previously had a racing career and on one occasion represented Ireland in the Karaoke World Championships
Karaoke World Championships
-Participating Countries:* * Austria* Azerbaijan Republic* * China* Denmark* Estonia* Faroe Islands* Finland* France* Germany* Ghana* Greece* Hong Kong/China* Hungary* Indonesia* Ireland* Jordan* Kenya* Kuwait* Lebanon* Macao/China...
.
Early life
His parents are Willie and Martina from Páirc Mhuire.O'Connor engaged in public performance whilst working as a barman. He was a member of Ferns Dramatic Society, with which he took part in some musicals and variety shows.
Racing
O'Connor, whose passions include horses, was previously a jockey, and has worked with the renowned trainer Colm MurphyColm Murphy
Colm Murphy is an Irish publican and building contractor who was the first person to be convicted in connection with the Omagh bombing, but whose conviction was overturned on appeal...
. His career was shortened by a back injury in 1998 but he still maintains an active interest as a trainer. In 2008 he was reported to have set up his own training yard.
Karaoke World Championships
O'Connor finished sixth in the Karaoke World ChampionshipsKaraoke World Championships
-Participating Countries:* * Austria* Azerbaijan Republic* * China* Denmark* Estonia* Faroe Islands* Finland* France* Germany* Ghana* Greece* Hong Kong/China* Hungary* Indonesia* Ireland* Jordan* Kenya* Kuwait* Lebanon* Macao/China...
held in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
in 2004.
You're a Star
O'Connor won the fifth series of You're A Star which was held in The HelixThe Helix
The Helix is a building on the Dublin City University campus between Glasnevinand Whitehall on Dublin's Northside, originally planned to be called the Aula Maxima. It was completed in 2002, and it is described as a "performance space" and holds concerts, university conferring ceremonies and...
in Dublin from 2006–2007. He beat rock band 21 Demands
21 Demands
21 Demands are a Dublin based rock band which formed in late summer 2006. On the 9th of March 2007 the band made chart history by releasing a download single called Give Me A Minute which reached the number one slot in the Irish singles chart - making them the first ever unsigned band to reach...
in the final, following the semi-final loss of Maeve O'Donovan
Maeve O'Donovan
Maeve O'Donovan was a finalist in the 2006/2007 final on the RTÉ programme "You're A Star." She made it to the semi-final. In the final week of the competition, her track, "Landslide", made it into the Irish music charts....
. His prizes included a recording contract, a publishing contract and musical equipment to the value of €
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
10,000.
O'Connor auditioned in Monaghan
Monaghan
Monaghan is the county town of County Monaghan in Ireland. Its population at the 2006 census stood at 7,811 . The town is located on the main road, the N2 road, from Dublin north to both Derry and Letterkenny.-Toponym:...
where he sang "Two Outta Three Ain't Bad" by Meat Loaf
Meat Loaf
Michael Lee Aday , better known by his stage name, Meat Loaf, is an American hard rock musician and actor...
and secured his place in the live shows by coming second in the public vote when the audition was broadcast on 10 December 2006. The two acts with the highest amount of votes from each audition progressed to the live finals. He had entered the competition as a way of paying tribute to the recent death of a close friend.
O'Connor performed "Second Violin" and The Verve
The Verve
The Verve were an English rock band formed in 1989 in Wigan by lead vocalist Richard Ashcroft, guitarist Nick McCabe, bassist Simon Jones, and drummer Peter Salisbury. Guitarist and keyboardist Simon Tong later became a member. Beginning with a psychedelic sound indebted to shoegazing and space...
song "The Drugs Don't Work
The Drugs Don't Work
"The Drugs Don't Work" is a song by the British rock band, The Verve and is featured on their third album, Urban Hymns. It was released on September 1, 1997 as the second single from the album, charting at number 1 in the UK Singles Chart, becoming the band's most successful single in the UK...
" in the semi-final on 17 March 2007, whilst his rivals and eventual runners-up 21 Demands performed the U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
song "I Will Follow
I Will Follow
"I Will Follow" is a song by rock band U2. It is the opening track from their debut album, Boy, and it was released as the album's second single, in October 1980. Bono wrote the lyrics to "I Will Follow" in tribute to his mother who died when he was 14 years old."I Will Follow" is the only song...
" and "Footloose
Footloose (song)
"Footloose" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Kenny Loggins. It was released in January 1984 as the first of two single by Loggins from the 1984 film of the same name. The song spent three weeks at number one, March 31—April 14, 1984 on the U.S. Billboard...
".
O'Connor performed "Love Grows" and "On Borrowed Wings" in the final, whilst 21 Demands performed "In The Morning" and "Courtesan". O'Connor sang the Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams, is a Canadian rock singer-songwriter, guitarist, bassist, producer, actor and photographer. Adams has won dozens of awards and nominations, including 20 Juno Awards among 56 nominations. He has also received 15 Grammy Award nominations including a win for Best Song Written...
and Elliot Kennedy song "On Borrowed Wings" in the play-off. This was released as a downloadable digital single in Ireland one week after his victory.
O'Connor also enjoyed chart success during the series itself. The week prior to the final, his version of the Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
song "Don't Look Back in Anger
Don't Look Back in Anger
"Don't Look Back in Anger" is a song by English rock band Oasis, released in 1996 as the fourth single from their hit second album Morning Glory?. The song was written by the band's guitarist and main songwriter, Noel Gallagher. The song became the band's second single to reach #1 in the UK...
" charted in Ireland's top twenty. This was beaten only by 21 Demands who entered the chart at number two. Tracks by both act were made available for download, alongside one each by Maeve O'Donovan and fourth-placed Scuba Dice
Scuba Dice
-EPs:*Scuba Dice EP *The Pink EP *The Lost Art Of Romance EP -Demos:-External links:****...
. This was the first occasion on which songs from a talent show in Ireland or abroad were made available for download before the series had finished.