Sean Dunphy
Irish singer
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Sean Dunphy (30 November 1937 – 17 May 2011) was an Irish singer who represented Ireland at the 1967 Eurovision Song Contest, achieving second place with "If I Could Choose". He was also the first Irish singer to record in Nashville.[1]
Career
Born in Whitehall, Dublin, Dunphy first became famous in his home country as lead singer with The Hoedowners, a showband led by trumpeter Earl Gill.[2] Between 1966 and 1973, fourteen singles by Sean Dunphy and The Hoedowners entered the Irish Charts including, in 1969, two number ones: "Lonely Woods of Upton" and "When The Fields Were White With Daisies".
In 1968, the Irish independent record label Dolphin Record's first issue was a single by Dunphy named "Two Loves".[3] The Cork Examiner states that it was a number one hit in Ireland,[3][4] however the song does not feature in the list of number-one singles of 1968 in Ireland.
In the late 1970s, Dunphy went on to have two further hits as a solo artist.
Despite undergoing a quadruple heart bypass operation in 2007, Sean Dunphy continued to give live performances.[5] In March 2009, he sang many of his greatest hits in a one-off concert at Dublin's National Concert Hall.[6] His last public engagement was at a charity event twenty-four hours before his death.[7]
On May 17, 2011, Dunphy died at his home in Baldoyle, County Dublin and is buried at Greenogue cemetery in Ashbourne, County Meath.[8]
Sean Dunphy and his wife Lily had four children. His son Brian is a member of the Irish band, The High Kings.[7]
Discography
Sean Dunphy and the Hoedowners
| Year | Single | Chart Positions |
|---|---|---|
| IRE | ||
| 1966 | "Wonderful World of My Dreams" | 3 |
| "Showball Crazy" | 2 | |
| 1967 | "4033" | 17 |
| "If I Could Choose" | 2 | |
| "Talking Love" | 13 | |
| 1968 | "Two Loves" | 2 |
| "Christmas Polka" | 2 | |
| 1969 | "Lonely Woods of Upton" | 1 |
| "When the Fields Were White with Daisies" | 1 | |
| 1970 | "The Old Fenian Gun" | 5 |
| "The Old Refrain" | 19 | |
| 1972 | "There's an Island in the Sun" | 10 |
| "Michael Collins" | 12 | |
| 1973 | "Pal of My Cradle Days" | 3 |