Brendan Graham facts for kids

Brendan Graham was born on February 12, 1945. He is a famous Irish songwriter and novelist. He wrote two songs that won the Eurovision Song Contest for Ireland: "Rock 'n' Roll Kids" (1994) and "The Voice" (1996). He also wrote "You Raise Me Up" (2002), which became a huge international hit. Many artists, like Josh Groban, have recorded this song.

About Brendan Graham

Brendan Graham was born in Nenagh, a town in County Tipperary, Ireland.

Writing Hit Songs

Brendan Graham is known as one of Ireland's best lyricists and songwriters. A writer named Con Houlihan once said that some of the best poetry in Ireland is found in songs by people like Brendan Graham. The Irish Times newspaper even called him a 'Musical Midas' because of his success.

The Story of "You Raise Me Up"

Brendan Graham wrote the words for the popular song "You Raise Me Up" in 2002. The music was created by Rolf Løvland. Rolf was inspired by The Whitest Flower, which was Brendan Graham's first novel. Rolf asked Brendan to write lyrics for his melody, which was then called "Silent Story."

"You Raise Me Up" became a massive international hit. The Irish boyband Westlife had great success with it. Many different artists have recorded the song, almost 400 times! It was a number one hit in the U.S. for Josh Groban on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart. It stayed at the top for six weeks. The song also reached number one on the Billboard Christian Chart for the group Selah. Because it was played over one million times on American radio, it received 'Million-Air' status from BMI, a music rights organization.

Eurovision Song Contest Success

Brendan Graham has written four songs for Ireland's entries in the Eurovision Song Contest. Two of these songs won the contest!

• "Rock 'n' Roll Kids" won in 1994.
• "The Voice" won in 1996.

He also wrote "When" for Red Hurley in 1976. And he wrote "Wait until the weekend comes" for Maria Christian in 1985.

Songs for Musical Groups

Brendan Graham has written several songs for the popular musical group Celtic Woman. These include "O, America" and "Christmas Pipes." He also wrote lyrics for their song "Ding Dong Merrily on High (End Credits)."

For another group called Celtic Thunder, Graham wrote songs like "My Land," "Voices," and "Always There." He wrote "Always There" especially for Celtic Thunder member Emmet Cahill.

Working with Famous Artists

Brendan Graham has worked with many different artists. These include Josh Groban, Westlife, and Il Divo. He has also written for opera singer Young Ok Shin and famous singers like Sissel and Elaine Paige.

When British composer Paul Mealor wrote a lullaby for Prince George, Brendan Graham was asked to write the words. Prince George is the son of Prince William and Princess Catherine. The lullaby is called "Sleep On."

In 1988, Brendan Graham won the Castlebar Song Contest with his song "If I Should Ever Lose Your Love." It was sung by Linda Martin.

Writing Novels

Brendan Graham has also written a popular series of three novels. These books are:

• The Whitest Flower (1998)
• The Element of Fire (2001)
• The Brightest Day, The Darkest Night (2004)

The Whitest Flower is set during Ireland's Great Famine. This was a very difficult time in Irish history.

The Element of Fire continues the story. The main character, Ellen Rua O'Malley, travels to Boston in America. She brings her two children and a "silent girl" she found.

The Brightest Day, The Darkest Night follows Ellen Rua O'Malley's life during the American Civil War. This book explores ideas like forgiveness and the changing roles of women during wartime.