Write a commentCamlough Musician Niall Murphy landed a knock-out blow last week when he, or rather his music, took to the boxing ring for Michael Conlan’s professional boxing debut against Tim Ibarra in Maddison Square Gardens, New York.
The St Patrick’s night match saw Niall’s track ‘Put Em Under Pressure” played, as Michael Conlan and ringwalk partner Conor McGregor’s entered the ring.
Niall was sleeping when his phone woke him with a text from his cousin, to say how great it was that Michael Conlan and Conor McGregor had entered Madison Square Gardens to his music. Commenting Niall said “I didn’t really know what he was talking about to start with so I had to go online and check the footage from his entrance and in the background I could hear my track playing though the PA system in the arena – It was a serious feel good moment."
The south Armagh musician hadn’t know that it was going to be used although he had always hoped it would be picked up by someone.
Niall recorded the track in his home studio in his basement about a year ago in support of the Irish team going to the EURO’s. “It is an ‘all fiddle’ cover of ‘Put Em Under Pressure’ with my own arrangement and twists added. I then created a video to go alongside the track where I had 11 of myself all playing the different parts of the track to symbolise the 11 football players. Once I uploaded it, it received a lot of attention from social media and press so I’m assuming he or one of his friends seen it and thought it could be good for his fight as it has a strong Irish and patriotic theme.
“I never imagined something that was recorded in one day in my basement in Camlough would be blasting throughout Madison Square Gardens in New York. Its ironic as I was standing outside the doors of Madison a week ago while on tour in USA, but never imagined my music being playing inside.
"I spoke with Michael the following day after his big win and he was saying how my track fitted exactly what he wanted having the Ole Ole Ole theme, Dearg Doom, the National anthem and two Irish reels. He had his whole entrance planned 5 months ago and to think he chose my music is a complete honour!”
Niall is no stranger to social media sensations with an Irish Traditional reel he recorded in the space of a few hours, using the Accapella app on his phone receiving over 150K hits. Another slant on ‘Thriller’ by Michael Jackson also went viral with over 140K views.
As for the future he is currently in the process of recording a solo album. It will be totally Irish Traditional music as that’s where his roots firmly lie although he always likes to experiment with different techniques and sounds and try to get the most out of the fiddle.
“Like Ed Sheeran said, and I totally agree however biased I may be, Irish music should be at the forefront of music and we should be proud to have it. It’s so good to see the likes of Conlan and McGregor walk into a packed arena with Trad playing them in!”
Check him out on Facebook: Niall Murphy Music, Twitter: NiallMurphy3, Instagram: Niall Murphy Music or YouTube: Niall Murphy Music
Watch the video at www.facebook.com/niallmurphymusic
