UK Number One Hits From Ireland Quiz

Answer: The Bachelors

In 1964, The Bachelors became the first band from Ireland to top the UK pop charts.

In 1957, three friends from Dublin, Con Cluskey, Dec Cluskey and John Stokes formed a band called The Harpsichords. They had modest success until 1960, when they were persuaded to change their name to The Bachelors.

Several top ten hits followed in Ireland, the UK, and the USA before they topped the UK charts with "Diane" in 1962. Oddly, it only made number two in their native land. It reached number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number three in Australia.

The song "Diane" first appeared as the theme of a 1927 silent movie "Seventh Heaven". It was known then as "Diane (I'm in Heaven When I See You Smile)".

The Bachelors continued to record and perform on TV until 1984 when the Cluskey brothers and John Stokes parted company. All three were still in the music business 60 years after their first band, with the Cluskeys performing as "Con & Dec, The Bachelors".

Answer: Dana

"All Kinds of Everything" was a Eurovision song contest winner in 1970 for Dana, representing Ireland.

Dana, birth name Rosemary Brown, was 17 when her song won the Eurovision contest in Amsterdam. The song went on to reach the top 20 in ten European countries, number one in Belgium, Ireland and for nine weeks in the UK.

Dana continued to sing and record for many years and at one stage was elected as a member of the European Parliament (MEP) from 1999 to 2004.

Answer: Boomtown Rats

In 1978, "I Don't Like Mondays" became the second Boomtown Rats release to top the UK charts. The previous year they had a number one with "Rat Trap".

Lead singer Bob Geldoff wrote "I Don't Like Mondays" about an incident in San Diego, California on January 29, 1979.

Brenda Spencer, a 16-year-old high school student, who lived across the street from Cleveland Elementary School opened fire on the school with a rifle her father had given her. Two adults died and nine children were injured.

Police surrounded her home until until she gave herself up. During that time, she spoke with a reporter by telephone. When asked why she did it, she replied: "I just started shooting, that's it. I just did it for the fun of it. I just don't like Mondays."

The song was a number one in 32 countries, but only managed number 73 in the US Billboard Hot 100.

Answer: Johnny Logan

"What's Another Year" was another Eurovision Song Contest entrant, winning for Ireland in 1980.

Although born in Australia, Johnny Logan's family moved back to Ireland when he was three.

He was to win the Eurovision again in 1987 with "Hold Me Now", and wrote the 1992 winner, "Why Me", sung by Linda Martin. By 2019, Ireland had won the contest seven times, including three in a row.

"What's Another Year" was Logan's only UK number one.

Answer: U2

In 1988, U2 had the first of six UK number one hits with "Desire". It reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100.

Guitarist the Edge told "Hot Press" magazine: "What I like about 'Desire' is that if there's ever been a cool number one to have in the UK, that's it because it's totally not what people are listening to or what's in the charts at the moment. Instead it's going in exactly the opposite direction . It's a rock and roll record - in no way is it a pop song.

Answer: Enya

Enya, birth name Eithne Patricia Ní Bhraonáin, played in a family band, Clannad, until going solo in 1988.

"Orinoco Flow (Sail Away)" was on her second album and became a huge international hit.

As a recording artist, she sold more than 80 million records, making her the biggest-selling Irish artist after U2.

At the time this question was written, Enya had never embarked on a solo tour. Giving reasons for this, she told the BBC that complex vocal arrangements, in which her voice was layered hundreds of times, would not have been possible on stage at the start of her career.

She said also that each new album needed about three years to prepare and touring would compromise that preparation.

Answer: Sinéad O'Connor

"Nothing Compares 2 U" was written by Prince and was a number one hit for Sinéad O'Connor in 19 countries in 1990.

It was to be her biggest hit, although "The Emperor's New Clothes" reached number one on the US Alternative Songs charts.

Sinéad O'Connor was a controversial figure, frequently upsetting commonly held beliefs.

Answer: B*Witched

"C'est La Vie" was the first of four UK number ones for the girl band B*Witched.

The group were active firstly between 1998 and 2002, and then enjoyed a sabbatical until 2013.

Answer: Boyzone

Boyzone were a 'boy band' put together by the record producer Louis Walsh.

From 1994, they had nine number one hit singles in Ireland and six in the UK.

From 1999, several of the band members engaged on solo projects, but they reunited in 2008.

"Words" was a cover of a song first recorded by the Bee Gees.

Answer: Ronan Keating

"When You Say Nothing At All" was written as a country song by Paul Overstreet and Don Schlitz and was first recorded by Keith Whitley in 1987. It became the second of his five US country number ones.

A decade later, when Richard Curtis was writing the movie "Notting Hill", he suggested the song to Ronan Keating, who was then part of the chart-topping boy band Boyzone. The song spent two weeks at number one in August 1999.

It was the first of three UK number ones for Keating.

Answer: Westlife

"Flying Without Wings" was the third of 13 UK number ones for Westlife between 1999 and March 2019.

The song was written by Steve Mac and Wayne Hector.

Hector told "Digital Spy: "I was in a hip-hop session in LA - the furthest thing you would think of from that song - and I went out for a break and just came up with the hook. I phoned my mum and left it on her answering machine and said, 'do not delete this'".

"Flying Without Wings was a huge hit in Europe and became a hit in the USA for Ruben Studdard after he sang it on the finale of American Idol Season 2 in 2000

Answer: Bryan McFadden

Brian McFadden had been a part of the chart-topping Westlife and "Real To Me" was his first solo single.

He said he wrote it about Westlife's hectic touring and performing schedule: "It's about feeling trapped everywhere I went, from the cars to the hotel rooms. It's only now I have kids that I realize what the important things in life are."

The song was number one for one week in the UK in September 2004.

Answer: The Corrs

The Corrs were a family band - siblings Andrea, Sharon, Caroline, and Jim.

In 1991, they had bit-parts in the movie "The Commitments" and by 1996 were a support act on Celine Dion's "Falling Into You" Around the World Tour.

With a growing reputation, they released "Breathless" which became a number 20 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one in the UK.

From 2006, band members embarked on solo projects, but reunited in 2015.

Answer: The Script

"Hall Of Fame" was a 2012 UK hit for The Script, although it also featured the former Black Eyed Peas lead singer Will I. Am.

The Script had a solid recording career in Ireland and the UK before that collaboration; seven songs in the Irish top 20 and three in the UK top 20.

Answer: Chris de Burgh

In 1986 "The Lady In Red" became a huge worldwide hit, reaching number one in 25 countries. It reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 in the USA.

To say that this song divided listeners would be an understatement. Many loved it and were reduced it tears by it.

However, it was voted the tenth most annoying song of all time in a poll by Dotmusic in 2000. The following year, a poll of Channel 4 viewers and readers of 'The Observer', deemed it the fourth most-hated UK number one single.

Should Chris de Burgh care? Probably not. In an ongoing career that has included 45 million album sales, 'Celebrity Net Worth' estimated his wealth at $50 million in 2018.