IT'S been five years, this week, since I first performed live at the Trafford Centre for Mike Sweeney’s BBC Radio Manchester show, my version of the Irish classic Danny Boy.

I actually sang the song by default! I had every intention of singing the Sinatra classic The Summer Wind but when I arrived with my backing track I was told I’d have to sing a capella. The Summer Wind wouldn’t have been appropriate, so with literally two seconds before going on air I desperately thought of a song to sing and Danny Boy just popped in to my head.

So I sang Danny Boy and as soon as I’d finished it Mike Sweeney informed me that the phone lines were full of people saying things like ‘I’d just won the hearts of every Irishman in Manchester’, which was lovely. Then things started to happen.

I was invited to sing my version of Danny Boy at the Manchester Irish Festival, which was a lovely honour. Then Bev Callard, who plays Liz McDonald on Coronation Street, and her husband Jon invited me to record my version at their recording studio in Media City.

I recorded it a cappella and Greg Morton, the sound technician, added the keyboard backing track.

Martin Logan, from Irish TV, came and filmed me recording the song. Martin and Annette would later come along and film me singing the song live at my charity events around Trafford. This exposure on Irish TV was priceless and the Irish community really took to it.

Boxer, Bobby ‘The Celtic Warrior’ Gunn used the song as his ring walk. Newry City Football Club played the song at their stadium in Northern Ireland. I was featured and interviewed in Ireland on RTE and several newspapers across Ireland. The song was nicknamed ‘Devlin’s Danny Boy’ and I was able to support several charities by donating sales from the single to them.

During various commemorations in Ireland my version was played in the streets during moments of silence. I was so proud of all the good things this song was doing.

It got airplay on the radio across the UK and Ireland and further afield in countries such as Russia and Japan.

Charlie Landsborough heard my version and told me that if I could sing his hit song ‘What Colour is the Wind’ with as much emotion he would give me his permission to release my own version of his song, which I very gratefully did.

All these amazing things happened because of one single moment’s decision. It shows you how powerful your decisions can be.

The best part about my Danny Boy was that the Messenger readers, the community here in Trafford got behind my song and supported it, downloaded it and helped make it the success it was. For that I am very grateful.

So happy fifth birthday ‘Devlin’s Danny Boy’ and thank you for the amazing journey you took me on.

See you next week!