{"id":282,"date":"2025-05-11T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-11T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.unlockingsite.com\/?p=282"},"modified":"2025-06-23T12:21:17","modified_gmt":"2025-06-23T12:21:17","slug":"fans-shocked-to-discover-boxing-stars-dad-is-60s-eurovision-icon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.unlockingsite.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/11\/fans-shocked-to-discover-boxing-stars-dad-is-60s-eurovision-icon\/","title":{"rendered":"Fans shocked to discover boxing star\u2019s dad is 60s Eurovision icon"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"646\" height=\"435\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"article-image wp-image-22103604 lazyload\" alt=\"Irish singer Pat McGuigan singing into a microphone\" loading=\"lazy\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.unlockingsite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/SEI_231646458-db51-e1733137585781.jpg\">\t<\/div><figcaption>The I&#8217;m A Celebrity star&#8217;s father competed at Eurovision (Picture: Larry Ellis\/Daily Express\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><a data-track=\"inline-tag-auto-link_article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/im-a-celebrity\/\">I&#8217;m A Celebrity<\/a> fans were stunned to discover that <a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/barry-mcguigan\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Barry McGuigan&#8217;s<\/a> father is a legendary 60s singer who represented Ireland in the<a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/eurovision-song-contest\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> Eurovision Song Contest.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Taking to <a data-track=\"inline-tag-auto-link_article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/social-media\/\">social media<\/a>, they said it made &#8216;so much sense&#8217; after the boxer, 63, surprised his campmates with his dulcet tones in the jungle last series.<\/p>\n<p>Barry&#8217;s father, Pat McGuigan, who died in 1987 at age 52, came in fourth place in the annual singing competition in 1968.<\/p>\n<p>He performed the song Chance of a Lifetime, which later hit the number one spot in the Irish charts.<\/p>\n<p>After the Eurovision, McGuigan continued to release new music and became known for his rendition of the folk song Danny Boy.<\/p>\n<div class=\"factbox\" data-ico=\"factbox_article\" data-track-module=\"factbox_article\">\n<h2 class=\"factbox-title\">\n\t\t\t\tGet personalised updates on I&#039;m A Celeb\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<div class=\"factbox-content\">\n<p> Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro&#8217;s TV Newsletter.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/newsletters\/tv-newsletter\/?ito=tv-article&#038;signup-source=tv-article-link\">Sign up to our newsletter<\/a> and then select your show in the link we&#8217;ll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>On X, @simon_proctor commented after discovering the link: &#8216;Nice #ImACeleb#Eurovision connection &#8211; Barry&#8217;s Dad sang for Ireland at ESC68 with a song written by Irish TV legend @KennedyLucy&#8217;s Dad x.&#8217;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"646\" height=\"363\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"article-image wp-image-22103025 lazyload\" alt=\"STRICT EMBARGO - NOT FOR USE BEFORE 22:30 GMT, 01 Dec 2024 - EDITORIAL USE ONLY Mandatory Credit: Photo by ITV\/Shutterstock (14959929f) Reading The Letters - Barry McGuigan &#039;I&#039;m a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!&#039; TV show, Series 24, Australia - 01 Dec 2024\" loading=\"lazy\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.unlockingsite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/SEI_231596008-6a76.jpg\">\t<\/div><figcaption>I&#8217;m A Celebrity campmate Barry McGuigan has a family link to the Eurovision (Picture: ITV\/Shutterstock)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Pat McGeegan - Chance of a lifetime (Ireland ESC 1968)\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/aNX-CJuC7SY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"646\" height=\"342\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"article-image wp-image-22102857 lazyload\" alt=\"I&#039;m A Celebrity&#039;s Barry McGuigan&#039;s parents Pat and Kate\" loading=\"lazy\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.unlockingsite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/GettyImages-1232609487-e1733133339533.jpg\">\t<\/div><figcaption>Barry&#8217;s dad, Pat, represented Ireland in the Eurovision (Picture: Ray McManus\/Sportsfile via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Echoing their sentiment, @kesc05 wrote: &#8216;Barry\u2019s father being a eurovision participant makes so much sense #ImACeleb.&#8217;<\/p>\n<p>@niall_horan commented: &#8216;You do realise Barry\u2019s father sang in the #Eurovision for Ireland so his singing voice is in the genes #ImACeleb.&#8217;<\/p>\n<p>@FacileTalk added: &#8216;Of course Barry can sing, his dad represented Oireland at Eurovision &#8217;68. #imaceleb.&#8217;<\/p>\n<p>In 2014, Barry spoke about the influence his father had on his career as a boxer after telling him to pursue his passions.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"646\" height=\"969\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"article-image wp-image-22102736 lazyload\" alt=\"Irish singer Pat McGuigan (1935 - 1987) competing for Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest (as Pat McGeegan) with the song &#039;Chance of a Lifetime&#039;, Royal Albert Hall London, UK, 6th April 1968. (Photo by Larry Ellis\/Daily Express\/Getty Images)\" loading=\"lazy\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.unlockingsite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/SEI_231646458-552b.jpg\">\t<\/div><figcaption>His song also reached number one in the Irish charts (Picture: Larry Ellis\/Daily Express\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>He told the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.express.co.uk\/life-style\/life\/473644\/Boxer-Barry-McGuigan-on-his-father-s-death\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Daily Express<\/a>: &#8216;I\u2019d started boxing as a young boy, and although my parents hadn\u2019t been keen on me becoming a professional boxer, they could see I had real talent\u2014and my dad always said I should do what I loved. Over the years, he drummed into me the importance of hard work and passion.<\/p>\n<p>&#8216;I felt the same way about boxing as Dad did about singing, and I pushed myself hard to become the best.&#8217;<\/p>\n<p>Barry also spoke about his father&#8217;s death from cancer, saying: &#8216;Dad died suddenly from cancer in 1987. He was only 52. I was grief-stricken, as he\u2019d always been there by my side.<\/p>\n<p>&#8216;Not long after, I decided to retire from professional boxing, although to this day I remain heavily involved in the sport.&#8217;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"646\" height=\"430\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"article-image wp-image-22103034 lazyload\" alt=\"STRICT EMBARGO - NOT FOR USE BEFORE 22:30 GMT, 01 Dec 2024 - EDITORIAL USE ONLY Mandatory Credit: Photo by James Gourley\/ITV\/Shutterstock (14959561t) Bushtucker Trial, Spiralling Out Of Control - Barry McGuigan &#039;I&#039;m a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!&#039; TV show, Series 24, Australia - 01 Dec 2024\" loading=\"lazy\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.unlockingsite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/SEI_231555385-1f8b.jpg\">\t<\/div><figcaption>Barry said his father encouraged his career (Picture: James Gourley\/ITV\/Shutterstock)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"646\" height=\"963\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"article-image wp-image-22103389 lazyload\" alt=\"Mandatory Credit: Photo by Richard Young\/Shutterstock (1274459a) Barry McGuigan with Daughter Nika &#039;The Fighter&#039; Special Boxers Screening, Soho Hotel, London, Britain - 24 Jan 2011\" loading=\"lazy\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.unlockingsite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/SEI_231469212-94b1-e1733136221176.jpg\">\t<\/div><figcaption>Barry spoke about his daughter Danika&#8217;s death in the jungle (Picture: Richard Young\/Shutterstock)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>On I&#8217;m A Celebrity, in which he was eliminated fifth ahead of Danny Jones&#8217;s eventual win, Barry also reflected on his daughter, actress Danika&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2019\/07\/24\/barry-mcguigans-actress-daughter-danika-dead-30-brief-battle-cancer-10451383\/\">death from bowel cancer aged 33<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018No matter what I do, it all comes back,\u2019 Barry said while in tears, recalling the \u2018horrible weeks\u2019 when Danika was in hospital.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018It was shocking.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>He continued: \u2018She had pains in her tummy, but she was making the movie; she put it off and went to the doctor, who called us all in. Stage 4 bowel cancer, 5 weeks, 5 weeks she died.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Viewers were left heartbroken, with @ScottTHFC23 writing on X: \u2018To open up to a group of people he don\u2019t know, especially just on day two is very hard, feel so heartbroken for him, it\u2019s heartbreaking how much he has had to go through.\u2019<\/p>\n<section class=\"metro-comment-cta\">\n<div class=\"metro-comment-cta__inner\"><span class=\"metro-comment-cta__text-wrap\"><title>Comment now<\/title><span class=\"metro-comment-cta__text\">How do you think Ireland will do in Eurovision 2025?<\/span><\/span><a class=\"metro-comment-cta__button\" href=\"#metro-comments-container\">Comment Now<\/a><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p>\u2018I could just feel the pain watching him,\u2019 @ElaineDoherty12 said.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018I absolutely feel for Barry, no parent should have to go through that His pain is real and it\u2019s heartbreaking,\u2019 @MrsKatShort said.<\/p>\n<p>This year, Eurovision is being held in Basel, Switzerland, following the country&#8217;s win last year with The Code by Nemo.<\/p>\n<p>While three-piece girl group Remember Monday represents the UK, Ireland will be represented by Emmy with her song Laika Party.<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Got a story?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">If you\u2019ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the <a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\">Metro.co.uk<\/a> entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our <a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/submit-stuff\/\">Submit Stuff<\/a> page &#8211; we\u2019d love to hear from you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The I&#8217;m A Celebrity star&#8217;s father competed at Eurovision (Picture: Larry Ellis\/Daily Express\/Getty Images) I&#8217;m A Celebrity fans were stunned to discover that Barry McGuigan&#8217;s father is a legendary 60s singer who represented Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest. Taking to social media, they said it made &#8216;so much sense&#8217; after the boxer, 63, surprised [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":284,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-282","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.unlockingsite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/282","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.unlockingsite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.unlockingsite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.unlockingsite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.unlockingsite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=282"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/www.unlockingsite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/282\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":291,"href":"http:\/\/www.unlockingsite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/282\/revisions\/291"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.unlockingsite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/284"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.unlockingsite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=282"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.unlockingsite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=282"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.unlockingsite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=282"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}