Johnny Logan at the unveiling of his bust in The Pantry Restaurant, Ashbourne. Photos: Davy Mullen
Ashbourne pays tribute to Eurovision legend
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Johnny Logan thanking the gathering after the unveiling of his bust in The Pantry Restaurant, Ashbourne. Photos: David Mullen/www.cyberimages.net David Mullen
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Gerry Traynor and Ian Jenkinson unveil the Johnny Logan bust. David Mullen
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Johnny Logan with Linda Martin. David Mullen
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Sandra Bird and Michael Blaney (Ashbourne). David Mullen
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James Hillen and Daryl Gaffney with Linda Martin. David Mullen
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Diane Guildea (commercial director, Bohemian Football Club), with her mother Ann Farrell. David Mullen
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Una and Breda May with Marianne Cullen and Rosina Jenkinson. David Mullen
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Eamonn Toal, Dunshaughlin, and William Brennan, Drumree and McGroddy Brennan Solicitors Aswhbourne. David Mullen
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Aaron Harkin from Ashbourne with Johnny Logan. David Mullen
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Ciaran Donnelly and Ian Jenkinson of Ashbourne Lions Club with Johnny. David Mullen
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Johnny Logan at the unveiling of a 3D sculpted bust of himself at the Pantry Restaurant in Ashbourne. Photos: David Mullen/www.cyberimages.net David Mullen
Published:
Thu 23 Apr 2026, 10:55 AM
Last updated:
Thu 23 Apr 2026, 10:56 AM
There was not just one, but three Eurovision Song Contest legends gathered in The Pantry restaurant in Ashbourne as a bust of singer and local resident Johnny Logan was unveiled.
Johnny was joined by Linda Martin and Eamonn Toal for the event organised by a ‘Logan Fan Club’ of Ashbourne & District Lions Club, Ashbourne Community Initiative, Bohemian Football Club, 3D Printing Ireland, and McGroddy Brennan LLC Solicitors.
The local community and the Dublin football club of which Johnny is a massive supporter – came together to honour the man who won three Eurovisons – two as a singer and one as a songwriter – by commissioning a 3D bust of him. ‘Hold Me Now’, his 1987 Eurovison winning song, is Bohemian FC’s anthem. Johnny also won the Eurovision in 1980, with ‘What’s Another Year?’ written by Shay Healy; and in 1992, he wrote Linda Martin’s winning song ‘Why Me?’. Dunshaughlin’s Eamonn Toal held the record for almost a quarter of a century until 2024 as our most successful Eurovision singer this century, when he finished sixth in 2000 with ‘Millennium of Love’, which was equalled by Bambi Thug with ‘Doomsday Blue’ in 2024.
At the unveiling, Johnny said it meant so much to him to be honoured in this way by the people of Ashbourne where he has lived for the past 47 years, and thanked all involved in the project, including Ian Jenkinson, Gerry Traynor and his brother Eugene, Diane Guildea, director of Bohemians Football Club, Keith Davis of 3D Ireland who created the sculpture; Ken O’Neill and Kelly Kindillon, the owners of The Pantry, and all who attended. He thanked his wife, Ailis, and sisters-in-law, Marian, Una and Breda, and remembered Breda’s husband, Johnny May, who passed away in January.
“He would have loved this as it would have given him bragging rights in the town – those rights now fall to my sons, Adam, Fionn and Jack, and to my nieces and nephews,” Johnny (real name, Sean Sherrard) said.
His wife, Ailis, is daughter of former Donaghmore and Meath footballer, the late Jackie May of The Ward, who won a Leinster SFC medal in 1940. Johnny was wearing a medal belonging to his own father, tenor Patrick O’Hagan, won for singing at a Feis Cheoil in 1937.
Published:
Thu 23 Apr 2026, 10:55 AM
Last updated:
Thu 23 Apr 2026, 10:56 AM