Dermot Kennedy makes chart history with Official Irish Chart Double for a third consecutive week

It has been a whirlwind few weeks for Dermot Kennedy who today (Dec. 18) makes more Official Irish Chart history.

Dermot is Number 1 on both the Official Irish Albums and Singles Charts this week with Without Fear and Giants, making him the first Irish act in modern chart history to spend three consecutive weeks at Number 1 on both Top 50 charts.

Since 1997 when verifiable chart archives began, the only other Irish acts to have a Number 1 single and album at the same time are Westlife, U2, Boyzone and The Script. Both Westlife and The Script managed two successive weeks ruling both charts, but Dermot edges ahead today with a trio of weeks at Number 1.

MORE: The acts who have scored the Official Irish Chart double

Westlife have spent eight weeks at Number 1 on both charts at the same time across their career, the most in history. Their self-titled debut album and Flying Without Wings topped the charts side-by-side for two straight weeks in 1999. Their fourth album Turnaround and single Mandy were also concurrently Number 1 for two weeks in 2003.

Dermot achieved chart history this week in impressive fashion too - Without Fear claimed its biggest week of sales since last December in the process.

Check out the full story of this week's Official Irish Singles and Albums Chart, with Taylor Swift claiming the highest new entries with Willow and Evermore respectively.

© IRMA