Dermot Kennedy scores Official Irish Chart Double: "It’s hard to put into words how grateful I am"

"It’s hard to put into words how grateful I am..."

Dermot Kennedy scores the rare chart double on this week’s Official Irish Charts, as his debut album Without Fear returns to Number 1 and single Giants claims the top spot for the first time following his appearance on RTE One’s The Late Late Toy Show.

It makes Dermot the first Irish act to be Number 1 on both the Official Irish Singles and Albums Chart in the same week in a decade, since The Script did it in 2012 with Hall of Fame (single) and #3 (album). He’s also the only Irish soloist to ever manage the feat since modern chart records began in 1997.

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

On the singles chart, Giants zooms 11 places to the summit, replacing his Meduza collaboration Paradise (2) at the top. Dermot is the first Irish act to claim more than one Number 1 single in a calendar year since Jedward in 2011 with Lipstick and Bad Behaviour.

He’s also the first Irish act to replace themselves at Number 1, other acts who have managed the feat in recent history include Pharrell in 2013 (Blurred Lines replaced Get Lucky), Justin Bieber in 2015 (Love Yourself replaced Sorry), Ed Sheeran in 2017 (Galway Girl replaced Shape Of You which then replaced Galway Girl) and Ariana Grande in 2019 (Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I’m Bored replaced 7 Rings and then replaced BUWYGIB).

"It’s hard to put into writing how grateful I am," Dermot told OfficialCharts.com/Ireland. "I just want to say thank you so much for supporting my music, coming to my shows, and for holding me up as an artist. I will forever be so proud to be an Irish songwriter.

"I can carry that pride and identity with me wherever I travel anywhere. I will also do my very best to represent our country and our long-standing history of artists and songwriters punching above their weight. Thank you for another beautiful moment on their journey. Grá Mór X”

MORE: Ireland's Official Top 50 biggest songs of 2020 so far

Elsewhere on this week’s Irish Singles Chart, Tiesto’s The Business jumps four places to Number 7, and Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas Is You re-enters the Top 10, leaping 12 places to Number 10.

Another 11 Christmas favourites feature in this week’s chart, including Wham’s Last Christmas (13), Brenda Lee’s Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree (19), Pogues’ Fairytale Of New York ft. Kirsty MacColl (20), Michael Buble’s It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas (21), and Ariana Grande’s Santa Tell Me (23).

Further down, Kid Laroi’s Without You leaps 13 places to Number 37, Miley Cyrus’ Angels Like You is new at 43, and Megan Thee Stallion’s Body enters the Top 50 at Number 46.

Vierw this week's Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50 in full

Listen to The Official Chart with Bláthnaid Treacy at 7pm every Friday on RTÉ 2FM.

Official Irish Albums Chart

Behind Dermot on this week’s Official Irish Albums Chart, Bruce Springsteen’s latest record Letter To You rebounds nine places to Number 2, and Miley Cyrus scores the week’s highest new entry at Number 3 with her seventh album Plastic Hearts - her highest charting album since 2013's chart-topping Bangerz.

Gary Barlow’s new solo release Music Played By Humans opens at Number 10, acclaimed violinist Andre Rieu enters at Number 15 with festive collection Jolly Holiday, and Nathan Carter’s Anniversary Collection lands at Number 21.

Further down, Steps’ What The Future Holds (26), Johnny Cash & The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (36), a remastered edition of U2’s 1980 debut album Boy (38) all land in this week’s Top 50.

Finally, The Pogues' Best Of returns to the chart at 43, as does Kylie Minogue’s Disco at 49.