'The dressing room just went mad, absolutely bonkers!'

Michael Maloney says his 2020 debut single ‘What Do You Want To Know’ has enjoyed a massive rebound following Derry City’s FAI Cup win.

The Candystripes adopted the catchy tune as their team anthem at the start of this season.

And with Ruaidhrí Higgins’ men thrashing Shelbourne 4-0 at the Avivia Stadium in the decider last weekend, Maloney was presented with a golden opportunity to rejuvenate interest in the previous hit.

“They’d been using that same song all year,” the Ardara singer/songwriter said. “So Lawrence Moore, the Derry City press officer, reached out to me a while back. He just asked for me to produce or record a ‘good luck’ message before their cup semi-final.

“It was Treaty United and I guess they were probably confident enough of progressing. So I put on a Derry jersey and just let rip with the guitar and apparently it went down well in the dressing room!

“It was a bit of craic, that’s all. But when they did make it to the final, they got back in touch and invited me up to the Aviva.

“I took a friend from home, Tomás Boyle. We’d a great day and the result went Derry’s way also, which was just brilliant.”

All was well that ended well but, as Maloney explains the afternoon's climactic scenes - where he joined the cup winners in their dressing room for a rousing rendition of the tune - were almost scuppered earlier that same day.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Derry City FC (@derrycityfc1928)

“I took the guitar with me because if they won the plan was to get down there, into the dressing room and belt out ‘What Do You Want to Know’ for the lads.

“But I’d a bit of bother with the front desk at the stadium. They confiscated the guitar on the way in. They probably thought I was going to break it over someone’s head!

“But once Derry went three up I made my way back down from my seat and pleaded with the lady that was holding onto it for me. I had accreditation and she knew at this point I was with the team.

“Eventually a compromise was reached. As long as I left the case behind she begrudgingly let me take the guitar. It was a lot of fuss about nothing, really - she must have been a Shels supporter!

“So I burst in through the door strumming and the dressing room just went mad, absolutely bonkers! They all joined in and it was amazing. I also had a great chat with James McClean there. He was in super form - what a nice guy.

“Damien Duff, another hero of mine growing up, was also in the vicinity after doing interviews. It was just a mighty experience.

”The video has since gone viral and it couldn’t have happened at a better time for the former Ardara GAA player, who is set to launch his new album – ‘Give Out Before You Give Up’ this weekend.”

‘Give Out Before You Give Up’ will be available from this Friday, October 18. It is being produced at FullTilt Studios in Letterkenny and will be released on all major streaming and download platforms.

You can also follow Michael on social media:
Instagram - MichaelMaloneyMusic
TikTok – MichaelMaloneyOfficial
Facebook – Michael Maloney Music