Dungannon teen's emotional song about losing father turns musical heads

Odhran Bartley, a pupil at the town’s integrated college, can be seen performing his song, I Can’t Forget You, on his Facebook page.

To date, his moving performance has been viewed an astounding 35,000 times online.

Odhran lost his dad Mark when he was just seven-years-old.

He told the Times that Mark died suddenly in his sleep at the age of 39.

The song recalls his memory of being told the heart-breaking news of his loss.

“I was young at the time and I did not know how to react,” said Odhran.

He explained that his song has enabled him to share his feelings around the bereavement instead of just talking about it and that the song “came from the heart”.

One of the teenager’s most lasting memories of his dad is of him “just being there for me all the time”, he said.

For Odhran, the musical ode has been a labour of love.

He wrote the song in “three or four days” and later recorded it in a studio in Ballyronan.

“It was very emotional when I was writing it and singing it,” the youngster explained. “I love music and love writing songs. I have written seven or eight.

“My friends have all supported me, telling me to keep writing music.

“I just love to rap. I just want to do it all myself.”

After penning the song, Odhran has big ambitions for a career in the music industry.

“I want to make a lot more music when I’m older. I would love to move to the US. I have big dreams. I am talking to people from America, Buddha Ru who knows rapper YG.

“I am hoping Buddha Ru can put me on the right track.”

Keenon Jackson, aka YG, is an American hip hop recording artist.

In 2014, he won a coveted Bet Hip Hop Award in the Track of the Year and Best Collabo, Duo or Group categories and was nominated in a further three categories.

Last month, 31-year-old Prince Harry admitted that he was not able to talk about the death of his mother Princess Diana until he was 28-years-old.

Princess Diana died following a car crash in Paris in 1997 when he was just 12-years-old.

The prince said he now regretted not being able to talk about the loss of his beloved mother.