A local uilleann piper is over the moon after his music was used in a hilarious ad starring Barry Keoghan which was showcased to millions during Sunday’s Super Bowl.
Chris McMullan (37), from Strabane, is well-known on the traditional music scene across Derry and Donegal.
The web-hosting services company, Squarespace, unveiled its return to Big Game advertising with the 30-second ad which was run between the first and second quarters of Sunday’s Super Bowl LIX on Fox.
The Super Bowl is the final championship game of American football’s National Football League (NFL) and is watched by over 120 million viewers worldwide. Earlier this year, Fox was demanding at least $7 million for a 30-second ad berth during the game.
“It’s just fantastic – it’s the best thing that ever happened to me, musically,” Chris told us.
We also asked him how a trad musician from Strabane had his music chosen to be used in an ad for an international tech company featuring an Oscar nominated actor.
“They just searched for various traditional uilleann pipers online, eventually chose me and got in touch,” he added.
The modest Strabane man is taking a break after returning from performing on a luxury cruise ship, but will be planning some gigs in the near future.
For the brand’s 11th Super Bowl campaign, Squarespace enlisted director Steve Rogers for a 30-second spot set in Ireland called ‘A Tale as Old as Websites’ – a comedy-take on The Banshees of Inisherin.
The quirky ad features Irish actor, Keoghan, on a donkey moving along on a path in rural Ireland in years gone by, tossing laptops out of a satchel as he travels.
The scene is accompanied by the sound of McMullan’s uilleann pipes playing ‘The Limerick Lament’.
Watch the Squarespace Super Bowl ad below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LC5V4aIoWes
Keoghan said: “I’m a very proud Irish lad so bringing this campaign to life with Squarespace and shooting it against the beautiful backdrop of Ireland was incredible.”
To listen to, and find out more about, McMullan’s music, go to his Facebook page, Instagram page or go to https://www.youtube.com/c/ChrisMcMullan
His music can also be streamed on iTunes and Spotify.
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