Roy Taylor, lead singer of the Irish band Jump the Gun who represented their country in Eurovision 1988, has sadly passed away, having fought a lengthy battle with motor neurone disease.
The Irish singer was diagnosed with the disease in 2018, and has been a charity campaigner for the disease in recent years through his Watch Your Back MND foundation, who broke the news of his sad passing. Following his diagnosis, he was quoted as saying “I could roll up in a ball or roll up by sleeves and do something about it and not let the disease define me.”
The performer, who has lived in Dundalk for over twenty years, represented Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1988 with his band Jump the Gun, performing “Take Him Home” on home soil and finished 8th with 79 points. The band followed eventual winner Céline Dion on stage in the running order that night.
Since his diagnosis, he released a number of singles to raise money for research and treatment of MND, including “My New Dream” with his son Terence Taylor which went to Number 1 in the iTunes downloads charts in Ireland in October 2020, and releasing the duet “I Can’t Wait for Tomorrow” with his daughter Ella in November 2021.
In 2022, he also released a collaboration with Finbar Furey, “Music’s Door” to further fundraise for the foundation. Last week, his Watch Your Back MND foundation hosted a charity fundraising night in Dublin, raising money for motor neurone disease research and treatment.
The foundation paid tribute to Roy, stating “Through his infectious positivity over the last number of years he achieved so much in the fight against MND. His work has helped the world get closer to be free of MND. And for that we are bursting with pride. An amazing dad and amazing person and an amazing musician.”
Our thoughts at ESC United are with the family and friends of Roy Taylor at this sad time.
