Ed Sheeran kicked off the first of his sell-out nine-concert Irish tour in Cork last Friday night. His three concerts in Cork were an outstanding success.

Ed Sheeran is the classic example of someone who hit some serious tough and rough patches in his life. He had a stammer and worked his way through that. He was homeless at one stage in his life but his determination helped him through. He always knew he had something to offer with his music and singing. It was a guitar that his uncle gave him at a young age that became his lifeline.

He has made many speeches and has spoken in some detail about his personal life and his Irish connections. One of my favourite quotes from him is: “Be yourself, because there’s no one in the world that can be a better you than you. And if you try to be the cool kid from class, you’ll end up being very boring. Be yourself, embrace your quirks. Being weird is a wonderful thing. Don’t ever treat it as an issue and don’t see it as a plight on your life. Carry on pushing forward and I did alright. You can do all right as well!”

We so often take music for granted and yet it is the pulse and heartbeat of life. Music is there for every occasion. It can uplift and it can calm and relax. It can unite and break down barriers. The way we listen to music has changed so much over the years from vinyl, tape, CD and now digital. But whatever format the music is, it never loses its importance or impact. Music can often lead us to the gentle quiet presence of God. Today we thank God for the great gift of music. As the old saying puts it so well: ‘When words fail, music can so often speak to us.’