The Script’s Danny O’Donoghue went ‘off the rails’ after bandmate’s death

Danny O'Donoghue (left) has revealed that the shock death of fellow The Script bandmate Mark Sheehan led him to go off "off the rails". Photo / Getty Images

The Script’s Danny O’Donoghue went “heavy on drinking” after the shock death of bandmate Mark Sheehan.

Mark died in April 2023 at the age of 46 following a brief illness and O’Donoghue admitted he went “off the rails” following Sheehan’s death.

He told Virgin Media One’s Six O’Clock Show: “I went off the rails after Mark passed. I went heavy on drinking, smoking and eating c*** food, really went off the rails.

“I had writers block, a mental block because I could not articulate what was going on because everything comes into question, not just should we carry on as a band, but is there a God? Why? There is no answers to these questions.

“I was trying to contemplate on the lyrics and the only thing I could write about Mark was ‘like a shooting star across the sky, in a second you were gone, but why do stars that light up twice as bright, only burn for half as long.’ It was the first time I got that thorn out of my side, what I wanted to articulate about the guy. It’s always the great ones that go too soon - partly explains why I am still here.

“From there the floodgates opened for me creatively and musically... Music to me is healing and it is an incredible gift to have to go to in your darkest moments.”

And, O’Donoghue revealed he wants to pay tribute to Sheehan by continuing with The Script.

Mark Sheehan died in April 2023 after battling a brief illness. Photo / Getty Images

He said: “We made a pact years ago, myself and Mark, and I want to complete the journey that we had together. Even though he is not here, we set about to make a dent in the Irish music scene, we wanted to be played on local radio and it snowballed from there. The guy was a lyrical genius and he is sorely missed.

“What I wanted to try to do was leave The Script as it was, I did not want to fill those shoes as they will never be filled. We retired the three-piece and have gone to a four-piece.

“We will never be able to repeat what it was... but we want to move forward with the energy Mark had.”